Overview

The United Nations predicts a global population of 9.8 billion by 2050. Consequently, construction professionals are increasingly being called upon to create and maintain the social and commercial infrastructure needed to accommodate such large-scale growth.

Therefore, the demand for civil engineers is high in the foreseeable future. In recent years, the demand for civil and structural engineers had continued to rise, particularly in countries such as Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and China. Construction targets aim to reduce cost, deliver faster, reduce emissions and improve exports, all of which rely on a successful infrastructure both in the UK and elsewhere.

The UK Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), US Bureau of Labour Statistics, United Nations (UN) and various international organisations have reported a high skill shortage in environmental engineering throughout the developed and developing world to respond to the increasing climate, demographic (urbanisation), socio-economic and environmental changes.

This civil and environmental engineering course is aimed at students who aspire to become professionally qualified engineers. If you wish to study civil engineering in the UK or abroad with an emphasis on environmental engineering, then this may be the course for you.

During your studies, you should gain an insight into the full breadth of design and construction disciplines that collaborate in the multi-disciplinary construction industry.

Course information

The structure of the provision allows you to experience the breadth and interdisciplinary nature of the construction industry, and achieve your potential by providing opportunities to transfer between courses based on academic ability and final chosen degree specialism.

The JBM accrediting body requires sufficient coverage of compulsory core subjects (structures, construction materials and geotechnics) and course specific core subjects (construction management and environmental engineering for these courses) and this has been carefully considered in course design. Assessment methods have been designed to improve your problem solving ability where information is ambiguous or missing, which was identified as desirable by Industrial Advisory Board members.

The MEng Civil and Environmental Engineering course shares a common first year with the MEng Civil Engineering course, which permits you to transfer (without restart) from civil and environmental engineering to civil engineering or vice versa after the successful completion of the first year, subject to academic performance and approval by the Programme Assessment Board. Experience suggests that this is a valuable feature for many students who are unsure of their preferred career route at the commencement of their studies.

The aims of the MEng course are that, upon graduation, you will have the ability to:

• Work collaboratively with other construction disciplines in the development of engineering solutions through critical evaluation and reflection, and effectively communicate proposals using a variety of media to suit different audiences;
• Demonstrate awareness of the conflicting demands of clients, stakeholders and other construction professionals in the planning and execution of appropriate inter-disciplinary design solutions;
• Recognise and respond to social, environmental, economic (i.e. sustainable development) and ethical considerations in an international context;
• Undertake interdisciplinary team work and effective self-management and development;
• Conduct independent thinking, critical reflection, and individual initiative as the basis for research, innovation and lifelong professional learning to enhance their skills and knowledge throughout their careers;
• Identify, analyse and solve engineering problems at a level appropriate to a chartered civil and environmental engineer;
• Apply knowledge, technical and practical skills creatively and effectively as required for a successful career as a chartered civil and environmental engineer.

As required by University regulations, you will take one 10 credit Add+vantage module at each of Levels 4 – 6 of their course. The Add+vantage scheme is a University initiative for broadening students’ studies. There is a large collection of 10 credit modules in a wide variety of areas, many linked to ‘graduateness’ and ‘employability’. The scheme includes languages, law, advanced IT and mathematical skills.