MEng Civil Engineering with Study Abroad
2024 entry
Course summary
If you are creative, enjoy design and aspire to improve the built environment we live in, then civil engineering is for you. This degree will equip you to find solutions to global environmental problems and to design large and unique structures, such as buildings, bridges and other critical infrastructure assets that shape society (for example, water supply and treatment systems, transport networks and renewable electricity generation).
At Bristol you will have access to our world-class laboratory facilities, including the most advanced earthquake shaking table in Europe.
This degree is a great opportunity to broaden your view of the world and experience a different culture. In your third year, you will study at one of our partner universities abroad where the course is delivered in English. In previous years, exchanges have included institutions in Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, the US, Hong Kong or Singapore. There is no direct entry onto the course but you can apply to transfer from the other courses if you reach a high academic standard in your first two years.
The first two years provide a strong foundation in engineering, including mathematics, structures, soil and fluid mechanics, computing and surveying, as well as optional units. More optional units are introduced in subsequent years, allowing you to pursue your interests while developing key professional skills such as project management, entrepreneurship, economics and risk analysis.
Your third year overseas will mirror the third-year curriculum at Bristol, and you will return to Bristol for your fourth and final year. To find out more about studying abroad, visit Centre for Study Abroad.
Design is central to the course and this is reflected in the projects you will undertake. In the first year, you will develop a sustainable solution to an open-ended problem, such as designing and making a model bridge. Later projects include steel work, reinforced concrete, geotechnical design and water supply systems.
You will take part in an exciting group design project in the fourth year, combining all your learning as you tackle realistic design challenges identified through our industry links. Design projects range from transportation to smart cities and from skyscrapers to sustainable housing.
We will equip you with the skills needed to become a future leader in civil engineering. Our graduates are highly sought after by top employers, including civil engineering consultancies and construction companies, utility companies, the army, public transport, power generation, supply companies and environmental management.
Course structure
First-year students studying Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Engineering Design all start their degree with a broad knowledge of the fundamentals and a command of the skills that underpin modern engineering.
You will share common units with your peers in other disciplines and work on an interdisciplinary project, based on global challenges and inspired by Engineers Without Borders.
You will meet and work closely with more people from the start of your degree, broadening your social circle and long-term professional network. Interdisciplinary working is now the norm in industry, and good understanding of disciplines other than your own will serve you well when you enter the workplace.
Starting your degree with a broad foundation of knowledge will expand your frame of reference, enabling you to be more creative as you progress with your course and become more specialist in later years of study. The skills-based approach will provide you with technical abilities that will enable you to be successful in your degree and your career.
Entry requirements
We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.
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Selection process
- Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
- If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
- Full information about our selection processes for Civil Engineering with Study Abroad can be found in the Admissions Statement:
Admissions statement - The admissions statement above relates to 2024 entry. The statement for 2025 entry will be available in summer 2024.