Civil Engineering Degree

Civil engineering is the heart of society and involves buildings, roads and other structures. Studying civil engineering helps you learn and understand the planning and construction process of human-made structures.

As a significant branch of engineering, working in civil engineering offers opportunities to work with authoritative establishments and companies as well as the government. A civil engineering degree can help develop your academic mind and equip you for many other careers.

What is civil engineering?

Civil engineering is the study of the planning, construction and maintenance of human-made structures including bridges, roads, buildings and canals. As a practical degree, you will learn about the way modern towns and cities function, and the process of design and development of structures. It’s a hands-on degree teaching you the theoretical side of maths, mechanics and physics, as well as the creative elements of design and how to apply all of these skills to the future role.

Civil engineering degrees can vary. Either choose an exclusive civil engineering degree or a combined degree such as Civil Engineering and Management MEng or Civil and Energy Engineering BEng. Degrees can include an integrated master’s, industrial placement year or year abroad.

What are the modules for this course?

Modules for civil engineering degrees can vary from course to course, whether you choose a specific civil engineering course or a combined option. Generally, these are the topics you will cover:

• Civil and architectural engineering
• Civil engineering design
• Civil engineering practice and surveying
• Computational methods
• Digital environment building
• Energy and environmental engineering
• Engineering geology
• Fluid mechanics
• Geomechanics
• Geotechnical analysis
• Hydraulics
• Mathematics
• Soil mechanics
• Minerals and statics
• Site surveying
• Structural mechanics

What are the entry requirements?

Entry requirements can vary based on course and university. Civil engineering is a highly competitive degree which means requirements can have steep grade expectations compared to other degrees. The undergraduate civil engineering degree requirements range from 96–160 UCAS points. These qualifications include:

• A-levels: Requirements can range from CCC to AAA, with the most common grade required as BBB. Maths and physics are essential topics whilst further maths and design technology is valuable.
• BTECs: Some universities may accept BTECs as entry to the course and grade expectations range from D*D*D*-MMM.
• Scottish Highers: Entry requirements for Highers can range from ABBB-AAAAB with the common grade expectations of AABBB. Some universities may require Advanced Highers in addition to Highers at the grades ABB.
• International Baccalaureate (IB): For students studying the international baccalaureate, the required overall score ranges from 40-26 points.

Additionally, work experience, further studying, volunteering and extra reading may also be beneficial to your application. For work experience, you can look for opportunities to shadow a council member who works in a relevant department. Whilst volunteering can be anything that involves developing relevant team-working or problem-solving skills, such as volunteering at a care home or charity. You can find many resources including books, professional bodies, magazines or podcasts to further your knowledge, such as The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

How do I write my personal statement for this subject?

Your civil engineering personal statement is the perfect place to show your passion for the subject, who you are and your future goals.

The first thing to consider is explaining why you want to study civil engineering at university. Admission tutors want you to be specific; they want to know about your interests. Have you seen a building which inspired you? Do you know someone with a civil engineer background? Whatever the inspiration behind your choice, describe it and the modules you are most excited to learn.

Admission tutors will also be interested in how your A-levels, interests and work experience will help you in your degree. Have you studied A-levels which demonstrated relevant skills? What work experience have you undertaken? Are any of your interests linked to design? Think about your work experience, studies and interests which have helped you develop teamwork, problem-solving, leadership and communication skills. You can also talk about interests which don’t necessarily link but demonstrate who you are.

Also, discuss how you have engaged with the civil engineering industry outside of the classroom. Have you read any professional body websites? Are there any further reading materials you have enjoyed? Do you have any experience shadowing a civil engineer?

The last thing is demonstrating relevant skills which will help you do well on the course. Your statement is the first example to do this and you should ensure it’s well-written and error-free to show your written communication skills.

What books or equipment do I need?

Your university will recommend the suitable reading material for your course and any further reading examples. However, any extra reading or research you do aside from this is beneficial to develop your knowledge and understanding of the subject. Some examples include; Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down By J.E. Gordon, To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design By Henry Petroski and The Tower and the Bridge: The New Art of Structural Engineering by David P. Billington. For free resources, you can head over to the professional body, The Institution of Civil Engineering (ICE) or the Engineering Council.

For equipment, your university will also recommend essential items to purchase before you start your course. Other useful equipment includes a quality laptop to write assignments and take notes in lectures, as well as stationery to keep yourself organised.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment for your degree can vary depending on the module and course. Generally, it’s a combination of the following:

• Coursework
• Dissertation (end-of-year project)
• Group or individual projects
• Presentations
• Practical tests
• Reports
• Video submissions
• Written exams

What are the career prospects?

Graduates are most likely to work in civil engineering, however, the range of skills you acquire are employable for many other industries and roles. You can consider other engineering industries such as energy engineering, nuclear engineering and structural engineering. Other roles include quantity surveying, consultancy and geology.

As civil engineering jobs are increasingly in demand, the prospects are great, with development including working in collaboration with the government, other authoritative establishments and working abroad.

What jobs can I get with this degree?

Many civil engineer graduates move into a civil engineer job, however, there are many other prospects you can consider with this qualification:

• Building surveyor
• Consultant
• Contract worker
• Demolitions engineer
• Flood defence engineer
• Geologist
• Highways engineer
• Site engineer
• Structural engineer
• Mining engineer
• Quantity surveyor

How does civil engineering change at a postgraduate level?

An undergraduate civil engineering degree lasts for three years, whilst a postgraduate qualification takes one year to complete in some cases. However, you usually have the option to take a combined undergraduate and postgraduate qualification or do the two separately. A combined degree will take four years, studying the master’s in the last year.

Postgraduate degrees teach at a more advanced level than undergraduate degrees. In this degree, you will choose your master’s to specialise in one of the modules you learnt during your undergraduate either singularly or combined with civil engineering.

What is the average grad salary in this area?

The salary of a graduate engineer varies depending on location^[1], employer and qualification and can range from £25,000-£30,000^[2]. For the most experienced civil engineers, you earn on average £40,000 and up to £48,000^[3]. Salaries can increase further in London and are on average around £61,000 and increase up to £77,000^[4].