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Civil Engineering

Entry requirements


To include a minimum 2 A Levels to include Grade C at A Level Maths plus applicants must also be studying a second relevant subject: ICT, Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Product Design, Electronics, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Further Maths, Use of Maths, Statistics, Music Technology, Physics, Technology and Design.

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

Engineering related Access: Pass Access with 45 credits at Level 3 to include 21 in Maths with Distinction and all other Engineering units with Merit or above Maths related Access: Pass Access with 45 credits at Level 3 to include 33 at Merit/Distinction with at least 21 credits in Maths with Distinction and 15 in Physics with merit or above.

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

Accepted in combination

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

28-32

to include 4 at Higher Level Maths and studying a second relevant subject.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H3,H3,H3

112 to 128 UCAS points to include H3 in Maths and a second relevant science subject.

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

Considered in combination

Considered in a related subject in combination with A Level Maths

Considered in combination

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

From 18 unit Engineering Extended Diploma: To include Distinction in Units: Unit 4: Mathematics for Engineering Technicians Unit 28: Further Mathematics for Engineering Technicians. OR From the new National Extended Diploma: To include Distinction in Units: Unit 1: Engineering Principles Unit 7: Calculus to solve Engineering Problems Unit 8: Further Engineering Mathematics.

Considered in combination

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

112 to 128 points to include D at Advanced Highers Maths plus a second relevant science subject at Advanced Highers

Considered in combination with Advanced Highers

For up to date details, please contact the institution directly.

UCAS Tariff

112-128

To include a minimum 2 A Levels to include Grade C at A Level Maths plus applicants must also be studying a second relevant subject: ICT, Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Product Design, Electronics, Engineering, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Further Maths, Use of Maths, Statistics, Music Technology, Physics, Technology and Design.

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

accepted in combination

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Civil engineering

Do you dream of building a suspension bridge or designing earthquake-proof buildings that save lives? Civil engineers imagine, design and create structures and the technical approaches necessary for realising large-scale projects that provide shelter, clean water, sanitation, transportation, energy security and safety from natural hazards. Our engineering students are taught by enthusiastic academic staff who use live site visits and laboratory work to reinforce your academic learning.

Our accredited BEng Civil Engineering is designed to set you on a path to becoming a qualified professional civil engineer. You can choose to take a paid year in industry with a civil engineering employer. We also offer a mentoring scheme that puts you in touch with our network of graduate engineers working in industry. Our academic staff are keen to support and educate you with the skills and knowledge highly sought after by employers of our Plymouth Civil Engineering graduates.

- Start your professional career from day one with a course accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution. Our BEng (Hons) is accredited by our professional institutions on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). You'll qualify for graduate membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Institution of Structural Engineers.

- Immerse yourself in the real world of civil engineering through site visits, field trips and visiting lectures from leading Chartered Civil Engineers working on major projects.

- Benefit from our £19 million Marine Building, which offers you opportunities to learn water engineering and coastal engineering. We offer major options in structural engineering and water management to equip you to specialise in design and flood risk management.

- Students in engineering, science and the arts will have access to a range of specialist equipment and innovative laboratories in our new engineering and design facility.

- Learn from our teaching staff of professionally qualified experts with relevant experience from the civil engineering industry and researchers with national and international reputations.

- Get ahead in your career by spending an optional placement year working as a paid student engineer, a great opportunity to further your knowledge and make important industry contacts.

- Learn a host of design skills from problem solving to sustainable development, as well as developing the critical thinking that plays a key role in the work of a civil engineer, including interpreting and analysing data.

- Develop your professional skills including communication, self-management, team working and leadership, all vital in pursuing a rewarding career.

- Increase your employability by taking an extra-curricular HSE-recognised diving qualification (subject to availability).

- Study core subjects include engineering surveying, geotechnics, hydraulics, management, materials, and structural analysis.

- Join our extensive network of Chartered Civil Engineer graduates from the University of Plymouth who now work at all levels in the industry both nationally and internationally.

- Progress onto the MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering at the end of the second year, subject to achieving the required level of academic performance on the BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering.

- Our academic staff are keen to support and educate you with the skills and knowledge highly sought after by employers of our Plymouth Civil Engineering graduates.

Modules

In the first year of your civil engineering course you will study alongside other engineering students to learn about the fundamental principles that underpin technical subjects which are studied throughout the course. You will develop your mathematical skills and study engineering materials, structural mechanics and fluid mechanics. You will learn about generic design and computer-aided design, and work in a team to undertake a real-world design challenge. Laboratory sessions will form an important part of your learning.

The second year introduces core civil engineering disciplines that comprise structural analysis and design, geotechnics and fluid dynamics. These subjects are explored in lectures, through practical activities, and field trips. You will develop essential and professional transferable skills and tools for the management of projects. At this point of the course, it is still possible to swap between our ‘civil’ and ‘civil and coastal’ engineering degrees.

By taking the opportunity to spend an optional year in paid employment whilst still a student civil engineer, you will obtain recordable professional experience, build a network of industry contacts and often obtain offers of summer work, sponsorship or employment on graduation. Our placements team will support you in finding a placement, and we have an extensive network of employers across all sectors.

In your final year, you will deepen your understanding of the core technical subjects in civil engineering with a particular focus on designing infrastructure solutions. You will immerse yourself in the execution of your individual project throughout the year. This project will focus on a research question or a practical issue relevant to a civil engineering topic of your choosing under the supervision of an academic member of staff. This might involve the use of laboratory facilities, modelling and analysis software.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

Assessment methods

49% of assessment is by exam, 51% by coursework

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Plymouth

Department:

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

79%
Civil engineering

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Civil engineering

Teaching and learning

70%
Staff make the subject interesting
79%
Staff are good at explaining things
73%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

86%
Library resources
86%
IT resources
81%
Course specific equipment and facilities
79%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

88%
UK students
12%
International students
89%
Male students
11%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
19%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
D
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Civil engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£25,000
med
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
91%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

72%
Engineering professionals
6%
Architects, town planners and surveyors
4%
Science, engineering and production technicians

Do you want to be in demand? This might be the degree for you! We are officially short of civil engineers, and so around two thirds of civil engineering graduates start jobs specifically as civil engineers, and starting salaries are well over £25k last year. Demand for civil engineers and related jobs - we're short of all of them - means that good graduates have plenty of options directly related to their degree when they graduate. This is a subject where work experience can be very helpful in getting a job and many students do work for engineering companies while they take their degrees.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Civil engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£30k

£30k

£37k

£37k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Portsmouth | Portsmouth
Civil Engineering
BEng (Hon) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-128
Nearby University
University of Exeter | Exeter
Civil Engineering
BEng (Hon) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 128-153

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here