Civil Engineering

In a nutshell

Civil engineers create, improve and protect the infrastructure that supports everyday life. Gain the skills to successfully plan, manage and implement major engineering projects, and open up exciting career opportunities, with a Civil Engineering degree.

Industry-led teaching

Designed around real-world problem solving, the integrated masters MEng Civil Engineering course steadily increases your knowledge base to an advanced level. Initially providing strong foundations in structures, surveying and project planning, you will advance to study specialist modules in infrastructure design, geotechnics and wastewater systems.

The course is designed to meet the requirements of the Engineering Councils Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (AHEP). Visit the Engineering Council website for more information about professional accreditation.

Career-focused approach

With a focus on your future, you will also develop transferable skills and learn about the decision-making methods used by industry. There is also the option to include an industry placement year, where you can gain additional workplace skills and boost your employability once you graduate.

Civil Engineering courses at Salford scored 95% for overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2020 (University of Salford analysis of unpublished NSS 2020 data).

Not sure about this level of study? Browse our BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering degree.

You will:

Develop professional knowledge, design and analytical skills, learning about the associated social, legal and environmental issues
Acquire the engineering skills to design simple structural steel, analyse statically indeterminate structures and design complex structures using reinforced concrete
Identify and manage environmental issues and associated risks relating to civil engineering, including water, transport, landscape, heritage and biodiversity
Build knowledge about materials and their fundamental behaviour, including geology, soil mechanics and laboratory testing
Gain practical experience using industry standard software, so you're ready to join the industry when you graduate

This is for you if...

You're fascinated by infrastructure, and want to contribute to society in a positive way

You're a creative problem-solver and enjoy using technology to find solutions

You studied mathematics or physics at school/college and you want a career in a practical engineering environment

All about the course

Led by our award-winning civil engineering team, with strong industry links, civil engineering courses at Salford will equip you with the knowledge and skills to create the future infrastructure, buildings and facilities that improve our quality of life.

Delivered over four years - or five with a placement year, you will study a suite of modules designed to embed theoretical knowledge, build career-focused skills and help you become a world-class engineer:

In year one, you will build a strong foundation of knowledge in civil engineering, exploring topics including structures, surveying and soil mechanics
As you progress into year two, you will expand your subject knowledge and assess the role of the civil engineer in industry, developing project planning skills, and exploring topics such as fluid mechanics and highway design. During your second year, you will also experience Constructionarium - a week-long practical course that brings your classroom learning into the real-world.
During your third year, you will study further advanced modules in seismic engineering and geotechnics. You will also demonstrate the knowledge you have gained by commencing your research project
In your final year, you will continue to complete your research project, as well as study advanced modules in water systems and transport infrastructure design

Collaboration is core to our values, so we strive to embed this as a learning objective throughout your studies. You will experience group projects that will build your confidence and capabilities in team working, problem-solving and communication - all desirable skills for real-world engineering careers.

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

On this course, you will have have the option to take an industrial placement year between years two and three. Although you will be responsible for securing your placement, a tutor will support you, monitor your progress and assess your final placement report.

Year one

Civil Engineering Mathematics 1

An understanding and ability to use mathematics are essential skills for success in engineering. This module will review and expand on the following subjects: algebra, trigonometry, functions, geometry, vectors, complex numbers and calculus, with emphasis on their applications to engineering.

Civil Engineering Materials and Geology

Civil engineering employs the use of a wide range of materials, in this module you will develop your understanding of those materials and study their fundamental behaviour. Subjects include construction materials, geology, soil mechanics and laboratory testing.

Civil Engineering Construction

There are a broad spectrum of elements involved with civil engineering construction. This module will develop your understanding of those elements from effective engineering construction techniques to contract law. Subjects include site safety, sustainability, resource efficiency, consulting engineers and contractors, client's requirement and financial planning and control.

Civil Engineering Surveying

You will develop your understanding and ability to undertake a range of civil engineering surveying tasks, such as setting out, land surveying and quantity surveying. The main subject areas are land surveying techniques, setting out techniques, modern surveying techniques and quantity surveying. You will cover subjects and learn techniques such as setting up a level, theodolite and total station, construction lasers, GPS, EDM, co-ordinates, bearings and contract pricing.

