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Civil Engineering MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Set yourself up for a rewarding career in civil engineering with this comprehensive, one-year MSc at UCL. You'll delve into everything from structural dynamics and sustainable design to geotechnics and environmental engineering, building specialised expertise to advance your career in this fast-evolving field.   

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
£19,900
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or a related subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants who do not meet this threshold but have extensive full-time professional experience (not internships) in civil engineering or a related discipline can provide a portfolio demonstrating existing engineering and design skills, which can be considered. For non-civil engineering candidates we offer a Graduate Diploma in Civil Engineering, recognised by our accrediting body (the Joint Board of Moderators), which can be used as a pre-qualifying year for the Civil Engineering MSc.

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.

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

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


If you’re looking for a specialist Master’s in civil engineering, there is no better place to study than here at UCL.

Combining theory with extensive project-based experience, this course covers the diverse facets of civil engineering – from structural dynamics and sustainable building design, to geotechnics, transport and more.

You’ll also learn all about the decisions engineers need to make from an environmental and societal standpoint. “Bigger Picture” thinking will help you understand the context of your work as an engineer, so you can go out and create sustainable engineering projects that benefit people and the planet. 

There’s a big emphasis on transferable skills too, like communication, creativity, project management, and critical thinking – which, when coupled with your technical expertise, will make you highly sought after for civil engineering jobs in consultancies, construction firms, government and non-governmental bodies. 

Who this course is for

This programme is ideal for you, if you are interested in gaining the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to elevate your expertise and credentials as a qualified civil engineer. 

It is suitable for graduates in civil engineering, or a similar field, who want to pursue a life-long and fulfilling career in various sectors of engineering and its related industries.  

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities. 

  • A postgraduate degree from a top-ranked university. UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide. 
  • Work with expert academics and researchers in UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, who specialise in different disciplines, including policy, architecture, structures, infrastructure planning, transport, energy, and more.  
  • Build strong collaborative skills, working alongside experts from UCL and carrying out research projects with one of our industrial partners.
  • Take advantage of our research and industry links, including attending seminars and exhibitions by industry leaders like ARUP, TfL, Network Rail, and more.
  • Enjoy a transformative curriculum designed to help you build a successful civil engineering career in industry or research.
  • Access the department's start-of-the-art and award-winning facilities across London such as Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory (PEARL), Controlled Active Ventilation Environment (CAVE), and Structural & Environmental Testing at Here East (StrEnTHE).
  • Study in the world's best city for university students (QS Best Student Cities 2024). UCL’s Bloomsbury campus is in the heart of a London district famous for its cultural and educational institutions.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Case study: Building trust with autonomous vehicles

UCL Civil Engineering researchers are improving the way we as drivers interact with autonomous vehicles when we switch between manual and self driving modes.

The foundation of your career

Graduates unlock multiple career pathways, having developed a comprehensive skillset, in-depth expertise of programme subject matter, and a broad contextual knowledge. Some graduates of this MSc prepare to become Chartered Engineers, or find work across a wide range of sectors, industries, and organisations. Graduates from our department have gone on to work with employers such as ARUP, MACE, Network Rail, TfL, WaterAid, and more.

Others go on to research positions in world-leading academic institutions, such as the University of Cambridge, UniSA, TU Delft, and more.

Employability

On this programme, you'll develop the strong technical and contextual foundation needed to progress into a civil engineering career in either industry or research. 

Networking

You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your Master’s.  

  • Engage with peers, industry experts and faculty members at guest lectures and special seminars.
  • Take part in collaborative group projects, field trips, site visits, case studies, and workshops within the department and with industry partners.
  • Access UCL Careers for a variety of resources and events to support your career development, including CV workshops and 1-2-1 guidance. 

Accreditation

This degree is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree.

See the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) website for further information.

Teaching and learning

This MSc programme is delivered through a mix of seminars, lectures, laboratory work, projects and practicals, which frequently draw upon real-life industry case studies.

Assessment is through examinations (short-answer and multiple-choice questions), presentations, essays, coursework, and your individual research project, which you will submit as a dissertation.

Full-time students can expect 12-16 hours of contact time per teaching week. The exact number of contact hours, composition, and assessment varies throughout the terms, and depends on the module choices of the student.

This is a full-time course, which means students should expect a working schedule of approximately 35-40 hours a week.

The Postgraduate Diploma consists of four core modules (60 credits) and four optional modules (60 credits).

Modules

The programme structure for full-time students encompasses a total of 180 credits.

4 compulsory modules (60 credits) tailored to the chosen pathway form the core. You'll then select 4 optional modules (60 credits) to complement your specialisation. In Term 3, you'll complete an individual research project (60 credits).

The programme structure for part-time students encompasses a total of 180 credits over the course of 2 years. 

4 compulsory modules (60 credits) tailored to the chosen pathway form the core. You'll then select 4 optional modules (60 credits) to complement your specialisation. In Term 3, you'll complete an individual research project (60 credits).

The programme structure for modular/flexible students encompasses a total of 180 credits over the course of their studies.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules




















Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Civil Engineering. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Civil Engineering.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Roberts Cafe, Roberts Engineering Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences

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At UCL Engineering, our graduates turn discoveries into solutions - improving medical treatments, housing, transportation, the products, processes and students we produce change the world. Visit us on campus and get your questions about postgraduate study at UCL answered by our leading academics, current students, and admissions advisors. You'll also take part in Bloomsbury campus tours, and enjoy department-specific demos, visits, taster lectures, and facility tours!

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800 £19,900

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

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

The programme may involve some additional costs, which can vary depending on the specific modules and activities chosen. 

Some modules on this MSc may organise field trips or other activities where the costs are met by the participating students. This will be no more than £300 per student.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

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

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study civil engineering at graduate level
  • why you want to study civil engineering at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver. 

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: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

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

cege-pg-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.