Course starts: September 2027 Location: London, Bloomsbury

Construction Engineering, Innovation and Leadership MEng

UCL’s Construction Engineering, Innovation and Leadership MEng is a comprehensive, four-year course that integrates engineering design, construction management, digital technology, and leadership development. You are equipped with the skills to drive transformative change, lead high-impact projects, and shape the future of the built environment sector.

Key information

Full-time

4 academic years

UK: £9,790 per year
International: £39,200 per year

13 January 2027. Applications close at 6pm UK time.
Applications may stay open after this UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, please check UCAS for details.

Entry requirements

Grades: AAA
Subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Statistics, Science, ICT, Design and Technology preferred.
GCSEs: English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6 and Chemistry or Physics (Double Award acceptable) at grade B or 6

Contextual offer

Grades: ABB
Subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Statistics, Science, ICT, Design and Technology preferred.
GCSEs: English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6 and Chemistry or Physics (Double Award acceptable) at grade B or 6

At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.

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JavaScript is required to view international equivalencies. Visit UCL International for more information.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages and International Education.

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) - UCL's International Foundation Year - are for international students who have completed high school with a qualification UCL does not accept for undergraduate entry.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

About this course

The construction industry needs professionals who can do more than deliver buildings and infrastructure. It needs leaders who understand policy, drive innovation, and shape the future of the built environment. This degree combines civil engineering with leadership and digital transformation, preparing you to turn ambitious ideas into real-world projects. You join as an undergraduate, and graduate after four years with a master’s level qualification, ready to enter the industry. 

During your degree you build a strong foundation in engineering science, studying how structures, materials and environmental systems behave and how technical decisions shape project outcomes. Core topics include structural mechanics, fluid dynamics, materials science and soil mechanics, alongside skills in structural analysis, hydrology and engineering geology. These capabilities prepare you to tackle complex engineering challenges and work confidently across diverse areas of the built environment.

You also explore how the industry is adopting new technologies to work more efficiently and sustainably. You learn how AI, Building Information Modelling, and data-driven tools are transforming design and delivery, and how sustainable materials, environmental modelling and resource-efficient approaches support a low-carbon future.

Leadership and project delivery run throughout the course. You learn how projects are planned, managed and assessed, including health and safety, procurement, contracts and commercial responsibility. You develop communication and strategic thinking skills, while exploring how policy frameworks and future trends shape the construction sector. In Year 3, you work on an industry design project, applying your learning with guidance from industry experts. Site visits, group work and industry engagement help you gain insights into how teams collaborate in practice.

When you graduate, you will have the technical expertise and leadership skills to contribute to complex projects and help shape a more innovative, efficient and sustainable built environment.

We are looking for students who are enthusiastic about engineering, demonstrate leadership potential and show curiosity about innovation and policy. This may be reflected through your studies, extracurricular activities, personal projects, volunteering or any work experience you have undertaken. Most importantly, you should be motivated to improve the built environment and shape how projects are delivered in the future.

Course structure

In Year 1, you participate in two engineering skills modules, modules introducing the history and context of leadership and sustainability, concepts of digital technology, fundamentals of whole life thinking and project management.

In Year 2, further engineering skills modules focus on engineering geology, soil mechanics, geotechnical engineering, surveying and hydrology, sustainability covering materials technologies and key assessment techniques, construction management on varying technologies and leadership on sustainability and productivity improvements.

In Year 3 you complete a 30-credit industry design project, supported by industry experts. This brings together learning from the six strands on sustainability, such as systems thinking, whole life design including digital twins, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), digital techniques and building physics.

Year 4 involves a 60-credit dissertation to apply your knowledge in a complex real-world example. Further training includes whole life design, environmental modelling, leadership at scale and anticipating the future.  

Modules

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Please note that the list of compulsory modules given here is indicative. Up to 10 optional modules per year are displayed for this course: this may not be the full range of optional modules available for selection. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is 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. For more detail regarding module availability, please contact the department.

Compulsory modules

This course is delivered primarily through small group teaching. There is a mix of lectures, seminars, group projects, laboratory work, site visits, networking activities, policy meetings and industry design projects. In the final year, you have a dissertation supervisor who provide 1:1 tuition and support for the research module.

