Our Civil Engineering degree is broadly based to cover the full range of subjects, allowing you to work in any sector of the industry. You will learn core civil engineering subjects such as structures, materials, geotechnics, and water engineering and develop excellent surveying skills. Mathematics, programming and computer-aided design are taught within the context of engineering principles and practice. Later in the course, there is the opportunity to specialise in specific areas by pursuing various optional modules.
Compulsory modules
Professional Skills
The aim of this module is for the student to explore and reflect on the academic, professional and personal skills required for their learning development and future employability.
Structural Forms and Stress Analysis
The aim of this module is to develop understanding of commonly used structural forms and their qualitative behaviour, complex states of stress in solids, and potential failure of brittle and ductile materials.
Mathematical Modelling of Structures
The aim of this module is to develop mathematical tools to analyse the internal actions and deformations of widely used structural elements under external static loads.
Mechanical and Mathematical Principles of Fluid Mechanics
The aims of the module is to develop an understanding of fluid mechanical principles set within the context of the global hydrological cycle coupled to salient mathematical and statistical concepts.
Engineering Materials for Construction
The aim of this module is to understand the properties of civil, architectural and construction engineering materials and how this knowledge is applied to design, construction and maintenance, together with an appreciation of sustainability and buildability.
Collaborative Practice in the Built Environment
The aim of this module is for the student to be introduced to collaborative practices and professional perspectives in solving design problems for the built environment, working in transdisciplinary teams and with emerging technologies in the construction sector, including exposure to digital methods of modelling and design.
Geomatics Engineering Surveying 1
The aim of this module is to begin to acquire the theoretical and practical skills required for a Junior Engineer involved with Land Surveying or Setting Out on a construction site.
Compulsory modules
Open Channel Flow Design and Analysis
The aim of this module is for the student to develop an advanced understanding of:
- Hydrodynamics and open channel flow processes.
- The design of hydraulic structures for water management.
- Appropriate mathematical methods for matrix analysis and partial differentiation.
Soil Mechanics and Geology
The aim of this module is for the student to understand and apply concepts of soil mechanics and engineering geology for the solution of geotechnical engineering problems and to be able to analyse and design exemplar foundation, slope and retaining structures.
Management of Design and Construction
This module aims to:
- Introduce the students to the basic concepts, structures and techniques in the management of the construction industry and construction projects.
- Develop their knowledge and ability in using standard planning and estimating packages.
- To introduce the concepts of value; and an introduction to health and safety.
Practical Skills for Civil Engineering
The aim of this module is for the student to be introduced to collaborative and professional practices, thereby allowing students to work in cross disciplinary teams, and to plan and deliver projects and information.
It will develop their practical skills in civil engineering by:
- further developing the knowledge and understanding associated with collecting, processing and representing data;
- by applying a range of skills in geotechnical engineering and water engineering in field-based practical work;
- and by developing knowledge and understanding of construction project planning and construction risk for the built environment by working in a cross disciplinary team on a practical construction planning problem.
Analysis & Design of Steel and Timber Structures
The aim of this module is to:
- Enable students to use practical concepts and elastic analytical techniques for determining internal forces and displacements in structures.
- Introduce the principles for designing steel and timber buildings using Eurocodes as an example.
Design of Concrete and Masonry Structures
The aim of this module is to:
- Provide the students with a solid background on the key concepts and process of the structural design of concrete and masonry structures.
- Develop their ability to apply such knowledge in the design process of a structure with concrete and masonry elements.
Geomatics Engineering Surveying 2
The aim of this module is for the student to be taught engineering surveying theory and practice relevant to Civil Engineers. This includes the ability to use standard surveying equipment to create topographical maps and perform setting out tasks to a professional standard
It will develop their theoretical and practical skills in engineering surveying by: further developing the knowledge and understanding of, collecting, processing and representing spatial data; by applying a range of skills, including mathematics, data collection, record keeping, team work etc in engineering surveying.
Compulsory modules
Research Dissertation
The aims of this module are for students to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of research to overcome knowledge gaps.
- Synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding of a complex problem.
- Undertake the process and methodology of research by defining and studying (on an individual basis) a complex problem in a specialised area relating to their degree.
- Present rational arguments and draw independent conclusions based on a rigorous approach to collecting, analysing and interpreting data.
Further Structural Analysis and Geotechnical Design
The aim of this module is to advance the student's understanding of concepts of analysis and design involving intermediate to advanced geotechnical and structural mechanics and the interactions between these. Students will be able to:
- Understand the principles of the stiffness matrix approach and the concept of plastic collapse to analyse framed steel structures,
apply the Finite Element method to analyse simple structures. - Analyse prestressed simply supported concrete beams. The students will also be able to further understand the behaviour of various geotechnical structures in relation to a soil's ultimate stress and how these interact with each other.
This will enable them to produce suitable designs, in addition to suggest and design appropriate ground improvement techniques.
Construction Contracts, Law and Finance
The aim of this module is to create students understanding of legal and contractual aspects of the Built Environment, the strategies which can be applied by civil engineers to successfully manage construction projects, and the awareness of and the awareness of health and safety, project finance and the application of financial management in the UK construction industry.
