The Master of Engineering Studies in Geotechnical Engineering programme aims to further educate graduate students in the discipline of geotechnical engineering so as to enhance their contribution to engineering practice.
Graduates will be able to take leading roles in planning, evaluating, designing, constructing, maintaining, and managing the geotechnical infrastructure.
The programme also provides valuable background expertise for those wishing to enter into asset management or to begin to pursue a career in research and development.
The Master of Engineering Studies in Geotechnical Engineering programme aims to build on the geotechnical content of the BE (Civil) degree and develop graduates with enhanced ability to contribute to geotechnical engineering practice.
New Zealand is a stimulating country in which to practise geotechnical engineering with its young and varied geology, seismic activity and diverse rainfall patterns. Many unique problems occur here as a result and these present challenges for innovative and novel solutions.
The programme has been designed with courses relevant to the New Zealand geotechnical environment, to fill the needs of the country.
There is a large demand for geotechnical engineers in the local workplace, as well as a worldwide shortage of geotechnical professionals.
This specialisation aims to address a shortage of suitably trained geotechnical engineering professionals.
Graduates will greatly enhance their ability to practice in the geotechnical engineering field, by extending their education in the area of their specialisation and by upgrading their current skills and training.
The programme will enable graduates to take leading roles in planning, evaluating, designing, constructing, maintaining, and managing the geotechnical infrastructure. The programme will also provide valuable background expertise for those wishing to enter into asset management or to begin to pursue a career in research and development.
The Advanced Geotechnical Engineering MSc will nurture and develop your understanding of the principles and theories behind ground engineering.
Topics include deep foundations in urban areas, tunnelling, foundations for energy infrastructure, deep water energy resources exploration and field monitoring.
During your studies you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and practical understanding of scientific methodology you have acquired on a research project under the guidance and advice of an experienced supervisor.
This will help you develop the skills to acquire, analyse, and critically evaluate data, and then draw valid, defendable conclusions that can withstand professional scrutiny.
Graduates are highly employable, and may progress to relevant specialist PhD or EngD research programmes in the field.
This programme is studied over one academic year (full-time) and between two and five academic years (part-time or distance learning). It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
On successful completion of this MSc programme students will be deemed to have completed the further learning necessary to combine with a suitable BEng (Hons) degree fulfilling the academic base for the professional qualification of Chartered Engineer.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
Geotechnical Engineering Group Modules
Selected Structural Engineering Group Modules
Selected Construction Management Group Modules
Selected Infrastructure Engineering Group Modules
Selected Water and Environmental Engineering Group Modules
Students must choose eight modules from those listed above. For the main and subsidiary awards there are restrictions on the choice of modules within each module group. These are outlined in the table above.
The programme aims to provide graduates with:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Learn more about opportunities that might be available for this particular programme by using our student exchanges search tool.
Modules are taught by academic members in the geotechnical area, and some lectures for the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering MSc will be delivered by visiting academics and practicing engineers from industry.
You will also be allocated a personal tutor to guide you during your time with us at the University. You can expect a varied, stimulating and rewarding time here and will receive all the support you need to progress your learning.
In addition to the University Library and Learning Centre’s extensive resources, our excellent testing facilities can support experimentally based MSc dissertation projects.
VJ Tech Prize for Best MSc Student in Advanced Geotechnical Engineering
A prize of £1,000, sponsored by VJ Tech, one of the world’s top geotechnical engineering manufacturers specialising in advanced soil testing equipment for labs.
The prize will be awarded to the best performing student(s) on the MSc Advanced Geotechnical Engineering based on module results and overall performance during the programme.
The £1,000 may be awarded to an individual student or split between two students displaying the best performance in their MSc programme.
Keller Prize for Best MSc Project in Advanced Geotechnical Engineering
A prize of £500 sponsored by Keller Group plc, the world’s largest independent ground engineering contractor.
The prize will be awarded to the student(s) with the best MSc Dissertation completed as part of the MSc Advanced Geotechnical Engineering, as defined by the course leader according to the module results and potential impact of the output of the individual project.
The £500 may be awarded to an individual student or split between a number of students displaying the best performance in their MSc Dissertations.
There is a wide range of opportunity in the Civil Engineering profession for geotechnical specialists, particularly those who combine geotechnical knowledge with essential managerial skills aspects associated with the Construction Industry.
