What is civil engineering?
Civil engineering is everything you see that’s been built around us. From roads and railways to schools, hospitals, bridges and water supplies, civil engineers design, create and connect the world we live in.
Our courses will develop your understanding of engineering principles and give you the opportunity to apply them to solve real-world problems. You’ll develop the key technical abilities and people management skills required to kick-start your career.
BSc, BEng and MEng: What’s the difference?
No matter which course you choose, you'll benefit from our strong industry links, our team of expert academics and outstanding facilities, ensuring that you'll leave NTU ready to launch into the next steps of your career.
From entry requirements to what you'll study, see the differences between our BSc, BEng and MEng Civil Engineering courses to help you pick the right route. Click on the course names below to discover more.
BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering
Course length
Three years full-time or four years with a sandwich year.
Entry requirements
To meet the entry requirements of this course, you must achieve 112 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications and have GCSEs in Maths and English at grade C / 4 or above*.
Unlike the BEng and MEng civil engineering courses at NTU, our BSc does not require a Mathematics A-level at grade C or above. If you do not hold or are not currently studying towards this qualification but want to become a civil engineer, this is the route for you.
*See the BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering course page for a full breakdown of entry requirements.
What you’ll learn
All our civil engineering courses give students the opportunity to work on industry-facing projects and interact with industry professionals through guest lectures and coursework input.
On the BSc, you’ll develop an applied understanding of practical engineering techniques, with modules on structures, materials and geotechnics. In your first year of the BSc, you will also undertake a Mathematics module that will act as an introduction to maths and statistics, improving your ability to apply numeracy to typical engineering tasks.
Sandwich year
Like the BEng, you will be given the opportunity to source and undertake a paid work placement between their second and final years on the four-year route. Students on this course have previously worked at companies such as AECOM, Curtins Consulting and Jackson Civil Engineering.
Progression to BEng and MEng
Those studying BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering have the opportunity to transfer onto the BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course after Year One. You'll need to achieve an average of 2.1 or above in Year One, including a grade of mid-2.1 or higher in the Mathematics module and with no failed modules. If you meet these requirements and want to transfer, you’ll be required to complete some further study over the summer to demonstrate competency in Year One BEng learning outcomes, primarily in mechanics and structures.
Professional progression
This course is recognised by the Engineering Council as fully meeting the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status.
Visit our BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering course page to find out more.
BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
Course length:
Three years full-time or four years with a sandwich year.
Entry requirements:
To meet the entry requirements of this course, you must achieve 120 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications, including an A-level Maths grade C or above*. You must also have GCSE’s in Maths and English at grade C / 4 or above.
For this course, we require you to hold a Level 3 mathematics qualification. This is because the mathematics modules on the BEng course are tailored to a more advanced level.
*See the BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course page for a full breakdown of entry requirements.
What you’ll learn
All our civil engineering courses give students the opportunity to work on industry-facing projects and interact with industry professionals through guest lectures and coursework input.
On this course, you'll develop high-quality technical abilities alongside the key people management skills required to be a successful civil engineer. You’ll develop advanced mathematical understanding and combined with theory, practical projects and work placement opportunities, develop your skillset and professional networks.
Sandwich year
Like the BSc, students are given the opportunity to source and undertake a paid work placement on the four-year route of this course. Students on this course have previously worked at companies such as VolkerFitzpatrick, BAM Nuttall and Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd.
Progression to MEng
Those studying BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering can progress onto MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design and Construction during their studies. You'll be able to do this:
- at the beginning of Year Three if you've achieved an overall grade of 2.1 in Year Two
- at the end of Year Three* if you've achieved an overall grade of 2.1 in both Year Two and Year Three*.
*If you’ve spent your third year on placement, this applies to Year Four.
An accredited MEng is the most direct route to Chartered Engineering status.
Professional progression
This course is recognised by the Engineering Council as fully meeting the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status and in part for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
Visit our BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course page to find out more.
MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design and Construction
Why choose to do the MEng?
MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design and Construction is an Integrated Masters degree. It combines undergraduate and postgraduate study in a single course.
The course builds on the three (or four with placement) years of our BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course, with an additional year of study. The final year enables you undertake 120 credits of Masters-level study, making it the highest award for undergraduate engineering studies in the UK.
Course length
Four years full-time or five years with a sandwich year.
Entry requirements
To meet the entry requirements of this course, you must achieve 128 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications, including an A-level Maths grade C or above*. You must also have GCSE’s in Maths and English at grade C / 4 or above. This is the highest of our entry requirements for civil engineering as it is the most advanced qualification.
*See the MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design and Construction course page for a full breakdown of entry requirements.
Key modules
In the first three years of study, you will work on the same modules as the BEng, developing high-quality technical abilities alongside the key people management skills required to be a successful civil engineer. You’ll build an advanced mathematical understanding and combined with theory, practical projects and can go on a work placement in your third year.
The additional fourth (or fifth year on the sandwich route) will give you the chance to work on more complex projects and broaden your engineering knowledge base. You develop the abilities in undertaking a large or complex design project, further build on your knowledge of infrastructure engineering and develop strategic and operational management skills.
Professional progression
This course is the most direct route to becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng), fully satisfying the educational base for the status.
Visit our MEng Civil Engineering Design and Construction course page to find out more.
What are the similarities between our courses?
- All our courses are accredited
- All courses have great industry links and offer the multiple opportunities to work on live projects
- They are all based on our City Campus in the heart of Nottingham
- All give you access to our world-class facilities
What are the options after I graduate?
All of our courses have a great track record in terms careers and employability. Our graduates have gone on to work in companies such as VolkerFitzpatrick, Winvic and Arcadis. We also have a dedicated employability team to help you along the way!
We also have a number of postgraduate courses linking on from each of our undergraduate courses.
Our courses are accredited
Our BSc, BEng and MEng degrees are all accredited under licence from the Engineering Council by the Joint Board of Moderators, which represents the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Institute of Highway Engineers.
They are also accredited by the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES).
An introduction to Civil Engineering at NTU
Senior Lecturer, Dr Yasameen Al-ameen, talk you through our Civil Engineering courses.
Hear from our students
"The range and diversity of modules stands out to me. Academics apply technical material to real world scenarios well and the varied methods of teaching helps keep the course exciting."
Jake Atkinson, BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering
"Being chosen to become a STEM and Go Construct Ambassador has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the placement. Being able to inspire the younger generation along with my colleagues and share my experience in the industry has been so enjoyable."
Rebecca Paramor, BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
"The Civil Engineering course and the teaching team at NTU are exceptional. If you are going to apply to civil engineering elsewhere then at least also consider NTU. Just be prepared though, as learning lots of new knowledge and developing new skills also takes a lot of time and work."
James Rawlin, MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design and Construction
Did you know?
We also offer a Level 6 Civil Engineer Degree Apprenticeship. This route is aligned to our BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course. On it, you'll develop valuable industry-specific knowledge whilst gaining work experience with your employer.