Overview
Civil engineers are the people behind the way our modern towns and cities work - come and join our brand new course in 2020 and equip yourself with these skills that are in high demand.
Course outline and modules
Civil engineering is the professional practice of designing and developing infrastructure projects, which includes planning, budgeting, surveying and construction management. Part of the civil engineering and infrastructure cluster here at Aston, this course examines the societal, economic and operational issues related to construction. There’s a high demand for graduates with these skills. With more than two million people currently employed in the construction sector across the UK, and the industry continuing to grow, this demand is increasing. This new course, to be launched in 2020, aims to address a key skills gap. It’s designed to be contemporary and innovative, meeting the needs of industry.
As you’ll be learning and living in the middle of Britain’s second city, you’ll also gain invaluable, real-life experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by the people and organisations responsible for constructing our built environment.
What you’ll learn
The core subjects at the heart of the degree – structures, materials, geotechnics, transport, infrastructure, engineering and construction management – will equip you with key expertise and enhance your employability.
During the course you will study a wide range of subjects, beginning with the fundamentals of civil engineering, including construction materials, mechanics and mathematical skills.
You will spend a year in industry as part of the course before completing your studies in year four with a research project and a design project as well as the opportunity to specialise in either transport, infrastructure, engineering or construction management.
The skills you will gain are in high demand and, as a graduate, you will be able to contribute to the ongoing development of the built environment in which we live and work.
Modules
Specific details on modules will follow in due course, but please see an outline of the content of each year below.
Modules in your first year will build your fundamental knowledge of the sector and relevant disciplines. To introduce you to the world of civil engineering, topics covered will include construction, materials, mechanics and mathematical skills.
- Introduction to Civil Engineering
- Construction Materials and Surveying
- BIM for Construction
- Maths for Civil Engineering
- Building and Design and Construction Technology
Accreditation
In accordance with our University practice, professionally orientated engineering programmes are designed to meet the educational requirements for memberships of relevant UK engineering institutions. We are currently seeking accreditation from International professional bodies in accordance with their standard procedures for this degree to be accredited as Fully Satisfying the Educational Base for an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
The BEng Civil Engineering programme is fully operational and accreditation will be sought from The Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), which represents The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), and the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE). See JBM for further information.
International students
Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham, it’s also a great place to live. Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability and our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.
Choosing to start your Aston journey with one of our foundation programmes will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics and group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey.
Learning, teaching and assessment
Teaching won’t just be lectures, you’ll have workshops, guest lectures and visits to relevant sites to make sure your understanding is grounded in industry, ensuring you are ready for the working world when you graduate.
You will also have a compulsory year in industry, giving you the opportunity to put your learning into practical use and enabling you to grow in confidence, maturity and experience. The construction industry in the West Midlands is particularly buoyant, providing a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate placements and your placement will be arranged with support from the placement tutor.
Career prospects
On graduation, you could work for UK or global organisations such as building and project management consultancies, all concerned with the development and construction of buildings and other infrastructure.
The transferable management and technical skills developed during your studies will also be attractive to other professions and there is potential for graduates to go into diverse fields such as finance, logistics and general management.
Recent graduates from similar courses at Aston have joined companies including Alstom, BAM Construction, Mott McDonald and the Department for Transport.
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