Modern structures, such as buildings, embankments and dams, must satisfy exacting stability and deformation criteria, and they may have to be sited on weak or compressible ground. It is the responsibility of the geotechnical engineer to plan and direct the necessary ground investigations and laboratory testing, interpret the results, and propose methods of design and construction to overcome difficulties caused by inadequate ground.
The long-term performance of the structure must be predicted, and instruments may have to be installed to check the prediction. This needs a sound knowledge of engineering geology, soil and rock mechanics, current civil engineering design, and of construction management and practice.
This MSc programme is designed to support high level training and enhance both the technical and managerial skills of recent graduates or experienced personnel who work in, or aspire to a career in, the construction or related industries. This programme is aimed at Civil Engineers and Geologists who wish to widen their professional scope or to specialise in geotechnical engineering with the addition of modern managerial skills. To summarise the detailed information above, the teaching concentrates on essential aspects of the subject:
This course is offered in both full-time and part-time modes:
This programme has developed an excellent reputation since its inception in 1956. Its purpose is to provide advanced training to civil engineers and geologists who wish to widen their knowledge or to specialise in the field of geotechnical engineering. The programme includes lectures, design studies, laboratory classes, a site visit and individual projects. In addition, external lectures are provided by experts and leaders from industry.
With an excellent reputation across the industry, the course focuses on essential aspects of the subject, including: physical, chemical and mechanical properties of soils and rocks; ground investigation; field and laboratory testing; engineering geology and site investigation; analysis, design and construction of foundations, retaining walls, tunnels, embankments and slopes including methods of ground reinforcement and improvement.
The research project allows for detailed study into a particular area of geotechnical engineering and can focus upon laboratory testing, numerical modelling or management of geotechnical processes/applications.
Related links
Assessment
Candidates must pass the written examinations, achieve a satisfactory project assessment, submit satisfactory coursework, satisfy practical training requirements and comply with University Regulations. Successful candidates are awarded the degree of Master of Science (Geotechnical Engineering) at the Degree Congregation held in December following the end of the Programme.
Candidates who score an overall average of 70% or more are awarded a degree of Master of Science with Distinction
Staff details
The course is taught by University staff and visiting lecturers who provide material that is enhanced by a depth of research and industrial experience. The University staff teaching on the programme include:
Visiting include:
University Careers Network
Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.
Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.
If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.
This programme is designed to support high-level training and enhance both the technical and managerial skills of graduates and experienced personnel who work in or aspire to a career in the construction or related industries.
There is a wide range of opportunity in the Civil Engineering profession for geotechnical specialists, particularly those who combine geotechnical knowledge with essential managerial skills aspects associated with the Construction Industry.
Modern structures, such as buildings, embankments and dams, must satisfy exacting stability and deformation criteria, and they may have to be sited on weak or compressible ground. It is the responsibility of the geotechnical engineer to plan and direct the necessary ground investigations and laboratory testing, interpret the results, and propose methods of design and construction to overcome difficulties caused by inadequate ground.
The long-term performance of the structure must be predicted, and instruments may have to be installed to check the prediction. This needs a sound knowledge of engineering geology, soil and rock mechanics, current civil engineering design, and of construction management and practice.
This MSc programme is designed to support high level training and enhance both the technical and managerial skills of recent graduates or experienced personnel who work in, or aspire to a career in, the construction or related industries. This programme is aimed at Civil Engineers and Geologists who wish to widen their professional scope or to specialise in geotechnical engineering with the addition of modern managerial skills. To summarise the detailed information above, the teaching concentrates on four essential aspects of the subject:
This course is offered in both full-time and part-time modes:
This programme is designed to support high-level training and enhance both the technical and managerial skills of graduates and experienced personnel who work in or aspire to a career in the construction or related industries. It is aimed at civil engineers and geologists who wish to widen their professional scope, or to specialise in geotechnical engineering with the addition of modern managerial skills.
The programme consists of taught modules (lectures, seminars, laboratory classes and workshops), a site visit and a research project. External lectures are provided by experts and leaders from industry to supplement the key academic parts of the programme.
