Intro

Civil engineers design, build and maintain the essential infrastructure that surrounds us, from bridges and roads to water supply systems, helping communities to function smoothly and sustainably.

Our Civil Engineering MEng with integrated foundation year course will build your confidence and develop the skills and knowledge you need, including proficiency in maths, so you are fully ready to begin your degree.

After successfully completing the foundation year you can progress straight to the Civil Engineering MEng course, which will prepare you to start your career as a highly skilled professional with strong leadership skills and detailed scientific knowledge.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code H203

Full-time 5 years
With placement year 6 years

Accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff
80–72 UCAS tariff points. A or AS-level maths, or its equivalent, is normally a requirement for entry.

A-levels
CDD–BC or equivalent. Subjects should include maths at A or AS-level.

BTEC
MMP/DM. Maths, or its equivalent, is normally a requirement for entry.

International Baccalaureate
24 points, with two subjects at Higher level and at least Standard level maths at grade 4.

T-level
Merit in one of these T-levels. Other T-level subjects are not accepted.

  • Design, Surveying and Planning
  • Digital Production, Design and Development
  • Building Services Engineering for Construction
  • Onsite Construction
  • Digital Business Services
  • Digital Support and Services

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4) 
At least five subjects including maths and a physical science. Mature students without these qualifications but with relevant industrial experience may be considered.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

View our English language courses

For pre-sessional English preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Foundation year that opens up opportunities in civil engineering if you don’t have the required qualifications, are changing career or returning to study.
  • We are 12th in the UK for civil engineering courses — Guardian University League 2024.
  • Progress to a degree accredited by Joint Board of Moderators.
  • Our Industrial Advisory Board offers invaluable advice and networking opportunities.
  • Exciting project work and opportunities to get involved in research.
  • Fieldwork, site visits and guest lectures from professionals bring learning to life.
  • Specialist facilities including concrete lab, dynamics lab, hydraulics lab, soils lab and wave tank room.
  • Option of a salaried placement year to build your experience and confidence.
  • Learn Building Information Modelling (BIM) and gain a professional advantage.
  • Shared first year with the option to transfer and specialise in Civil with Environmental Engineering or Civil Engineering with Construction Management.

    Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Students in hard hats and hi-viz vests near a wooded area

Foundation year 

Your foundation year introduces you to core areas of engineering.

Technician talking to two civil engineering students in concrete lab

Year 1

In your first year you will explore the fundamental elements of civil engineering. You will also undertake a group project linked to the Engineering for People Design Challenge. 

Female civil engineering student using total station

Year 2

In your second year, you will build on the knowledge and skills you have acquired in your first year. Group project work will include working on the design of a simplified structure.

Student working with civil engineering facility for testing concrete

Placement year

A placement year offers an excellent opportunity to gain work experience, build a professional network, increase your confidence, develop existing skills and discover new ones. The experience also significantly enhances your CV. 

Our students have been placement in organisations including:

  • Mackley
  • Laing O’Rourke
  • Balfour Beatty
  • Mott MacDonald
  • South East Water.

There is also the opportunity to study abroad.

Civil engineering students making concrete

Year 3

The third year gives you flexibility to explore areas of interest. Mock interviews are conducted with industry partners to prepare you for work as part of the Design for Reinforced Concrete Structures module. Options also include application of design, which is delivered by Mott MacDonald. 

Projects include study of vibration of structures and their mitigation, a multidisciplinary group design activity as well as the design and build of a simple small-scale structure which you will test in the lab. 

Our optional Application of Design module is delivered by Mott MacDonald.

Civil engineering concrete lab view from above

Final year

In your final year, you will embark on a major individual project. You will continue to focus on your engineering specialisms and have the freedom to choose from a range of option modules.

Male civil engineering student with mask on mixing concrete

Careers

Accreditation 

This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

As part of this accreditation, we have achieved AHEP 4 standard meaning that our degrees meet the requirements of the Engineering Council’s Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (Fourth Edition) in engineering, in line with the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence.

JBM accrediting bodies logos 2023

Prepare for your career 

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

  • Visiting experts from industry share their insights with you and offer a chance to network
  • Site visits, case studies and mock interviews with industry partners all help give you a competitive edge.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to see live projects up close, network with industry representatives and take part in a module taught by external industry experts from Mott MacDonald.
  • You will undertake a group project linked to the Engineering for People Design Challenge – an Engineering Without Borders initiative that challenges students to work on global issues.
Research student in a white lab coat

Facilities for learning 

You will gain practical skills right from the word go. With access to our specialist labs and equipment, you will be supported by highly skilled and knowledgeable technicians.

