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Civil Engineering MSc

This MSc aims to equip students with the skills of analysis and design necessary for employment as professional civil engineers, and give them a solid academic background for becoming chartered engineers. The programme combines traditional lectures with group projects and an individual research project in the student's chosen specialist field.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years
Flexible: up to 5 years

Part-time students usually attend two or three days per week.

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£13,640 (FT)
£6,810 (PT)
Overseas:
£28,530 (FT)
£14,320 (PT)


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

Optional qualifications: This degree is also available as a PG Diploma with fees set accordingly.
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 www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

Location: London, Bloomsbury

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in civil or structural engineering or a closely related subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with a good performance in the core subjects (design, structures, geotechnics, and fluids) or extensive work experience covering these areas may be considered. For non-civil or structural 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.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Standard

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

International students

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.

Select your country:

About this degree

Students develop advanced knowledge of civil engineering and associated engineering and scientific disciplines (such as structural dynamics, sustainable building design, transport, fluids, geotechnics, water and drainage, environmental and coastal engineering, planning and construction). They gain awareness of the context in which engineering operates, in terms of design, construction and the environment, alongside transferable skills, which leads to careers in industry and research.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and a research project (60 credits).

The PG Dip consists of four core modules (60 credits) and four optional modules (60 credits).

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Civil Engineering. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Civil Engineering.

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 is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

  • Advanced Soil Mechanics
  • Advanced Structures
  • Roads and Underground Infrastructure: Design, Construction and Maintenance
  • Project Management (Professional Development Module)

Please visit the Civil Engineering MSc routes programme page for further compulsory module details (selecting Civil Engineering MSc in the Programme information section). 

Optional modules (indicative list):

Students choose four options from two groups. Please visit the Civil Engineering MSc routes programme page for further module details and selection information. Below is an indicative list of choices.

  • Advanced Civil Engineering Materials
  • Applied Building Information Modelling
  • Design and Analysis of Structural Systems
  • Engineering Surveying
  • Environmental Fluid Mechanics
  • Environmental Modelling
  • Environmental Systems
  • Finite-Element Modelling and Numerical Methods
  • Offshore and Coastal Engineering
  • Quantitative Methods and Data Systems
  • Structural Dynamics
  • Structural Vulnerability and Resilience

See the Civil Engineering MSc routes programme page for the number of optional modules you can take from each group. Timetable constraints may affect your preferred module choices.

Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project, which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 10,000 words.

Covid-19 field trip updates
Due to COVID-19 updates, there may need to be changes to planned field trips for this programme. This will depend on travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and the availability of the relevant venues. Your department will keep you updated if field trips are able to occur and/or any alternative options available.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars, laboratory classes and field trips. The research project includes laboratory, computational or field work depending on the nature of the project. Assessment is through examinations, coursework, project reports and the research project.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 practical component updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be changes to the availability of the practical components for your chosen programme. Any updates relate only to the 20/21 academic year and may not apply to all students across the programme depending on your year of study.  Your department will keep you updated if the practical component of your programme is able to occur and/or any alternative options available.   There may need to be additional updates or changes to the practical component during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and/or Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available. 
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

Short local visits may form part of your programme; these may incur public transport costs.

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

Accessibility

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

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

Brown Family Bursary

Note:
This scheme is now closed for 2020/21
Value:
£15,000 (1 year)
Eligibility:
UK
Criteria:
Based on both academic merit and financial need

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

Careers

There are excellent employment prospects for our graduates. Civil Engineering graduates are readily employed by consultancies, construction companies and government departments.

Employability

Civil Engineering graduates are readily employed by consultancies, construction companies and government departments, with a well-established path to become Chartered Engineers after the required professional experience.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering is an energetic and exciting multidisciplinary department with a tradition of excellence in teaching and research, situated within the heart of London.

This MSc reflects the broad range of expertise available within the department, its strong links with the engineering industry, and places emphasis on developing skills within a teamwork environment. The programme provides a clear route to a professional career in civil engineering.

There is a wide choice of optional modules availble (subject to timetabling requirements), enabling students to customise their learning. 

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 www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

Department: Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering

Application and next steps

Applications

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 £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

This programme enables students who have completed a BEng degree in Civil or Structural Engineering (or similar) to supplement this with a taught graduate Master's degree, thereby continuing their progression towards fully qualified professional engineering status in the UK or elsewhere.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

Applications are accepted throughout the year but applicants are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. It takes approximately four weeks from submission of an application to receiving an offer letter. If you are an overseas student requiring a visa we recommend applying no later than 15 June to give you sufficient time to obtain the CAS number required for your visa.


For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

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 personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging 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.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020