Heriot-Watt University

Go Global:

  • Inter-Campus Transfer
  • European Exchange
  • Non-European Exchange

The course

UCAS code
H201
Duration
5 years
Location
Edinburgh
Delivery type
Full-time

Solve the civil engineering problems of tomorrow's world. Civil Engineering ranked 8th in the UK and 2nd in Scotland for overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2020.

Find out how to apply More about this subject area

Contact

Overview

This degree covers the main Civil Engineering disciplines of structures, geotechnics, water engineering and transportation engineering, and provides students with the key skills and knowledge required to become chartered civil engineers. The core curriculum includes instruction in all main subject areas, concentrating on analysis and materials behaviour, with a focus on design and management in the specialisation years. Throughout, there is an emphasis on the personal development of students within a professional environment.

Our degrees are supported by the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers offering advice, guidance and work placement opportunities.

360 Virtual Tours

Take a virtual look at our Wave Basin and Heavy Structures Lab, and Hydraulics Lab.

Highlights

In year 1 you have the opportunity to visit a range of construction sites and experience guest lectures from professional engineers.

In year 2 you have the opportunity to participate in Constructionarium, which provides hands-on construction working alongside professional engineers and tradesmen to construct scaled down versions of bridges, buildings, dams and civil engineering projects from all around the world.

There is flexibility to transfer between Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering degrees in years 1, 2 and 3.

In year 4, students undertake a week long collaborative design project working with students from across the built environment disciplines or can apply to study at a partner institution in Europe or North America.

In year 5, students have the opportunity to participate in a field trip to Barcelona, looking at the design of some of the worlds’ most iconic structures.

Students on this programme also have the opportunity to apply for an Inter-Campus transfer to Dubai or Malaysia. 

Accreditation

Accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) and Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

Student profile

Emil Viem, Civil Engineering student

I’m very much enjoying my time here. The programme is challenging but the support and guidance from my lecturers make it very manageable.

Go Global

With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way.

You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.

Course content

Detailed course guide

Year 1

Note that the below course structure is subject to developmental change.

Semester 1

  • Mechanics A
  • Civil Engineering Applications 1
  • Construction Technology 1
  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1

Semester 2

  • Mechanics B
  • Introduction to Materials
  • Introduction to Engineering Design
  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2

Year 2

Semester 1

  • Analysis of Determinate Structures
  • Hydraulics and Hydrology A
  • Surveying and Monitoring in the Built and Natural Environment
  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 3

Semester 2

  • Civil Engineering Materials
  • Stress Analysis and Element Strength
  • Design Studies A - Problem Solving
  • Statistics for Science

Year 3

Semester 1

  • Design of Steel Elements
  • Transportation Engineering A
  • Indeterminate Structures
  • Geology and Soil Properties

Semester 2

  • Hydraulics and Hydrology B
  • Geotechnics A - Introduction to Soil Mechanics
  • Design of Concrete Elements
  • Environmental Engineering A

Year 4

Students select half of their courses from a list of eight options, including: Structural Element Design; Water and Wastewater Treatment; Foundation Engineering; and Urban Drainage and Water Supply. Students also undertake a design project that involves collaborative work with students from other disciplines within the built environment professions.

Semester 1

  • Dissertation 1 Civil Engineering Discipline
  • Geotechnics B - Soil Strength
  • Optional course
  • Optional course

Semester 2

  • Dissertation 1 Civil Engineering Discipline
  • Civil Engineering Design Project
  • Foundation Engineering
  • Optional course

Year 5

Semester 1

  • Civil Engineering Professional Project

Optional courses. Students choose from a wide range of courses, including:

  • Sustainability and Civil Engineering
  • Ground Engineering
  • Structural Materials
  • Computer Simulation of River Flows
  • Project Management: Theory and Practice

Semester 2

Optional courses. Students choose from a wide range of optional courses, including:

  • Stability and Dynamics
  • Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources
  • Human Factor Methods
  • Earthquake Engineering
  • FEA Stress Analysis

Employability

Work and study

This is what our MEng Civil Engineering students are doing six months after graduating:

  • 75% are working
  • 10% are studying
  • 5% are working and studying.

Managerial/professional position

  • 90% of those working are in a professional/managerial position six months after graduating.

Salary

  • The average salary of students six months after graduating: £25000
  • The average UK salary of students six months after graduating from a similar course: £25000

Jobs

These are the most common jobs students go into six months after graduating:

  • Engineering professionals

Entry requirements

Year 1

Standard entry requirements 
  • Highers AABB (including Mathematics)
  • A-Levels BBC (including Mathematics)
  • Int. Baccalaureate 30 points (including 5 in HL Mathematics)
  • BTEC DMM (in relevant engineering course)
  • HNC B in graded unit (in a relevant subject and Mathematics at SCQF Level 7)

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers BBBC (including Mathematics)
  • A-Levels BCC (including Mathematics)

* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:

  • live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
  • are care experienced.

We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements.

Year 2

  • Advanced Highers BB (including mathematics plus AABB at Higher)
  • A-Levels ABB
  • Int. Baccalaureate 35 points (including 6 in HL mathematics)
  • HNC A in graded unit (in a relevant subject area and Mathematics at SCQF Level 7)
  • HND BB in graded unit (in a relevant subject area and Mathematics at SCQF Level 7)
  • BTEC DDM (in relevant engineering course)

Year 3

HND AB in graded units (in a relevant subject area and Mathematics at SCQF Level 7)

Additional information

English language requirements

  • If English is not your first language, you have to show that your English is good enough to succeed on your course. Please see our English language requirements.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2020 entry (by residency status)
Status* Scotland / EU** England / Northern Ireland / Wales*** International
Fee Paid by SAAS £9,250 £19,400

* Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees.

** European Union countries (not including England, Northern Ireland or Wales).

*** 'Rest of the UK' (RUK) students entering at Level 1 receive a fee waiver of one year's tuition fee. Normally this will be the final year, or a year during which students study abroad (either at a partnership institution, or at one of Heriot-Watt's overseas campuses).

Additional costs

You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.

Scholarships and bursaries

Featured scholarships

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales starting undergraduate degree courses in 2020

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

View our full range of undergraduate scholarships.