Civil Engineering (MEng)
Civil Engineering at Cardiff offers you a highly regarded degree course at one of the top universities in this area with a wealth of exciting future career opportunities in designing and working with the built and natural environments, nationally and internationally.
Course overview
Civil engineers play a key role in planning, designing, constructing and maintaining the physical environment around us, including buildings and structures, flood defences and water supply programmes.
Our Civil Engineering programme offers you a highly regarded degree course at one of the top universities in this field, preparing you for exciting future career opportunities in designing and working with the built and natural environments.
Choosing this four-year MEng degree offers you a quicker, more direct route to Chartered Engineer status than the three-year BEng.
You will develop a thorough understanding of civil engineering theory, which will be backed up by practical application through laboratory and research work, field courses and design classes, enabling you to develop your career in any area of the civil engineering industry.
The MEng allows you to use the last two years to expand and strengthen your knowledge in civil engineering. You will benefit from advanced learning in design and management and an appreciation of the techniques needed to manage and organise a multidisciplinary engineering design project.
The MEng degree is fully accredited by the Institutions of Civil and Structural Engineers and satisfies the educational requirements to become a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Other Cardiff University Civil Engineering courses include:
- A thorough grounding in the fundamentals of civil engineering if you choose a BEng course
- The opportunity to follow a sandwich year in industry if you choose the relevant four-year BEng or five-year MEng degree option
- The opportunity to study abroad at a partner institution for one semester if you choose the relevant MEng (International) degree option
- The opportunity to study a language if you choose the relevant MEng degree option with a sandwich year at a university in France, Germany or Spain
Distinctive features
The distinctive features of the course include:
- Fast-track route to Chartered Engineer status
- The opportunity to study at the highest-rated civil engineering school in the UK for our research, and the impact of our research (according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework)
- The facilities that come with such a successful research unit
- The opportunity to learn from leaders in their fields, through direct access to academic staff, many of whom are Chartered Engineers or have worked in industry
- An open and engaging culture between students and staff
Accreditations
| UCAS code | H207 |
|---|---|
| Next intake | September 2018 |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Mode | Full time |
| Typical places available | The School typically has approx 230 places available. |
| Typical applications received | The School typically receives approx 1270 applications. |
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Ask a questionEntry requirements
AAA - ABB including Mathematics. If you are studying a science A level, a pass in the practical element (where applicable) will be required. Please note, General Studies will not be accepted.
Extended Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
36-32 points including 5 or above in Higer Level Mathematics, or 666-665 in 3 Higher Level subjects to include Mathematics.
Alternative qualifications may be accepted. For further information on entry requirements, see the School of Engineering admissions criteria pages.
If you are an overseas applicant and your first language is not English, please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our accepted qualifications.
You will require GCSE English or Welsh Language at grade C or grade 4. Alternatively, IGCSE English First Language or English Second Language will be considered at grade C.
Tuition fees
UK and EU students (2018/19)
| Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|
| £9,000 | None |
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Visit our tuition fee pages for the latest information.
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Students from outside the EU (2018/19)
| Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|
| £19,950 | None |
Tuition fees for international students are fixed for the majority of three year undergraduate courses. This means the price you pay in year one will be the same in years two and three. Some courses are exempt, including four and five year programmes and Medical and Dental courses. Visit our tuition fee pages for the latest information.
Additional costs
Course specific equipment
No specific equipment is needed. The University will provide resources such as computers and associated software, laboratory equipment (including any safety equipment) and a variety of additional learning resources.
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Course structure
This is a four-year full-time degree. The course includes a carefully chosen balance of core modules and optional modules. Most modules are worth 10 credits, some are worth 20 and a few, including the year three and year four projects, are each worth 30. You need to earn 120 credits a year.
There are two semesters each year, each semester consisting of 11 teaching weeks, one revision week and an examination period.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2018/19 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2018.
Year one
Year one consists of a series of lectures underpinned by practical laboratory sessions.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Analysis | EN1091 | 20 credits |
| Computing 1 | EN1092 | 10 credits |
| Environmental Fluid and Geomechanics | EN1911 | 20 credits |
| Materials and Construction | EN1912 | 20 credits |
| Structures and Design | EN1913 | 30 credits |
| Professional Studies | EN1914 | 20 credits |
Year two
Year two again consists of a series of lectures underpinned by practical laboratory sessions.
There is an off-site residential field-course for five days in the spring semester, as part of the Field Studies of the Natural and Built Environment module.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Analysis | EN2026 | 20 credits |
| Computing 2 | EN2208 | 10 credits |
| Hydraulics and Soil Mechanics | EN2314 | 20 credits |
| Professional Studies and Construction | EN2315 | 20 credits |
| Structural Analysis and Design | EN2400 | 40 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History of Western Architecture | EN2207 | 10 credits |
| Environmental Engineering | EN2313 | 10 credits |
Year three
Year three includes a major project, with a value of a quarter of the overall year. For this you will work individually, alongside a supervising staff member.
