Modules

Year 1 In your first year, you’ll build the core skills that shape every civil engineer. You will learn how to survey land and construction sites, analyse simple structures and understand how materials like concrete, steel and timber behave in real conditions. You’ll explore soil mechanics and geology through labs and fieldwork and develop the maths and statistics needed for engineering problem-solving. You will also learn how the profession works – from sustainability to safety – and collaborate with others on the Engineering for People Design Challenge to apply your learning to real communities. Core modules Land and Construction Surveying Structural and Stress Analysis Construction Materials Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics Mathematics for Civil Engineering Civil Engineering Practice Year 2 In your second year, you’ll push your engineering skills further and take on more advanced design challenges. You will learn how structures behave under load, how materials and construction methods shape real projects and how to design reinforced concrete safely and sustainably. You will build confidence with numerical modelling and programming in computational mechanics, deepen your understanding of soil behaviour for foundations and earthworks, and explore hydraulics through hands-on lab work. Group design tasks help you apply these skills to a simplified structure, strengthening your teamwork and preparing you for industry or placement. Core modules Construction Methods and Technology Structural Analysis Concrete Technology and Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures Geotechnical Engineering 1 Hydraulics Computational Mechanics Optional Placement Year You can choose a salaried professional placement after your second year to gain hands-on experience in the civil engineering industry. This year allows you to apply your academic knowledge to real-world projects, develop technical and professional skills and build valuable industry contacts. The placement enhances your employability and confidence, giving you a competitive edge when starting your career. Year 3 In year 3 you’ll complete an individual research project and advanced design modules, focusing on steel structures and integrated structural design. You can tailor your studies with options such as hydraulics, geotechnical engineering, dynamics of structures, sustainable construction, environmental impact assessment and building information modelling. This year develops your specialist knowledge, practical design skills and project management expertise to prepare you for professional practice. Core modules Design of Steel Structures Integrated Approach to Design of Structures Dynamics of Structures Geotechnical Engineering 2 Options* Application of Design Applied Hydraulics Building Information Modelling Project Planning and Analysis Sustainable Construction Environmental Impact Assessment Water, Sanitation and Health Final year In your final year, you’ll undertake a major individual research project to demonstrate your ability to work as an independent civil engineering researcher and apply advanced technical knowledge to complex problems. Alongside this, you’ll deepen your expertise by choosing from a range of specialist option modules that reflect the latest industry practices and challenges. Core modules MEng Individual Project Options* Repair and Strengthening of Existing Reinforced Concrete Structures Wave Mechanics and Structural Loading Rock Mechanics Dynamics of Structures with Earthquake Engineering Applications Project Risk and Financial Analysis Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Random Vibration of Structures Transport Modelling for Civil Engineering Applications Sustainable Construction Bridge Loads and Analysis *Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.