Civil engineers design and build major structures (such as the Falkirk Wheel, pictured) and provide the skills and expertise to design, build and maintain the country’s infrastructure, including water supply and treatment, power supply, transportation and shelter.

Programme structure

You will study the same courses in the first three years whether you are on the BEng or MEng degree programme. Your selection for BEng or MEng depends on your progress record in your first three years.

Year 1

In your first year you will take courses in mathematics and study engineering fundamentals including civil engineering, dynamics, electronics, materials, statics, thermodynamics and engineering skills.  These courses will form a solid foundation for development later in the degree programme and are supported by individual and group project and laboratory work.

Years 2 and 3

You will take a range of courses within structural engineering, water engineering, transportation, geotechnical engineering and construction management. Courses cover both fundamental principles and practical applications. We place considerable emphasis on practical work, in the form of laboratory classes, physical and computational modelling exercises, project work, surveying fieldwork, design projects and site visits.

In your third year you will take part in a multidisciplinary design project called INTERACT. Together with students of architecture and quantity surveying from other universities, you will work in small teams to solve real-life design problems, just as you would do in professional life.

Years 4 and 5

The main route to becoming a fully chartered civil engineer is through the MEng degree, which usually takes five years. The BEng degree remains popular and can normally be completed in four years. To become a fully chartered engineer with a BEng degree requires further study after graduation, which can be done part-time while you are working.

In your fourth year, MEng students study a greater range of advanced analytical topics than BEng students. Year five of the MEng programme is largely devoted to a series of case studies, based on real problems and with strong industrial input, which are intended to develop high-level problem-solving skills.

Special features

Partner and industry links

Our international links

Career prospects

Accreditation

Glasgow International College

Academic entry requirements
for entry in 2014

MEng

Highers: AAAAA by end of S5 including Mathematics and Physics.

A-levels: A*AA including Mathematics and Physics.

IB: 36 points including Mathematics HL6 and Physics HL6.

BEng

Highers: Entry from S5 – AAAA or AAABB including Mathematics and Physics at grades A/B or B/A.

Entry from S6 – applicants who achieved a minimum of ABBB including Mathematics and Physics at grades A/B or B/A in S5, may receive an offer based on them attaining AAAAAB by the end of S6. Applicants receiving these offers will be required to study Advanced Highers in relevant subjects.

A-levels: AAB including Mathematics and Physics.

IB: 34 points including Mathematics HL5 and Physics HL5.

BEng students who perform well may transfer to the MEng programme upon completion of years 1, 2 or 3.

Advanced entry

If you have exceptional A-level or Advanced Higher grades it's possible to gain exemption from Year 1 study and enter directly into Year 2 or follow a faster route advanced entry programme, both of which allow you to complete your degree in one year less than usual. See: Advanced entry

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training):

• overall score 6.5
• no sub-test less than 6.0
• or equivalent scores in another recognised qualification (see below)
   

Common equivalent English language qualifications:

• ibTOEFL: 92; no sub-test less than 20
• CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): B minimum
• CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): C minimum
• PTE Academic (Person Test of English, Academic test): 60; no sub-test less than 59

Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the Language Centre Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:

• Language Centre, University of Glasgow
• BALEAP guide to accredited courses 

FAQs

Visa requirements and proof of English language level

It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.

For further information about English language, please contact the Language Centre.

Tuition fees

How and when you pay tuition fees depends on where you’re from: see Tuition fees for details. If you’re from outside the EU, please see International students for more information.

Scholarships

We offer a wide range of scholarships to our undergraduates, including both home/EU and international students. The University is committed to supporting students and rewarding academic excellence. That’s why we’ve invested more than £1m in additional scholarship funding over the last year.
 
For a full list of scholarships including eligibility criteria and how to apply, please see:

• Scholarships