You can access six study streams on this Masters programme:
As well as supporting the career development of Civil Engineering graduates, this programme provides the necessary further learning for engineers working in the construction industry who hold related first degrees such as engineering geology or construction management.
It is also designed to update the technical skills of practising engineers engaged in the planning, design, construction and operation of civil-engineering works.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time / distance learning for between two to five academic years. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
This degree is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng(Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree.
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.
Structural Engineering Group Modules
Bridge Engineering Group Modules
Geotechnical Engineering Group Modules
Construction Management Group Modules
Infrastructure Engineering Group Modules
Water and Environmental Engineering Group Modules
Dissertation
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Professional practical skills
Key / transferable skills
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.
This course has been created to help construction professionals develop and enhance the project management skills required in the construction industry.
You’ll prepare for the challenges of the changing and increasingly global construction industry with a focus on the financial, planning and management aspects of a project life cycle. You’ll explore construction processes from inception and feasibility, design, contact and construction through to commissioning, maintenance, renewal and decommissioning. The philosophy of the course is to develop a “whole life” understanding of constructed facilities and infrastructure.
A choice of optional modules will allow you to strengthen existing technical and engineering skills, or gain an understanding of a new topic. You’ll benefit from the expertise of our Institute for Resilient Infrastructure, the Institute for Public Health and Environmental Engineering and the active research groups across the Faculty of Engineering.
Our specialist facilities will also support your studies, such as bench-top testing facilities to look at the fundamental behaviour of material soils and testing rigs for full-scale structures. We have all the specialist software you’ll need for your programme, and you’ll have access to a dedicated study suite for Masters students.
The programme also offers you the opportunity to undertake projects in a multi-disciplinary environment, with access to the expertise in both the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure and the Institute for Public Health and Environmental Engineering.
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.
This course is also accredited by EUR-ACE, the European quality label for engineering degree programmes at Bachelor and Master level.
Throughout the programme you’ll gain an understanding of the different aspects of project management within the construction industry. You’ll learn about common project management tools and techniques, then put this into the “whole project” context and consider when and how to use them.
At the same time, you’ll consider risk management and its role during the project lifecycle. Whole Life Asset Management examines the “whole life management” of infrastructure, with additional focus on operations, maintenance, renewal and decommissioning.
The Applied Construction Management module explores the management process during the execution phase of projects. Another core module will introduce you to a variety of procurement strategies to keep projects running effectively. You’ll also choose from a range of optional modules to focus on topics that suit your interests and career plans.
Over the summer months you’ll work with your supervisor to complete your independent research project – a chance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and perhaps specialise in an area that relates to your career ambitions.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the International Construction Management and Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.
Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.
The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.
Most projects are experimentally based and linked with companies within the oil and gas industry to ensure the topic of research is relevant to the field whilst also addressing a real-world problem.
Recent projects for MSc International Construction Management and Engineering students have included:
A proportion of projects are formally linked to industry, and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer.
Upon graduation you may expect to find employment in a range of roles across the construction industry, as a construction manager, planning engineer or project manager among many others. Opportunities also exist with multidisciplinary consulting organisations, while many of our graduates return to work for government agencies and other large client organisations.
Our graduates have gone on to develop careers with organisations worldwide including Ministry of Prisons KSA, Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong, African Development Bank, Ghana Highways Authority, TATA Steel, Network Rail, Turner & Townsend, Mace Group, M+W Shanghai Co., Damac Properties, China State Railways and Keller Ground Engineering.
Many engineering projects are now undertaken by multidisciplinary teams who are responsible for the whole project life cycle in a multi-project or programme management environment. Typically, these projects are becoming increasingly complex. As a result, team members are expected to have a range of project management skills, including contractual knowledge, financial engineering competency and strategic awareness.
This programme allows you to develop your knowledge of the entire project management process, from inception and feasibility, engineering, procurement and implementation through to commissioning and operation. Particular emphasis is placed on financial, planning and management aspects of the project life cycle, to equip you with the range of skills you’ll need to make a major contribution at every stage of a project.
We have all the specialist software you’ll need for your programme, and you’ll have access to a dedicated study suite for Masters students.
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.
This course is also accredited by EUR-ACE, the European quality label for engineering degree programmes at Bachelor and Master level.
You’ll gain a thorough understanding of a range of topics affecting how construction and engineering projects are managed. In addition to the tools and techniques that are used by project managers, you’ll examine the issues and challenges they currently face and consider them in a “whole life project” context. You’ll look at topics such as project cash flow, risk management, project appraisals and stakeholder relationship management among many others.
You’ll also focus on key topics such as project funding, especially for major infrastructure projects, as well as procurement management and supply chain issues. The process of value engineering, the concepts of value management and risk management will also be covered in depth.
Over the summer months you’ll work with your supervisor to complete your independent research project – a chance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and perhaps specialise in an area that relates to your career ambitions.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Engineering Project Management module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.
Compulsory modules
Our ground breaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.
Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams.
The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.
Most projects are experimentally based and linked with companies within the oil and gas industry to ensure the topic of research is relevant to the field whilst also addressing a real-world problem.
Many of our previous graduates now work as project managers for construction companies, in consultancy or for large client organisations. Alternatively, you may choose to continue to work as an engineer or general manager, but with increased input into the project work of an organisation.
Graduates have gone on to find work with companies such as Arup, British Nuclear Fuels, KPMG (Major Projects Advisory), Laing O’Rourke, MNHD, Nexen Petroleum, Petrochem Kazakhstan, Seplat Petroleum Development Company and Sir Robert McAlpine.
You’ll have access to the wide range of engineering and computing careers resources held by our Employability team in our dedicated Employability Suite. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops. Our annual Engineering and Computing Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UK’s leading employers.
The University's Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
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