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MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management

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Key information

Mode of delivery: Online
Start date: September, January
Duration: Varies
Qualification: MSc

Contact our enquiries team

Overview

Modern civil engineering professionals often require an extensive understanding of construction management due to the strategic benefits it can bring to both individuals and project teams.

As the industry becomes more competitive, organisations and their clients are increasingly demanding the combined time, cost and quality assurances that good project management practice provides. Furthermore, the industry now recognises that there is a need for engineers to gain specialist technical knowledge which compliments their academic and professional background.

The course uses experience from our internationally recognised Construction Project Management course and combines it with our high-profile Civil Engineering postgraduate course to provide a broad and valuable education. As a result, our recent graduates have been employed by a range of both national and international employers.

Degree duration

Online Learning: The fastest this MSc can be completed is in 2½ years. The maximum completion timeframe is 8 years. On average, most students complete a MSc in 3-4 years.

Our students and graduates

Our students are recruited mainly from the civil engineering profession and are typically looking to broaden their knowledge base, extend their technical expertise or gain further learning to meet the needs of the professional institutions. Applicants from other backgrounds planning to develop a career in civil engineering and construction management will also be considered. Graduates of this course are much sought after by employers, working in areas such as transport, water and wastewater engineering and the energy sector.

Delivery of online Degrees

Our up-to-date and progressive course materials are made available online through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The VLE links you with our expert academics and course materials through videos, webinars, articles, journals, assessments and discussion boards. Tutors will provide you, by phone, Skype or email, with academic support similar to that received by our on-campus students.

To find out more about time requirements, support and exams, view our How online learning works pages to find out more.

Industry links

This course is supported by the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers AECOM, Arup, Atkins, Balfour Beatty, Halcrow, Jacobs and WSP Group. This committee convenes regularly and advises on the course content and structure, ensuring quality, up-to-date content and relevance to industry needs.

Course content

The MSc/Postgraduate Diploma in Civil Engineering and Construction Management, led by Dr. Benny Suryanto, consists of up to eight optional construction management courses (CM) or civil engineering (CE) courses from a list of specialist options as detailed below. MSc students also complete a research dissertation.

Degree structure

Core

Foundation Engineering

Optional

Sustainability for Construction Professionals
Plastics Analysis of Structure
Advanced Design Of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Advanced Design Of Steel And Steel-Concrete Composite Structures
Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
Finite Element Method Linear Analysis
Finite Element Method Nonlinear Analysis
Machine Learning and Programming
Structural Materials
Safety, Risk and Reliability
Urban Drainage Design and Analysis
Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings
Water and Wastewater Treatment
Construction Financial Management
Project Management: Theory and Practice
Project Management: Strategic Issues
Value and Risk Management
Research Dissertation (Civil Engineering)

Detailed degree guide

Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills

Students should demonstrate an ability to:

Acquire advanced knowledge of modern civil engineering practice including project management and construction management skills
Acquire expert knowledge in their chosen field of specialisation within Civil Engineering
Develop the applied mathematical skills required by professional engineers
Gain a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the concepts, principles and theories of specialist technical issues to meet to their professional aspirations
Transfer problem-solving skills to a variety of contexts and multidisciplinary scenarios
Apply engineering technical and management skills to solve practical Civil Engineering and Construction Management problems

Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research Informed Learning)

Students should be able to:

Develop their abilities to research unfamiliar technical issues
Demonstrate an understanding of technical advances in the field of Civil Engineering
Undertake personal management of complex project-based activities
Transfer technical knowledge to application in new and diverse situations and in the analysis of novel problems
Provide professional leadership when required by technical responsibility
Apply numerical and analytical problem-solving skills and engineering knowledge in a variety of Civil Engineering related contexts

Assessment Policies

The programme uses a range of assessment types.

Coursework is used to develop problem solving skills, to demonstrate mastery of techniques taught as part of the course that would be too lengthy to undertake as exam questions or where software applications are required. Coursework also helps develop professional report writing skills with emphasis on correct report structure, writing style, resume, and referencing. All courses have some form of formative assessment that provide self, peer or staff feedback as required.

