Engineering

MSc Civil Engineering

Programme director
Tony Thorne
Programme length
Full-time: 12 months, Part-time: up to 60 months
Programme start date
September 2013, February 2014

Providing you with advanced capabilities and in-depth knowledge of specialist aspects of civil engineering.

Programme overview

Our Civil Engineering programme aims to provide graduate engineers with advanced capabilities and in-depth knowledge in a range of specialised aspectsof 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. 

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

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

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.

English language requirements

IELTS minimum overall: 6.5

IELTS minimum by component: 6.0

We offer intensive English language pre-sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Fees and funding

All fees are subject to increase or review for subsequent academic years. Please note that not all visa routes permit part-time study and overseas students entering the UK on a Tier 4 visa will not be permitted to study on a part-time basis.

Programme name Study mode Start date UK/EU fees Overseas fees
MSc Civil EngineeringFull-timeSept 2013£6,025£15,570
MSc Civil EngineeringFull-timeFeb 2014£6,025£15,570
MSc Civil EngineeringPart-timeSept 2013£670 per 15 credits£1,730 per 15 credits
MSc Civil EngineeringPart-timeFeb 2014£670 per 15 credits £1,730 per 15 credits
MSc Civil EngineeringDistance-learningSept 2013£670 per 15 credits£1,730 per 15 credits
MSc Civil EngineeringDistance-learningFeb 2014£670 per 15 credits £1,730 per 15 credits

Funding

Overseas students should contact the British Council in their home country for available funding.

Programme content

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.

Mode of Study 

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 (ULearn). 

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 

Construction Management modules 

A number of management modules will be available covering:

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

 Geotechnical Engineering modules 

  • Soil–Structure Interaction 
  • Geotechnics Engineering 2

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 

* Currently under review.

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

Transport Planning and Practice modules

  • Transport Policy 
  • Transport Strategies and Interventions 
  • Developing Transport Solutions 
  • Transport Appraisal Methods 
  • Design and Analysis of Transport Schemes 
  • Asset Management and Maintenance 
  • Transport Modelling 

 

Professional recognition

This degree is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng(Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree.

See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

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.

Academic support, facilities and equipment

Modules related to the different groups are taught by a total of 17 full- or part-time members of staff, as well as over 20 visiting lecturers.

In addition to the University Library and Learning Centre’s extensive resources, our excellent testing facilities can support experimentally based MSc dissertation projects.

Tony Thorne has worked in industry with the Severn/Trent river authority, Norwest Holst, Kottler and Heron, and Preload Limited prior to joining the University of Surrey in 1981 as a researcher. Following a brief period at Wimpey Laboratories, Tony returned in 1984 and has since researched on the use of advanced composite materials in construction. Tony has over 30 conference publications and over 30 refereed journal publications. In recent years, this type of work has been carried out by our MSc students on a wide variety of materials such as concrete, FRP and light gauge steels. Where possible, the work related to the MSc dissertation can be carried out in parallel with, and in support of, ongoing research. In the past, several graduates have carried on their MSc research to a PhD programme.

As part of your learning experience, you will have at your disposal a wide range of relevant software, including ANSYS, ABAQUS, DIANA, SAP 2000, Integer SuperSTRESS, LUSAS, CRISP, MATLAB, PertMaster, DRACULA and VISSIM.

Contact us

For general enquiries

0800 980 3200 or +44 (0)1483 681 681

For admissions enquiries

+44 (0)1483 689 538