MSc Civil Engineering

Why Surrey?
Six study streams can be accessed by students on the Civil Engineering programme – Bridge Engineering, Construction Management, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Water Engineering and Infrastructure Engineering & Management.

The programme is organised and delivered by university staff, as well as practising engineers from consultancies and local authorities.

Programme overview
Our Civil Engineering programme aims to provide graduate engineers with advanced capabilities and in-depth knowledge in a range of specialised aspects of civil engineering. It is also designed to update the technical skills of practising engineers engaged in the planning, design, construction and operation of civil engineering works and to contribute to a personal professional development programme.

This programme is particularly useful in providing the necessary further learning for engineers working in the construction industry who hold related first degrees such as engineering geology or construction management.

Why not explore some of our past and present student profiles, including Alex Salter, Ian Sandle, Evangelos Alexakis and Mina Giagia.

Module overview
The modular arrangement is intended to tailor the programme to your individual needs and provide maximum flexibility in terms of attendance of full-time and part-time students.

The majority of modules run for ten weeks and comprise approximately 30 hours (three hours per week) of class time and 120 hours of self-study and assignments.

Successful completion of four modules is required for a student to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, eight modules for a Postgraduate Diploma. Eight modules and a dissertation are required for the award of an MSc.

Individual modules can be used to contribute towards a continuing professional development programme.

Civil Engineering module groups
MSc programmes in Bridge Engineering, Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering share module options. The modules fall under six streams of study:

Bridge Engineering modules

– Bridge Management
– Bridge Deck Loading and Analysis
– Durability of Bridges and Structures
– Pre-stressed Concrete Bridge Design
– Steel and Composite Bridge Design
– Long Span Bridges

Structural Engineering modules

– Steel Building Design
– Space Structures
– Structural Mechanics and Finite Elements
– Concrete Building Design
– Structural Safety and Reliability
– Earthquake Engineering
– Design of Masonry Structures
– Subsea Engineering

Construction Management modules

– Construction Organisation
– Project and Risk Management
– Construction, Management and Law

Geotechnical Engineering modules

– Soil–Structure Interaction
– Advanced Soil Mechanics
– Energy Geotechnics
– Deep Foundations and Earth Retaining Structures
– Geotechnical Structures

Water Engineering modules*

– Environmental Health
– Water Treatment
– Wastewater Treatment and Sewerage
– Applied Chemistry and Microbiology (Intensive)
– Pollution Control and Waste Management
– Groundwater Control
– Regulation and Management
– Water Resources Management and Hydraulic Modelling

Infrastructure Engineering & Management modules:

– Infrastructure Asset Management
– Infrastructure Investment and Financing
– Infrastructure Systems, Interdependencies and Resilience
– Sustainability and Infrastructure

* Students must meet prerequisites for some of these modules to be able to take them.

Teaching
Apart from the usual full-time mode, there are also part-time options. The majority of Bridge, Geotechnical and Structural Engineering modules can be studied by distance learning through the use of an interactive web-based e-learning platform (SurreyLearn).

Teaching hours
Each module corresponds to 150 hours of work, which includes 30 hours of lectures in the case of contact students.

Assessment
Modules are generally assessed by a combination of examinations and continuous assessment. The latter will be based on solutions to tutorial questions, reports covering practical sessions and fieldwork, and essays on a number of suitable topics.

Each module is assessed separately. There is a written final examination for most modules (some modules are examined by continuous assessment only) at the end of each semester. The modules and the dissertation have a minimum pass mark of 50 per cent.

Entry requirements
A minimum of 60 per cent in an honours degree in civil engineering or equivalent accredited to CEng, or a minimum of 70 per cent in an honours degree in civil engineering accredited to IEng. Overseas equivalent qualifications are also welcome. Alternatively, at least five years’ relevant industrial experience (preferably codified design) or a professional qualification (for example, CEng). Strength in geotechnical engineering also needs to be demonstrated for this programme.

How to apply
For more information on the course and how to apply please visit the course website.

General enquiries:
+44 (0)1483 681 681

Admissions enquiries:
+44 (0)1483 682 222
admissions@surrey.ac.uk