We have a concrete lab, dynamics lab, heavy structure labs, hydraulics lab, soils and wave tank room, all housing specialist facilities and equipment that replicate industry.

Building Information Modelling 

At Brighton, you will have the opportunity to learn Building Information Modelling (BIM). The industry-standard BIM application is widely used in the UK construction industry to manage and deliver building construction projects from concept to completion. Gaining skills and experience in BIM as part of your studies can help to give you a professional advantage when you graduate.

You will begin to develop your knowledge and skills in BIM by gaining a comprehensive understanding of modelling a building in a 3D environment, applying contractual requirements and learning about the building lifecycle. 

You will then have the opportunity to further investigate BIM’s capabilities. The UK government currently states that all publicly-funded projects must now meet the BIM protocol, which has resulted in a push for a fast adoption of BIM in the industry, meaning there will be a growing demand for professionals who have BIM experience.

Students studying architectural diagrams on the computer

Graduate destinations 

Our graduates are now working in organisations including:

  • The Environment Agency
  • Halcrow
  • HR Wallingford
  • WS Atkins
  • Mott MacDonald
  • Ove Arup
  • Hemsley Orrell Partnership
  • Southern Water.

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Further study 

This degree also opens up a range of postgraduate study options. At Brighton you could progress to:

Supporting your employability 

Beyond your course, our Careers and Employability team are here to support you as you discover (and rediscover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that’s not just while you are a student – our support carries on after you’ve graduated.

Find out about careers and employability at Brighton.

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Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,535 GBP

International (full-time) 17,250 GBP

This course offers a professional placement (sandwich) year in year 3. If you choose to take this placement you will pay a reduced fee during this year. For students starting their undergraduate degree in the 2025–26 academic year, the fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases in line with inflation.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find the Students’ Union events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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Accommodation

If you booked halls by 30 June you are guaranteed an offer of a room. If you are currently looking for halls you can register your interest in available rooms now. In 2024, everyone who did this before or on A-level results day got a room offer. There is a good range of student accommodation in Brighton, including university and private halls, as well as rented rooms, flats and houses, and our team are here to support you to find the best match for you.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence

We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Mithras Halls are stylish high-rises in the heart of the student village at our Moulsecoomb campus with en suite rooms for more than 800 students.
  • Varley Park is a popular, dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?

We can help – find out more about private renting.

Relaxing in halls

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Mithras halls room with a view

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You’ll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness to managing stress and accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you’ll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You’ll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well as having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Brighton Cricket Academy

Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment. 

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus

Student views  

Polly Morris 

I did my A-levels, which included maths, a while ago and decided I wanted to come back to studying. All this was taken into account when I applied and the university recommended I start on the Civil Engineering BEng(Hons). After my first year, my lecturer suggested I move to the MEng. There’s a really good, broad coverage of engineering in the first three years of the MEng, and in my final year I got to specialise in the areas I’m most interested in.

One of the highlights of my course has definitely been the staff; lecturers, technicians and support staff. They are so supportive, always willing to get involved and make themselves accessible to students. As students we have a real say in what happens and have a platform for feeding back our views, and things do change according to this. As part of your masters-level study there are also opportunities to get involved in some of the research and work that our lecturers are doing.

I would definitely recommend this course. One of the main reasons I chose it is that it’s very vocational. I knew that when I finished studying I wanted to be trained and ready to start in a job straight away. It’s also very practical so you get to put what you are learning into practice. The modules are run by industry and they come in and teach us, including well-known companies like Mott Macdonald.

I did a 12-week summer placement, between my third and fourth years, with Mott Macdonald and from that I now have a job there when I finish my course. I worked in the office in the design team. It’s the area I thought I wanted to work in and the placement helped to confirm it.

Polly Morris

Stay in touch

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

You may also be interested in our construction and civil engineering blog.

Statistics

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before registration so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Course specification

Course specifications are the approved description of each course. They contain a breakdown of the content and structure of the course, learning outcomes and assessment. Course specs are updated following course changes.

Course specification

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