Civil Engineering Design and Construction MEng (Hons)

Civil Engineering Design Projects (40 credits)

• This module will form an introduction to the construction industry, and the key roles played by civil engineering professionals.
• You'll look at areas such health and safety, environmental and sustainability considerations, legislation, and the role of construction in the UK economy.
• The module will also focus on building your professional communication skills through presentations, an introduction to computer-aided design, and career planning.

Sustainable Engineering Materials (20 credits)

• To provide you with an introduction to the materials encountered in Civil Engineering and general construction.
• You will develop an understanding of the implications of the material properties in practical applications.

Engineering Mathematics and Mechanics (20 credits)

• This module will furnish you with a comprehensive range of mathematical techniques, providing you with the foundation for the study of more advanced mathematical techniques in Year Two.
• You'll develop a strong foundation of skills and knowledge, enabling you to solve civil engineering problems.

Engineering Surveying (20 credits)

• To introduce and develop your understanding of the principles and procedures of engineering surveying within the context of the construction industry.
• The module will provide you with experience and develop your skills in the use of standard surveying instrumentation together with associated field and office procedures for the preparation of site plans, setting out and control of construction works.

Introduction to Structural Analysis and Design (20 credits)

• The module aims to provide you with an initial qualitative and quantitative appreciation of the behaviour and design of skeletal structures.
• You'll explore a range of areas including the types of pin-jointed frameworks and their structural idealisation, types of beam structures and loadings, section analysis for direct bending stresses based on elastic theory, combined axial and bending elastic stresses with application to short columns, foundations and pre-stressed concrete and introductory timber design.

Ground Engineering (20 credits)

• This module will develop your appreciation of fundamental soil and geological properties.
• You'll measure and test different geological and geotechnical materials, allowing you to recognise and investigate ground-related problems and hazards.

Further Engineering Mathematics and Fluid Mechanics (20 credits)

• Building on your mathematical skills and knowledge developed in Year One, this module will provide you with the mathematical and fluid mechanics knowledge and techniques required as a civil engineer.
• In this module you'll look at: probability; calculus; vectors and matrices; and fluid mechanics, including dimensional analysis, flow through pipes, and hydraulic machinery.

Integration of Engineering Applications (20 credits)

• This module will introduce you to new and emerging technologies within the construction industry, in relation to Engineering Surveying, CAD and BIM.
• You'll work in a project group with final year students to simulate a work situation where you'll produce, present and defend a scheme design.

Structural Design and Detailing (20 credits)

• This module will act as an introduction to the structural behaviour of elements in reinforced concrete and steelwork structures, looking in depth at their design and detailing.
• You'll also be introduced to a range of new and emerging technologies within the construction industry.

Analysis of Determinate and Indeterminate Structures (20 credits)

• The module aims to provide you with an introduction to elastic and plastic behaviour of statically determinate and indeterminate beams, pin-jointed frames (trusses) and rigidly jointed frames.

Construction Practice and the Environment (20 credits)

• The aim of this module is to improve your knowledge of practice within the construction industry, introducing you to the roles and responsibilities that you may undertake during placement, after graduation, and as you progress in your career.
• You'll look at key areas such as project organisation, procurement, planning, programming, management, and contract and commercial documentation and administration.

Sandwich placement year

In your third year, you'll have the opportunity to take a year-long full-time placement. This year in industry will offer you hands-on experience, adding invaluable knowledge and skills to your CV. Many students return to their placement company after graduation, having developed a useful network of contacts within the industry.

Recent placement destinations have included VolkerFitzpatrick, BAM Nuttall, Buckingham Group, APR Services and Arcadis. Our civil engineering placement roles have historically all come with a salary, with some students earning over £20,000 for their year.

Successful completion of the placement year leads to an extra qualification – the Diploma in Professional Practice.

Study abroad

If you're studying on our sandwich route you can also opt to study abroad for a full academic year, or for a semester, during Year Three. This is an optional and additional period of study that complements your degree at NTU as an alternative to taking a work placement.

