Civil Engineering MEng

Course in brief

This integrated qualification gives you the opportunity to study at an in-depth masters level, enabling you to become a highly skilled engineer with the ability to manage design, construction and the maintenance of infrastructure. You will graduate with detailed scientific knowledge, and strong leadership and teamwork skills.

You will learn with staff active in industry, research and consultancy, with opportunities to get involved with lecturers’ research as part of your masters-level study.

You will put theory into practice through design projects based on case studies run in collaboration with our industry partners. Working alongside students from similar disciplines mirrors what you will experience in industry.

You will have access to specialist facilities including a concrete lab, hydraulics lab, soils lab, geotechnical centrifuge, dynamics lab and computer suite with specialist software.

The option of a salaried placement year provides valuable work experience and you will have the opportunity to learn Building Information Modelling (BIM) to further enhance your CV. You also have the option to study abroad as part of the Erasmus programme.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code H200

Full-time 4 years
With placement year 5 years

Accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)

Our next open day for this course will take place in the autumn. Register your interest now and we will let you know when you can book your place.

Apply now with UCAS

Start in 2018: how to apply

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level AAB–BBB (136–120 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDD. You will be considered if your predicted grades fall above or within this range.

A-levels must include maths at grade B, and preferably physics or chemistry. BTEC should include at least an M in further maths.

International Baccalaureate
34 points, with three subjects at Higher level including Higher level maths at grade 5.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Engineering or science. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above with overall distinction profile. Must achieve level 3 maths with distinction.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language, maths and a science.

Foundation degree/HND
International foundation may be considered. HND may be considered for year 2 entry.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

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.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

The first year introduces the key elements of the course. You will also gain an appreciation for the industry and have a broad yet thorough introduction to various aspects of the discipline.

Modules become more tailored from year two, and in your final two years you will have the freedom to choose your own option modules and a major research project.

You will learn through lectures, tutorials, group practicals, design weeks and laboratory work. You will also take part in field courses ranging from geological studies to surveying and have the option of a placement year.

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.

Modules

Land and Construction Surveying Practice
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 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.

Modules

Construction Methods and Technology
Structural Analysis
Design of Steel Structures
Geotechnical Engineering 1
Hydraulics
Computational Mechanics

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, and South East Water.

Civil Engineering with Construction Management

Year 3

The third year gives you flexibility to explore areas of interest. Options 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.

Modules

Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Design of Structures
Dynamics of Structures
Geotechnical Engineering 2

Option modules*

Application of Design
Applied Hydraulics
Building Information Modelling
Building Performance and Design Configuration
Project Planning and Analysis
Sustainable Construction
Project Management for Construction
Environmental Impact Assessment
Water, Sanitation and Health

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

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.

Module

Individual Project

Option modules*

Bridge Loads and Analysis
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
Dynamics of Structures with Earthquake Engineering Applications
Water Resources Management
Sustainable Construction
Wave Mechanics and Structural Loading
Rock Mechanics
Random Vibration of Structures
Repair and Strengthening of Existing Reinforced Concrete Structures

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

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.

Facilities

You will gain practical skills right from the word go. With access to our wide range of specialist labs and equipment, you will be supported by highly skilled and knowledgeable technicians throughout your course, from group project work in your first year through to your individual project.

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.

Click to view a virtual tour of our civil engineering lab facilities.

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

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 above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

We work closely with industry to ensure that the course has a focus on employability. Through our industrial liaison panel, visiting lecturers, site visits, collaborating on case studies and supporting mock interviews with industry partners, it helps give you a competitive edge and prepare you for employment.

Our graduates are now working in organisations including the Environment Agency, Halcrow, HR Wallingford, WS Atkins, Mott MacDonald, Ove Arup, Hemsley Orrell Partnership and Southern Water.

This course is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and fully satisfies the educational base for chartered engineer status (CEng).

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,040 GBP

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,230 for home students and £2,000 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus begins in summer 2018. By summer 2020 there’ll be 400 student bedrooms in new halls of residence (with another 400 by summer 2021), a new academic building and a new Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits.

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Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance.
Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus.
Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence.
Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field.
Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. We recommend Unihomes and House Share when you’re balancing learning with placements, shifts and other commitments, because they give you more choice and flexibility.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Find out more

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Our next open day for this course will take place in the autumn. Register your interest now and we will let you know when you can book your place.

Ask a question about this course

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

01273 644644

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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.