With an excellent reputation across the industry, the course focuses on essential aspects of the subject, including: physical, chemical and mechanical properties of soils and rocks; ground investigation; field and laboratory testing; engineering geology and site investigation; analysis, design and construction of foundations, retaining walls, tunnels, embankments and slopes including methods of ground reinforcement and improvement.
The Management programme also covers managerial skills for the construction industry, including groundworks and risk management, BIM in infrastructure and infrastructure planning process.
The research project allows for detailed study into a particular area of geotechnical engineering and can focus upon laboratory testing,
numerical modelling or management of geotechnical processes/applications.
Related links
Assessment
Candidates must pass the written examinations, achieve a satisfactory project assessment, submit satisfactory coursework, satisfy practical training requirements and comply with University Regulations. Successful candidates are awarded the degree of Master of Science (Geotechnical Engineering and Management) at the Degree Congregation held in December following the end of the Programme.
Candidates who score an overall average of 70% or more are awarded a degree of Master of Science with Distinction
Staff details
The course is taught by several University staff and by visiting lecturers who provide material that is enhanced by a depth of research and industrial experience. The University staff teaching on the programme include:
Visiting include:
University Careers Network
Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.
Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.
If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.
Geotechnical engineering examines the engineering behaviour of earth materials and is relevant to all engineering and construction practices that are concerned with the ground on both a surface level and within it. Geotechnical engineers investigate the ground and measure the chemical properties, evaluate the stability of the area and design earthworks and structure foundations enabling projects to take place.
The programme is multi-disciplinary in nature, and provides students with the knowledge of rock engineering, site investigation, data capture and data analysis required to understand the issues facing engineers excavating increasingly ambitious and complex underground spaces. This course is relevant to students entering or working in a range of engineering careers within the construction, environmental and extractive industries.
Featured content draws upon the unique expertise of the Camborne School of Mines, with strengths in the areas of rock mechanics and underground excavation, as well as specialist knowledge of working in extreme conditions and with high-stress or difficult ground.
Delivered by staff with strong research interests directly related to the topics covered, modules involve a broad range of activities and teaching delivery methods. This includes workshops using the latest industry relevant computational tools, practical activities and group and individual exercises.
In support of this research-led teaching, key experts from the extractive and construction industry will provide topical insight to the state of the industry and clarify the context for the theory covered in the lectures.
Please note constituent modules and pathways may be updated, deleted or replaced in future years as a consequence of programme development. Details at any time may be obtained from the programme website.
Optional modules include;
Teaching and assessment
The programme is delivered through a mix of lectures, workshops, tutorials, practical activities, case studies, industry visits, computer simulations, project work and a dissertation. The taught part of the programme is structured into two semesters. Field visits and practical field-based assignments are used, where appropriate, to emphasise key areas within each module.
A research- and practice-led culture
We believe every student benefits from being taught by experts active in research and practice. You will discuss the very latest ideas, research discoveries and new technologies in seminars and in the field and you will become actively involved in a research project yourself. All our academic staff are active in internationally-recognised scientific research across a wide range of topics.
Students are encouraged to undertake projects directly linked with industry, which may result in industrial placements for their project period.
This flexible MSc programme is suitable for individuals who already have an accredited undergraduate civil engineering degree and who are seeking to further their engineering skills and achieve chartered status.
This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators as meeting the requirements for further learning for a chartered engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng-accredited undergraduate first degree and for holders of an IEng-accredited first degree, to meet the educational base for a chartered engineer.
You will study a range of advanced civil engineering subjects linked to cutting-edge research. These include earthquake engineering dynamics and design, advanced geotechnics and rock mechanics, bridge engineering and advanced hydraulics. You will also develop the skills demanded in civil engineering consultancy offices around the world.
On the course, you will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art laboratories and advanced technical software for numerical modelling.
The course is flexible and allows you to combine advanced civil engineering with related subjects including water environmental management, construction management and sustainable construction.
All of the taught modules are delivered by research-active staff and pave the way for a career at the forefront of ambitious civil engineering projects.
The course has an emphasis on practical applications of advanced civil engineering concepts. You will make use of our advanced laboratories, modern computer facilities and technical software.
The MSc requires successful completion of six modules together with a dissertation on an agreed technical subject; a dissertation is not required, however, for the PGDip.
