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Civil Engineering

Entry requirements


120 to 136 UCAS Points, a minimum of 2 A Levels to include grade 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

Only considered in combination with further qualifications

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

Accepted in combination

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30-32

to include 5 at Higher Level Maths and be studying a second relevant subject at Higher Level. English Language considered within

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

H1,H2,H2,H2,H3

120 to 136 UCAS points to include H2 in Maths and be studying a second relevant 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 combination

Considered in combination

Only considered alongside A Level Maths

Considered in combination

Considered in combination alongside A Level Maths and second relevant subject

120 to 136 points to include C at Advanced Highers Maths plus a second relevant science/technology subject at Advanced Highers

considered in combination with Advanced Highers

UCAS Tariff

120-136

To include a minimum of 2 A Levels to include 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.

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

4years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

5 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Civil engineering

Do you want to design large structures or be involved in projects that have great benefit to societies around the world? This accredited 4 year MEng course provides all the further learning required for you to proceed towards becoming a Chartered Civil Engineer. Our Plymouth Civil Engineers imagine, design and create the structures and technical approaches that provide shelter, clean water, sanitation, transportation, energy security and protection from natural hazards.

You will learn how to communicate effectively, manage projects and work in professional teams. You may choose to take a paid year in industry with a civil engineering employer and can further boost your professional development by attending specialist seminars and talks. We can also offer you a mentor drawn from our network of engineering professionals. The final year develops your advanced understanding of core civil engineering disciplines and finishes with an integrating design project.

- Four year integrated masters programme.

- Start your professional career from day one with a course accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution. As a student member, you’ll join a network of over 80,000 members worldwide, as well as having the opportunity to get involved in our active local branches. Our MEng (Hons) degree is accredited by the professional institutions as fully satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

- 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 flood modelling to equip you to specialise in design and flood risk management.

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

- 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 including engineering surveying, geotechnics, hydraulics, management, materials, and structural analysis.

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

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.

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.

In this final year of the MEng programme you will build upon and integrate your earlier learning. You will develop advanced understanding of structural engineering, hydraulics and geotechnics and learn about computational approaches for the analysis of structures and foundations. As a masters student you will sharpen your project management skills. The year finishes with the completion of an integrated design project that demonstrates your design, presentation and group working skills.

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

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.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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