We will offer optional summer placements in Year 3 to provide students with exposure to industry driven challenges, broaden their horizons and form new networks.

You take part in technical site visits with industry partners in Years 2, 3 and 4. As part of leadership training, you take part in industry and policy meetings to expand your professional networks and develop your communication skills with professional and non-professional audiences. 

Assessments are in a variety of forms, reflecting current professional communication methods. This includes traditional examinations, laboratory exercises and design workshops. Written assessments are presented through your own website, journal paper type submissions, policy leaflets or professional social media channels. Verbal assessment includes presentations given to industry or external audiences, in-person or video recordings, public speaking exercises and student-led events. Supportive formative assessment form an integral part of each module and include peer and staff feedback, individual tasks, group exercises, presentations, practice interviews and coaching.

You can typically expect between 12-15 contact hours per teaching week through lectures and tutorials, as well as 25-30 hours of independent study.

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fee comparison by study mode and student status.
Study mode	UK fee (2026/27)	Overseas fee (2026/27)
Full time	£9,790	£39,200

UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.

International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

The school covers the cost of site visits and field trips, although students may incur incidental costs of £200–£500 depending on destination, for which hardship bursaries will be available.

For in-person teaching, 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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2026. 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. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue undergraduate studies. Please see the UK Undergraduate Scholarship page for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs. 

Why study this course at UCL?

You study at the UCL Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, a leading centre for engineering, construction and sustainability research. UCL is ranked #1 in the world for Architecture and the Built Environment studies (QS World University Rankings by subject 2026) and #1 in the UK for Construction, surveying and planning (Guardian University Guide 2026). You learn from academics and industry practitioners who are shaping how the built environment is designed, delivered and managed.

London, the best city for students in the UK and Europe (QS Best Student Cities 2026), becomes part of your classroom. You are close to major infrastructure projects, construction firms and emerging digital technologies, with wide ranging opportunities to meet industry experts, visit live sites and see how engineering decisions work in practice. The curriculum is rooted in real-world problems, helping you connect technical learning with the challenges facing the sector today.

By the end of the course, you will be ready to lead in a fast-evolving sector. With sustainability and innovation embedded throughout your learning, you gain the knowledge and skills needed to navigate future opportunities in the built environment. You graduate with strong engineering capability and the confidence to shape the future of construction.

Discover Uni

To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.

What this course will give you

This degree prepares you for roles across construction, engineering and the built environment. You gain strong analytical skills, confidence in solving technical problems, and the ability to apply engineering judgement to real projects. You develop communication and teamwork skills valued by employers through presenting design work, contributing to group projects and explaining technical ideas to different audiences.

You gain experience with digital tools, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and data-driven methods. You build an understanding of how sustainability and policy shape construction practice, helping you make informed decisions and adapt to new technologies throughout your career.

Industry engagement is embedded in the degree. Site visits, meetings with professionals, and group design projects give you insight into how organisations operate and deliver projects, supporting your transition into the workplace.

The degree prepares you for a wide range of careers, including:

Civil engineering leadership: Leading teams to design, deliver and maintain infrastructure such as transport, energy, water and telecommunications
Construction project management: Overseeing the delivery of major infrastructure and construction projects
Sustainable construction and innovation: Driving the adoption of artificial intelligence, robotics and low-carbon materials
Infrastructure development and planning: Managing national infrastructure strategy, large-scale urban projects and planning reform
Policy and regulation: Working with government or industry bodies to shape the future of construction, including standards and sustainability policy
Consulting and advisory roles: Providing expertise in lifecycle assessment, environmental impact metrics and resilience strategies
Entrepreneurship and industry leadership: Founding or leading organisations focused on sustainable construction and innovation

Open days

Find out more about our in-person Open Days, online events and courses and subjects that interest you.

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How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Apply for this course

You are applying for the Construction Engineering, Innovation and Leadership MEng course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.

Course starts: September 2027

UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.

Got questions? Get in touch

We are here to help. Get in touch with us for more information about our courses.

Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction

bartlett.ug-bssc@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Construction Engineering, Innovation and Leadership MEng

Key information