This is an exciting opportunity to experience a different national culture, teaching and learning styles and subjects in an international environment. The destination university must be a year abroad / exchange partner of NTU or member of a formally recognised scheme such as the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP).

Our NTU Global and student mobility team will support you in finding the right opportunity from one of the many international partners available around the world.

Successful completion of a period of international study will earn you a standalone award – an International Study Certificate (minimum six weeks) or the International Study Diploma (minimum 36 weeks).

Third / Fourth Year (with placement)

Further Structural Design (20 credits)

• This module will broaden your knowledge of the design of structural frameworks and how they withstand forces acting on them.
• It introduces the most common methods of providing stability and robustness to framed structures.

Further Geotechnical Engineering and Design (20 credits)

• This module will provide a sound background to the decision making, design and implementation of geotechnical design.
• You will learn to analyse and design some typical engineering problems involved in the construction of geotechnical structures.  These topics will be reviewed within the context of safe and sustainable development.

Professional Responsibilities and Development in Civil Engineering (20 credits)

• This module is based around four themes: health, safety and welfare; the profession and wider society; clients, stakeholders, communities and government; and sustainability.
• It's aim is to fully prepare you for graduate roles, with the knowledge, skills, awareness and professionalism expected by graduate employers.

Infrastructure Engineering 1 (20 credits)

• This module will broaden your understanding of the wider urban environment through the introduction of infrastructure topics such as transport, highways, rail, asset management, and water. You'll develop an appreciation of the issues that influence decision-making, design and implementation of major infrastructure schemes.
• You'll study these topics within the context of sustainable developments, looking at key elements of environmental legislation.

Individual with Group project (40 credits)

• The majority of this module will be formed by a self-led research project or dissertation; a significant body of work allowing you to research in depth an agreed topic relating to the construction industry.
• You'll also work on a group project over the course of the year, relating to a real-world engineering scheme. You'll work in a team environment, producing and presenting a design scheme.

Core

Major Design and Construction Project (40 credits)

• This module provides the opportunity for you to develop abilities in undertaking a design project that is large scale and / or complex in character. It is intended to be a capstone to many of the modules studied through the course, especially over the last two years of study.
• Working in a group, you'll develop high-level team working skills, and have the resource available to undertake an ambitious project, culminating in a final presentation and exhibition.

Infrastructure Engineering 2 (20 credits)

• This module will build upon the broad introduction given in Infrastructure Engineering 1.
• You'll use standards, codes of practice and design and construction methodologies to look at pavements and light rail infrastructure, as well as water and energy systems, in analytical detail.
• You'll study these topics in the context of sustainable developments, looking at key elements of environmental legislation.

Strategic and Operational Management (20 credits)

• This module is intended to provide prospective civil engineers with an understanding of the complex political, cultural, economic and financial environments within which civil engineering, architectural design and construction organisations operate. You'll look at both the strategic organisational level and the individual project level.
• You'll explore the civil engineering environment, project and risk management, and a range of different management philosophies and techniques.

Optional

A choice of two level 7, 20 cp modules from the following:

Simulation and Modelling in Civil Engineering (20 credits)

• In this module, you'll evaluate the Finite Element Method (FEM) for its application to obtain an approximate solution for the analysis of complex structural problems. You'll be introduced to the theory behind FEM, how to derive the governing differential equations and how to apply the method in sample structural problems.
• This module will provide you with the intellectual tools necessary to use proprietary FEM software to produce computer models of various complex structural problems in order to obtain approximate (numerical) solutions. You'll learn how to use the advanced post-processing capability of the software to produce reports.
• You'll be required to produce solutions for two small projects and these solutions will be assessed for your ability to apply, refine and develop computer models to solve structural problems and to generate reports supported with the appropriate graphs and data.

Sustainable Concrete Technology (20 credits)

• This module will provide you with an appreciation of the rheology of fresh and hardened concrete at an advanced level, the properties of its component materials and how these influence durability and performance.
• You'll explore the fundamental principles of durable concrete for civil engineering structures, including the micro structure of concrete, admixtures and cement and the hydration process.