The taught component of the course comprises six core modules, and you can either take all six of these modules or choose four with an additional two approved modules from other MSc courses in the School of Environment and Technology. You can use this flexibility to study related subjects including water and waste-water treatment technology, construction management and sustainable construction.
Core modules cover geotechnical earthquake engineering, dynamics of structures with earthquake engineering applications, seismic design of reinforced concrete members, random vibrations of structures, bridge loads and analysis, rock mechanics, hydrogeology, coastal engineering and wave loading.
Coastal Engineering and Wave Loading
This module provides a basic understanding of different wave theories and their applications in coastal engineering practice.
You will develop an understanding of the coastal sediment transport processes and the means to deal with issues associated with coastal protection and sea defence.
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
This module provides an understanding of advanced geotechnical design methods with an emphasis on seismic design. It focuses on current design methods for soil and rock structures and foundation systems subject to complex loading conditions.
You will gain experience in using a variety of commercial software.
Rock Mechanics
The module gives you an understanding of the behaviour of rocks and rock mass and enables you to evaluate the instability of rock slopes and tunnels in order to design reinforcements for unstable rock.
Dynamics of Structures with Earthquake Engineering Applications
You will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of dynamics of structures. The module then focuses on analytical and numerical methods used to model the response of civil engineering structures subjected to dynamic actions, including harmonic loading, blast and impact loading, and earthquake ground motion.
Random Vibration of Structures
The module gives you the confidence to model uncertainties involved in the design of structural systems alongside a framework to critically appraise probabilistic-based Eurocode approaches to design.
Stochastic models of earthquake ground motion, wind and wave loading are explored. Probabilistic analysis and design of structures is undertaken through pertinent random vibration theory.
You will become confident with the probabilistic analysis for the design against earthquake, wind and wave loadings through various checkable calculations.
Repair and Strengthening of Existing Reinforced Concrete Structures
The module gives you an understanding of the types and causes of damage to reinforced concrete structures. It then focuses on current techniques for repair and strengthening of existing structures.
The course is particularly appropriate for work in structural, geotechnical and coastal engineering.
Graduates have gone on into roles as structural engineers and civil engineers in a number of structural design offices around the world.
Others have been motivated by the research component of the course and followed a PhD programme after graduation.
This course covers the planning, design, analysis and management frameworks of infrastructure systems. In particular, you will develop expertise in the:
You will qualify with a sound understanding of the whole life-cycle of infrastructure assets, the environmental impact of infrastructure projects, and formal asset-management techniques enabling you to maximise the benefits of infrastructure assets in the future.
The lectures given by our academic staff are complemented by visiting speakers from different infrastructure companies such as Network Rail, Thames Water, Environment Agency, Transport for London, ARUP, KPMG, etc., covering different aspect of infrastructure engineering and management. During the academic year, infrastructure specialists carry out Keynote Lectures focusing on important infrastructure projects and approaches. Past Keynote Speakers include Sir John Armitt, Sir Terry Morgan, Sir Michael Pitt, Sir David Higgins, Keith Clarke, James Stewart, Andrew Wolstenholme, Michele Dix, Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson. A number of field visits are also organised to provide an overview of real-life infrastructure operation and management. Past field visits have taken place to both the National Grid and Network Rail Control Centers.
Graduates from the programme are highly employable but have the potential to progress to relevant specialist PhD or EngD research programmes in the field.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time or distance learning for between two to five academic years. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
Infrastructure Engineering and Management Group Modules
Structural Engineering Group Modules
Bridge Engineering Group Modules
Geotechnical Engineering Group Modules
Construction Management Group Modules
Water and Environmental Engineering Group Modules
Wind Energy Group Modules
Dissertation
Apart from the usual full-time mode, there are also part-time options. The majority of Bridge, Geotechnical and Structural Engineering modules can be studied by distance learning through the use of an interactive web-based e-learning platform (SurreyLearn).
This programme can be studied via distance learning, which allows a high level of flexibility and enables you to study alongside other commitments you may have. Get full information about our distance learning programme (PDF).
Modules related to the different groups are taught by a total of 20 full or part-time members of academic staff, as well as a number of visiting lecturers from the industry and government.
In addition to the University Library and Learning Centre’s extensive resources, our excellent testing facilities can support experimentally based MSc dissertation projects.
The programme aims to provide graduates with:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