Civil Engineering Communication

As a successful civil engineer it is important to have a wide range of well developed communications skills allowing you to communicate effectively not only with other engineers but also clients, contractors and labourers. This module will develop your drawing, written reports and presentation skills.

Structures E1

You will develop an ability to analyses statically determinate structures and design simple structural steel work elements in this module. The module content is split into analysis and design. Analysis includes the subjects rigid body statics, material properties and Euler theory. Design subjects include design of structural steelwork elements in simple construction, and fire and corrosion protection systems for structural steelwork.

Year two

Civil Engineering Mathematics 2

This module will build on the engineering mathematics module in year one and develop more advanced knowledge and skills in mathematical analysis, to enable you to tackle more advanced engineering problems. Subjects covered include partial differentiation, determinants and matrices, vector analysis, Laplace transforms and functions of a complex variable.

Soil Mechanics E2

All structures are dependent on the ground they're built on, in this module you will be introduced to the principles of soil mechanics including the general behaviour of different soil types under loading and unloading conditions and how this behaviour may be predicted. Subjects include geotechnical investigation, soil strength and transient groundwater flow.

Structures E2

The module builds on your structural analysis knowledge from year 1 and develops it to consider simple statically determinate structures. On the design side Reinforced concrete structures are considered in detail. The design of slabs, beams, columns and foundations are looked at. Overall stability of RC structures is also described.

Design and Construction Management

Project planning and execution are a vital part of the role of a civil engineer. In this module you practice these skills, culminating in a residential field course which will see you working in a team to construct structures from bridges to oil rigs.

Highway design and analysis

Our highways are crucial to our lives, whether that be economic or recreational. In this module you will learn the principles which underlie current UK practice in highway design and construction and analysis, including the application of statistical techniques to transport engineering problems.

Fluid Mechanics E2

You will develop an understanding of civil engineering hydraulics concentrating on flow in pipelines. The subjects covered include fluid properties, hydrostatics, fluid dynamics, flow in pipes, Reynolds experiments, pipe systems and networks, and water distribution systems.

Year three

Geotechnical Engineering E3

You will learn to develop approaches to the design and analysis of soil slopes and foundations. The subjects include stability of embankments, stability of earth dams, stability of shallow foundations on fine and coarse grained soils, design based on in situ tests and stability of deep foundations in fine and coarse grained soils.

Water Resources E3

You will develop your understanding of sediment transport, wave theory, pressure transients in closed systems and hydrological science. The subjects covered include surface water hydrology, open channel flow, steady non-uniform flow, hydraulic structures, water waves, and hydraulic models.

Structures E3

You will further develop your ability to analyse statically indeterminate structures and design complex structures. Subjects include moment distribution with sway, plastic section properties, Hillerborg strip methods, and design of timber structures including glulam timber members.

Case Studies in Environmental Engineering

You will develop the ability to identify and deal with environmental issues relating to civil engineering, through a series of case studies. The subjects include environmental risks associated with ground engineering and water resources, transport and the environment, landscape, heritage, and biodiversity impacts, and engineering solutions.

Finite Element Analysis with Seismic Engineering

This module will introduce stiffness and finite element analysis as applied to civil engineering structures, and the fundamentals of seismic analysis and the effects of earthquake activity on the design of ground slopes, earth dams, foundations and structures.

Individual Project

One of the most important parts of your preparation for your future career, whether in industry or research, is the undertaking of an individual project. Projects are based on particular civil engineering themes of industrial relevance.

Year four

Project Part 2

You will continue your individual project from year three.

Introduction to Structural Design with Computer Applications

Computer modelling of structures is an important part of civil engineering. In this module you will develop a deeper and broader understanding of conceptual design as applied to Civil Engineering structures using computer programming resources. Through commercial software you will learn to implement stiffness and finite element methods.

Water and Wastewater Systems

In this module you will analyse and evaluate current established and advanced technologies available to engineers for water and waste-water collection and treatment. Subjects include drinking water quality standards and water treatment, sludge blanket clarifiers and flotation systems and biological treatment.

Transport Infrastructure Design and Analysis

This module will teach you to specify problems and analyse alternative engineering solutions associated with the design, operation and management of transport infrastructure. Subject include issues of durability and sustainability, theories of traffic flow and their practical application to traffic management and control, analytical methods for designing highway drainage and structural design of bridges and earthworks.

Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.