find your perfect postgrad program
Search our Database of 30,000 Courses
MSc Civil Engineering
Find postgraduate programs in CIVIL ENGINEERINGIf you have an undergraduate qualification in civil engineering, a masters in civil engineering will enhance your existing knowledge, either through specialisation in a given field or by a deeper examination of a range of topics previously studied at the undergraduate level.
Postgraduate civil engineering qualifications will also improve your career prospects, particularly because courses tend to incorporate practical elements designed to reflect real-life projects and the kind of work a civil engineer could be expected to perform upon graduation.
A civil engineering postgraduate course demonstrates to potential employers that you have the kind of skills and expertise they are looking for.
What is involved in PG civil engineering programs?
A full-time MSc in Civil Engineering typically lasts a year, although part-time study is also an option over the course of two or three years or, in some cases, up to five years – depending on your course, university and specialism.
Postgraduate civil engineering courses generally combine a mixture of theoretical and practical work, being lecture-based with supporting coursework, often incorporating group assignments so that students gain experience of projects similar to the kind of work they might undertake after graduation.
Different courses place different emphases on the practical and theoretical elements, but a good MSc will be designed to increase your knowledge base, probing deep into the fundamentals of engineering, whilst giving practical experience that will be applicable in the workplace.
Naturally, the modules on offer vary from course to course, and some institutions offer courses that incorporate other disciplines, such as business management. Having completed a masters degree, you should end up with a strong understanding of structural design, construction and analysis, which form the heart of the course. The practical components of the course also provide a stark reminder of the difference between theory and reality. Having the opportunity to put your ideas into practice teaches invaluable lessons about what you need to take into consideration that you may not have thought about otherwise.
Broadly speaking, if you decide to study civil engineering at masters level, the course is likely to cover, in one form or another, the main areas within civil engineering: transport, structural, water, energy and geotechnical engineering. Each of these fields can be expanded upon in great depth, frequently with an environmental focus, for example, developing solutions to new problems as a result of climate change, such as water management issues due to droughts and/or flooding, or the need to develop eco-friendly fuel technologies. Biomechanics is another specialism that can be taken, as well as sustainability, oil and renewables.
One of the benefits of studying a masters degree in civil engineering is that if you know what area you would like to specialise in, it is possible to find a course focusing on your particular field of interest. However, there are many postgraduate programs that will allow you to cover a broad range of subjects so that you can keep your options open if you’re not sure what you want to specialise in. Which type of course is most appropriate is entirely down to individual need, so do your research properly to determine which course is the best fit for your requirements.
MSc civil engineering courses
With nearly 150 courses on the Postgrad website for you to choose from, it has never been easier to look at available masters in civil engineering.
If you’re planning to study in the UK, you could choose somewhere like Abertay University and its Civil Engineering MSc, which provides students with the option to either study full time for one year or part-time for two years. This is one of the course options that will also consider a person with a 2:2 undergraduate degree, and will teach those in the course how to solve the multi-layered environmental challenges within civil engineering projects. In the first year, students will explore vital modules, including:
- Health Safety and Environmental Management
- Renewable Energy Technologies
- Offshore Geotechnical Engineering
- Research Methods.
Another good option in the UK is the University of Birmingham’s Civil Engineering MSc, which is also studied for one year, full time or two years part time. This course teaches seven core modules, including:
- Engineering Production and Risk Management in Construction
- Geotechnical Engineering 3
- Ground Investigation
- Structural Engineering 3
- Sustainable Construction
- Wind Engineering and Bluff Body Aerodynamics
- Advanced Project
What qualifications are required for PG Civil Engineering programs?
Anyone with an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng (Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree can apply to study an MSc Civil Engineering. Usually, at least a 2:1 from either a British or recognised overseas university is required for acceptance onto postgraduate civil engineering courses, but professional experience may also be taken into consideration, and universities may even accept a 2:2 under certain conditions.
Funding your MSc Civil Engineering
As with any postgraduate course, there are various funding options available for postgraduate civil engineering courses, and you may also be able to source sponsorship through your employer. International students may benefit from subject-specific scholarships aimed particularly at attracting international students to the UK. There are also some STEM-specific funding opportunities that you could explore.
Funding options include Chevening Scholarships for international students, Marshall Scholarships for US students and Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries for all postgraduate students worth £2,000 each!
Civil engineering salaries
Civil engineering salaries for graduates range between £26,000 and £31,000, according to Glassdoor – this is very much dependent on the size and profile of the employer, with the average starting salary being approximately £30,000 for a larger company.
A postgraduate qualification will improve your remuneration prospects – indeed, postgraduate civil engineering salaries can be among the highest for postgraduates – but not only that, postgraduate civil engineering programs are likely to increase the variety of positions open to you, bringing with them the prospect of more challenging and exciting roles.
An MSc in civil engineering can also help towards useful accreditation, such as Chartered Civil Engineer, with the average salary of a Chartered Engineer being around £63,475 according to the Institute of Engineers in Scotland.
Find postgraduate programs in CIVIL ENGINEERINGRelated articles
What Type Of Engineering Should I Study?
How To Become A Civil Engineer Infographic