This module will expose the students to characteristics of the construction market to build an understanding of legal framework, contractual relationships and obligations, and financial management in the Construction sector and to develop knowledge, skills and awareness of professional responsibilities for civil engineers in the wider society.
This would offer the opportunity for the students to interpret the particular needs of different client groups and stakeholders, evaluate the application of relevant contractual procedures strategies, health and safety strategies and apply financial tools and techniques to support the implementation of those strategies. This will expand students' knowledge and understanding of the construction industries in the National and Global arenas.
Teamwork and Leadership
The aim of this module is to provide the student with an opportunity to develop and deepen their knowledge of, and connections between: management theories, practice and competencies.
The module is a unique combination of developing and deepening students understanding of their own management competencies, theoretical grasp of theory (leadership, teamwork, motivation, power and communication) and a fantastic opportunity to engage in experiential learning over three very challenging, problem solving days within an outdoor environment. Developing and then combining knowledge of management competencies, theory and practice with the opportunity to experience and self-reflect upon their connections is unique within this module.
Sustainable Development and Stakeholder Communication
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the wide range of considerations, strategies and techniques needed to develop and present a viable solution to a proposed construction development that impacts upon a local community with the associated conflicting engineering, sustainability, social, environmental, economic, carbon net zero, EDI and SDG requirements and to consider how to communicate it to related stakeholders impacted by the development.
Transport Infrastructure Engineering
The aim of this module is for a student to gain an appreciation of the wider engineering issues concerned with the planning, design, management, operation and maintenance of our transportation infrastructure.
Optional modules
Digital Design, Construction and Operation
The aim of this module is for students to acquire the knowledge and practical skills necessary to select and deploy appropriate digital technologies to support the effective and sustainable design, construction and operation of buildings and infrastructures from the lifecycle and multi-stakeholder perspectives.
Ground Engineering and Monitoring
The aim of this module is for the student to appreciate the significance of common ground condition problems relevant to a variety of construction activities, methods to investigate measure, map and monitor them, and practical solutions for them.
Water Resources, Sustainability and Climate Change
The aims of this module are for the student to understand:
- The basic principles of environmental processes and water pollution resulting from human activities.
- The range of suitable technologies for water treatment and distribution and the range of suitable technologies for collection, treatment and disposal of liquid and solid wastes.
- Understand the physical mechanisms that lead to the transport of both chemical and biological contaminants in groundwater.
the various remote sensing technologies for monitoring and measuring surface water quality. - Geographic Information System (GIS) applications in water resources management.
- The principles and practice of integrated water resources management.
- The impacts of climate change on water resources and the development of adaptation strategies.
- The measures being taken under the global sustainable development goals to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Compulsory modules
Teamwork Design Project
The aims of this module are for the student to experience the complete design process from the formulation of the brief through detailed design to production of contract documents. To achieve this, students will be required to develop their teamwork, problem solving and key transferable skills.
Low Carbon Materials for Construction
The aim of this module is for the student to understand the principles regarding the use of low carbon materials in construction and civil engineering and how this knowledge can be applied to the design, construction and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure.
Advanced Geotechnical and Environmental Modelling
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the theory and practice behind various modelling techniques used to provide solutions for some common applications in subsurface fluid flow and geotechnical engineering. Students will also be made aware of the capabilities, limitations and potential problems of the various models. A secondary aim of this module will be to develop the students' ability to solve 'real' engineering problems by numerical methods, and to also understand the limitations of numerical techniques.
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (15 credits)
The module is aimed at developing students' knowledge and understanding of vibrational problems in structural engineering, and to provide them with the basic analytical and numerical tools to assess the dynamic response of structures, with special emphasis on the vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) and seismic design to Eurocode 8 (EC8).
Optional modules
Infrastructure Planning
The aim of this module is for the students to understand the relationship between urban planning, spatial analysis and infrastructure provision with a specific focus on the institutional frameworks through which infrastructure projects are planned and delivered.
Principles and Application of BIM
The aim of the module is to introduce managers to fundamental BIM principles and present wide range of BIM tools and technologies.
Urban and Rural Water Engineering (15 credits)
This module aims to provide students with an overview of the design, operation and management of water supplies in urban and rural areas and familiarise students with the principles of designing and maintaining water distribution systems and point water sources in low and middle-income countries.
Strategic Management for Construction and Engineering (15 credits)
The aim of this module is to introduce the student to the fundamental concepts of strategic management and the tools for formulating and implementing strategies within the construction sector.
Geographic Information Systems and Data Management
The aims of the module are to:
- Introduce the theory and practice of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques.
- Equip students with the key concepts and skills required to perform GIS workflows from data collection, representation, manipulation, analysis and visualisation.
Disaster Risk Management
The aims of this module are to:
- Introduce general built environment professionals to sustainable, culturally sensitive, and inclusive Disaster Risk Management (DRM) activities (structural and non-structural) worldwide.
- Explore the links between engineering, architecture, and planning interventions, their impact on the socio-cultural, natural, and physical environment, and subsequent increases or decreases in disaster risk (within the context of the challenges posed by climate change).
Flood Modelling and Management
The aim of this module is to develop an advanced understanding of the drivers of flooding, what flood risk is and how it might change in the future, and the tools and strategies available to manage flood risk.
The information above is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study. Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. Please also see Terms and Conditions of Study for more information.