Examinations make up the majority of summative assessment as these are the best way to be certain of testing the capabilities of the individual student against the course aims

Each student progressing to the MSc dissertation will be required to demonstrate good research skills and a deeper level of critical thinking and analysis than can be assessed by exam

An academic supervisor will be assigned to each student throughout the duration of their project.

Approaches to assessment are continually reviewed. Specific details about methods of assessment are provided in the appropriate course descriptors.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Tuition fees
Status	Per course ^{[footnote 1]}	Dissertation/Project ^{[footnote 1]}
UK / EU / Overseas	GBP1525	GBP1965

The tuition fees listed are for courses starting between September 2024 and August 2025. Fees normally increase annually. Find out more about our tuition fees.

Additional fee information

Financial support

Tuition fee loans are available to Scottish distance learning students on some taught postgraduate courses. Find out more from the Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)

Scholarships and bursaries

We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Each year, hundreds of students enhance their educational experience through a variety of Heriot-Watt and externally funded scholarships, including opportunities funded by the University's generous alumni community, based all over the world.

View our full range of postgraduate scholarships.

Entry requirements

For MSc level entry applicants must have:

Minimum of 2:2 honours degree or equivalent academic qualification in cognate and semi-cognate subject area.
Corporate (or chartered) membership of relevant professional institutions will also be considered.

For PG Diploma level entry applicants must have:

Third class honours degree in a cognate or semi-cognate subject area PLUS 2 years of relevant experience at an appropriate level completed post qualification.
Cognate or semi-cognate ordinary degree PLUS 3-4 years of relevant experience at an appropriate level following graduation.
Candidates who do not meet the above entry requirements or have no formal academic qualifications will be considered individually based on their CV and interview. Admission via this route will be at the discretion of the Director of Admissions and the number of successful applicants will be restricted.

There is no entry at PG Certificate level except through exceptional agreement with approved learning partners.

Non-graduating study at masters level:

Entry is based on CV or on formal academic qualifications or graduate (or incorporated) membership of a relevant professional institution.

January or September entry

Distance learning students can choose to start their studies in January or September. The January intake is not available to students studying on-campus.

Recognition of Prior Learning

We are committed to providing study opportunities to applicants who have a wide range of prior experiences through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). For more information on RPL, please contact the Online Admissions Team (egis-idl-apps@hw.ac.uk) ahead of application. We can only consider requests for RPL at the time of application to a course of study.

English language requirements

If English is not the applicant's first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above.

Applicants who have previously successfully completed courses delivered in the medium of English language may be considered and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this. Examples would be secondary school education or undergraduate degree course. A minimum of at least one year of full time study (or equivalent) in the medium of English language will be required.

We offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your masters course:

20 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5)
14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with minimum of 5.0 in writing and no skill lower than 4.5)
10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.0)
6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.5)

Why Heriot-Watt?

Flexibility and affordability

Study at a time and pace that suits you, and even while you work. HW Online offers pay-as-you-study courses and fees inclusive of exams and study materials, meaning you can focus on success, not extra costs.

Your career

Employers around the world actively seek out our graduates because they are work-ready. All our degrees are career-focused and relevant to the needs of industry. Around 95% of our students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.

Online events

We host online events throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to speak to our academic teaching staff, meet students, find out what it is like to study using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and discover how to enrol.

Lifelong connections

Upon completing your studies you will automatically join the UK's oldest alumni association The Watt Club, with 147k members worldwide.

Study options Edinburgh - Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Our MSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management is also available to study at our Edinburgh campus.

Study options Dubai - Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Our MSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management is also available to study at our Dubai campus.

We are accredited by the following organisations

At Heriot-Watt University we develop degrees that are relevant for the world of work. We work with Professional bodies and Institutes to gain appropriate Accreditations and Professional Memberships for your industry. Find out below how this degree aligns to industry.