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Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

Students are welcome to join the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE) to engage in research and gain the award of an MPhil or PhD degree. Departmental research covers both the development and application of theory and techniques. Staff work closely with companies and organisations involved with CEGE, and are funded through UK Research Councils, European funds and industry.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£5,860
£2,930
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£29,000
£14,500
Duration
3 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
April 2023
September 2023
Applications accepted
April 2023 entry: 17 Oct 2022 – 06 Jan 2023

Applications closed

September 2023 entry: 17 Oct 2022 – 30 Jun 2023

Applications open

There are two possible start dates for this PhD: April 1st 2023, and September 25th 2023. In order to be considered for entry in April 2023 complete applications must have been submitted by 13th January 2023. This is to ensure that all necessary administrative tasks can be completed to ensure successful applicants enrol on time. Applications which are submitted, or become complete after this date will be considered for September 2023 entry only.

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Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university in a subject appropriate to the chosen field, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g., Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Our multidisciplinary department has a long tradition of excellence and innovation in research and teaching. We hold a substantial EPSRC research portfolio in civil engineering, and our diverse range of programmes, which cover most major and advanced areas of civil, environmental and geomatic engineering, are accredited by professional engineering bodies (e.g. the Joint Board of Moderators, the International Hydrographic Organization, and RICS). Research students benefit from our extensive links to world-leading industry in London and directly engage with global challenges through their research with us. Our research graduates go on to make the world a better place as academics, entrepreneurs, civil engineers, planners, and policymakers.

Who this course is for

This programme is most likely to appeal to students who have an academic background in a subject such as engineering, architecture, environmental studies, geography, mathematics, earth sciences, physical or computational sciences and wish to expand their knowledge of theory, tools and techniques about civil engineering.
Read about what it takes to become a UCL graduate research student

What this course will give you

With academic staff including world-renowned scholars with extensive professional experience in the areas of the environment, structures, geomatics, transport and healthy infrastructure, our very competitive degree programmes allow you to carry out ground-breaking research alongside some of the top experts in the field. UCL was one of the first universities to start a skills development programme, and you will be able to take advantage of a wide range of training courses (e.g. our internal teacher training scheme), which equip you with the right skills for your research and future career. Visit the UCL Doctoral School website for further details.

In addition to regular sessions with academic supervisors, our MPhil/PhD students have a dedicated administrative team and access to a range of support services and regular social activities where interdisciplinary research flourishes. Based in the famous Bloomsbury area, we are in the heart of London, making it easy to attend research meetings and networking events here in the capital, or to make use of the excellent transport links to travel further afield.

In 2011 we received £17.2m of funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, more than any comparable department. We are taking on the big issues that face our world, from city design, managing an ageing population and transport infrastructure, to water processing and energy and resource management. Our research projects and our numerous research groups and centres span disciplines and cross subjects to provide new and innovative solutions and thinking that refers back to the human and the applied. We're engineering a better world.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

The core skill set you would obtain during your MPhil/PhD varies depending on your specific research project but the department provides a wide range of opportunities so that you are not limited to what your research projects offers.

Employability

Our recent graduate data suggests that 40% of our graduates took up postdoctoral fellowships or lectureships at UCL or other universities after graduation. Engineering consultancy firms are the second most popular destination (30%), followed by policy-making organisations, such as central governments, and the United Nations (20%). In addition, there have been a number of graduates who pursued careers as entrepreneurs.

Networking

Many academics in our department are working with industry partners. Applicants can ask about potential inputs from, or collaboration with, industry partners when they approach potential supervisors.

Teaching and learning

Research areas and structure

Environment, Sustainability, Water and Wastewater Engineering, Energy Modelling, Climate Change Adaptation, Resiliency, Geomatics, Geomechanics and Materials, Structures, Transport, Health and Infrastructure. Applicants are encouraged to visit the research section of the CEGE website.

Research environment

Our multidisciplinary department has a long tradition of excellence and innovation in research and teaching. We hold the largest EPSRC research portfolio in civil engineering and our diverse range of programmes covering all major and most advanced areas of civil, environmental and geomatic engineering are accredited by professional engineering bodies (ICE, CIWEM, IHO, RICS).


Students benefit from our extensive links to world-leading industry in London and directly engage with research to tackle global challenges. Our graduates go on to make the world a better place as researchers, entrepreneurs, civil engineers, planners, and policymakers.

Before registering for this PhD programme, you must initially have successfully a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university in a subject appropriate to the chosen field, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

Within three months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research methodology and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback. During your registration, you will be able to participate in conferences and research showcase events, which provide you with an opportunity to present your research findings before an audience of academics, industry and your fellow doctoral students.  

In the second year or part-time equivalent, you will be expected to complete the upgrade progression process.  To progress, you are required to submit a short upgrade report, which must be presented and successfully defended in an upgrade viva. In your final year, you will submit your thesis and defend it to a panel in a Viva exam.

There are many training opportunites available via the Doctoral Skills Development Programme and UCL is part of the Bloomsbury Posgtraduate Skills Network. The purpose of the programme is to give you the opportunity to expand your research and transferable skills in order to support your research, professional development and employability.

Depending on the terms of any funding arrangements, upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may be able to register as a completing research student (CRS) while you write up your thesis. 

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.


Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £5,860 £2,930
Tuition fees (2023/24) £29,000 £14,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Additional costs should be discussed with your prospective supervisor as each research area differs.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Fully-funded studentships attached to research projects are usually announced in the vacancies section of the CEGE website, as well as on www.jobs.ac.uk and www.findaphd.com.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

CSC-UCL Joint Research Scholarship

Value: Fees, maintenance and travel (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

You are encouraged to identify and contact potential supervisors before submitting a formal application. It is important that you find a supervisor who shares the same research interest and expectations and is available to take a new student. Supervisors in our department welcome emails enquiring about your potential MPhil/PhD study. Their contact details are available on the Academic staff section of the CEGE website. Intake points for PhD students are September and March. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2023-2024

Year of entry: 2022-2023

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Got questions? Get in touch

Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering

cege-pgr-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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