There are other core modules but also a choice of optional modules, building upon the foundations established in the earlier years.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Construction and Construction Management | EN3104 | 10 credits |
| Project | EN3300 | 30 credits |
| Structural Analysis | EN3302 | 10 credits |
| Water Engineering | EN3303 | 10 credits |
| Geotechnical Engineering | EN3304 | 10 credits |
| Structural Design Studies | EN3307 | 10 credits |
| Continuum Solid Mechanics | EN3308 | 10 credits |
| Civil Engineering Design | EN3309 | 10 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Structures | EN3213 | 10 credits |
| Concrete Materials and Structures | EN3311 | 10 credits |
| Environmental Geotechnics | EN3314 | 10 credits |
| Environmental Hydraulics | EN3317 | 10 credits |
| Waste Management and Recycling | EN3401 | 10 credits |
Year four
Year four includes a group project, which makes up a quarter of the overall assessment.
There are also several core and optional modules.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Engineering Studies | EN4321 | 10 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Numerical Methods in Engineering | EN4018 | 10 credits |
| Integrated Building Design | EN4102 | 30 credits |
| Renewable Energy Design | EN4103 | 30 credits |
| Finite Element Theory and Practice | EN4302 | 10 credits |
| Design Feasibility | EN4306 | 10 credits |
| Coastal and Estuarine Engineering | EN4307 | 10 credits |
| Building and Infrastructure Information Modelling | EN4308 | 10 credits |
| Soil Mechanics | EN4325 | 10 credits |
| Structural Engineering | EN4326 | 10 credits |
| Dynamics | EN4570 | 10 credits |
| Flood Design | EN4571 | 10 credits |
| Steel Structures | EN4573 | 10 credits |
| Advanced Structural Mechanics | EN4574 | 10 credits |
| Sediment Transport Dynamics | EN4576 | 10 credits |
| Fundamentals of Nanomechanics | EN4630 | 10 credits |
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
Teaching is through lectures, examples classes and extensive laboratory, IT and practical work. The taught modules in the first two years are largely compulsory, but options are usually available in years three and five. All students must complete a 30-credit individual project in year three, for which they are allocated a supervisor from among the teaching staff. There are opportunities for interactions with potential employers.
Year 1
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
45%
Guided independent study
55%
Placements
0%
Year 2
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
38%
Guided independent study
62%
Placements
0%
Year 3
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
31%
Guided independent study
69%
Placements
0%
Year 4
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
34%
Guided independent study
66%
Placements
0%
How will I be supported?
You will be assigned a personal tutor who is a member of the academic staff associated with your degree course. Your tutor will be there to advise you on academic, non-academic and personal matters in a confidential and informal manner when you need some guidance. We aim to help you overcome any problem, however big or small, as smoothly and quickly as possible.
For the 30-credit project in year three, you will be allocated a supervisor in the broad area of research specialism and meet regularly.
You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles. Opportunities for you to reflect on your abilities and performance are available through the Learning Central ‘Personal Development Planning’ module.
The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.
Feedback
We’ll provide you with frequent feedback on your work. This comes in a variety of formats including oral feedback in classes like design and project work and via return of marked coursework.
The opportunity to test your knowledge and understanding will be provided throughout the semester via class tests in Years 1 and 2, plus feedback on written assessments. Occasionally, peer assessment of an individual’s contribution to a group may be used, and you may also receive oral feedback on presentations and contributions to group activities.
How will I be assessed?
Your progress in each module is usually assessed at various stages through each semester (through a short test) to give you feedback on your progress, then finally at the end of the appropriate semester. Assessment is undertaken using methods including formal written examinations, case studies, assignments and project work.
Examinations count for 60% to 70% of all assessment throughout the course, depending on the options chosen. The remainder is composed mainly of project work and larger pieces of coursework, plus performance in laboratories.
The opportunity to test knowledge and understanding is given through class tests throughout years one and two, plus feedback on written assessments. Occasionally, peer assessment of an individual’s contribution to a group may be used, and students may also receive oral feedback on presentations and contributions to group activities.
Assessment methods (2017/18 data)
Year 1
Written exams
79%
Practical exams
2%
Coursework
19%
Year 2
Written exams
60%
Practical exams
8%
Coursework
32%
Year 3
Written exams
58%
Practical exams
5%
Coursework
37%
Year 4
Written exams
40%
Practical exams
0%
Coursework
60%
What skills will I practise and develop?
This course is accredited via the Engineering Council, meaning the core competencies of UK-SPEC (UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence) are integrated throughout the taught years of the course.
Through lab work you will develop practical skills focused on the application of a range of engineering principles to real-life technological, regulatory and ethical problems encountered in the engineering profession.
You will also:
- Enhance your communication skills, both orally and in writing through a series of reports and assignments
- Develop your knowledge, skills and confidence to solve multidisciplinary problems in a engineering context
Careers
Career prospects
Graduates from this course are mainly employed in the civil engineering industry with major consultancy and contracting firms, such as Sir Robert McAlpine, Ramboll, Arup, Mott McDonald and others. Typical roles include graduate civil engineer, site engineer or design engineer, and they are based throughout the UK as well as further afield.
In 2015/16, 95% of the School’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduation.
A number of graduates have opted for further study, either at MSc or PhD level, at Cardiff as well as institutions across the UK and beyond.
Others have chosen to work for national and multinational companies. Recent examples include companies in the financial, media and petrochemical sectors with destinations including Deloitte, PwC, Virgin and Shell.
Jobs
- Civil Engineer
- Technology Analyst
- Project Manager
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