Overview
In pursuit of your civil engineering degree, our teaching approach focuses on Learning by Doing. You will learn how to design, construct, and manage civil engineering works. We will guide you to use observational, prototyping, and physical simulation methods in design. We will also teach you the theories, civil engineering principles, and standards.
- You will learn to be creative. You will use advanced digital tools to shape your imagination. You will also use these tools to translate your ideas into structures and systems that you design. As well as completing numerous practical projects, you'll benefit from visits by top professionals who'll offer you advice - and, often, work opportunities in the field of civil engineering.
- 1st in London in 5 categories including “Teaching on my course” & “Learning Opportunities” in the 2024 National Student Survey.
- This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) as fully satisfying the educational base for an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
A programme of accredited Further Learning will be required to complete the educational base for CEng. See the JBM website for further information and details of Further Learning programmes for CEng.
This course is in Clearing
Our LLM course is a top choice
UEL’s LLM programme has been recognised as a top choice in the latest PTES survey, achieving 1st place rankings for satisfaction, teaching and more.
What makes this course different
1st in London
Our Civil Engineering courses ranked 1st in London in 5 categories including “Teaching on my course” & “Learning Opportunities” in the 2024 National Student Survey
(National Student Survey 2024, Results published 10 July 2024)
Partnerships
In a formal academic partnership with Institution of Civil Engineers.
Engineers Without Borders
You will be able to compete at the national level (e.g. Engineers Without Borders). At Engineers Without Borders, our students operate in the most sustainable and globally responsible ways.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)
This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) as fully satisfying the educational base for an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Course modules
NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.
Download course specification
Your future career
With a degree in civil engineering from the University of East London, you'll gain a clear understanding of what a civil engineer does, positioning you for a successful career in the field. Our practical projects and industry collaboration mean you'll know what to expect when you graduate and start working as a civil engineer.
The rigorous curriculum and industry-relevant teaching we provide is recognised by employers. This means you will be a desirable candidate for a wide range of civil engineering positions. You'll be well-equipped to make a meaningful impact in your future career.
Industry links
As well as completing numerous practical projects, you'll benefit from visits by top civil engineering professionals who'll offer you advice - and, often, work opportunities.
Our Docklands campus is ideally situated for studying iconic projects in the capital such as the Tate Modern Phase 2 Extension, the Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line station and the reconfiguration of the Olympic Stadium. Each term, we are visited by members of our Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). The board comprises around 15 industry professionals who update us on the ever-changing requirements for graduates and monitor the contents of the course.
Current members of the IAB include Atkins, Waterman Group, Hardman Structural Engineers, Morrish Consulting Engineers, Siemens, Careys and the London Borough of Newham.
Graduate employers
Recent civil engineering graduates have gone on to work for Balfour Beatty, Transport for London, the Canary Wharf Group, Careys and Atkins. Others have chosen to work in other professional areas, such as finance, education, marketing and housing.
Job roles
You might decide to specialise as a hydraulic engineer, a structural engineer or a geotechnical engineer. Your decision may be prompted by how your career develops in your first job. You start on the process known as Initial Professional Development (IPD), which usually takes between three and five years.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.
Further study
With a BEng degree and a period of IPD, you'll be able to apply to become an Incorporated Engineer. If you want to pursue Chartered Engineer status, then you would need to continue your studies to the master's level as well as complete your IPD.
My time at UEL was pivotal in shaping my career. I work for TFL as a tunnel engineer. I play a vital part in not just keeping London moving, but keeping London moving safely."Curtis George
Civil Engineering, BEng (Hons)
How you'll learn
We encourage an educational experience that is active, social, collaborative, engaging and student-owned. You will have access to a variety of resources ensuring your learning experience goes beyond the classroom. Lab, rehearsal and practical on-campus sessions are scheduled in blocks with online options.
Our course offers you a mixture of academic and practical work (in the field, on-campus and off-campus), and access to a broad range of laboratories. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects are a key part of the course - just as they are in the profession.
Each term, we are visited by members of our Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). The board comprises around 15 industry professionals who update us on the ever-changing requirements for graduates and monitor the contents of the course.
Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces and a dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.
Academic support
Students are supported with any academic or subject-related queries by an Academic Adviser, module leaders, and former and current UEL students.
Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).
Dedicated personal tutor
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses.
Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
- Year 1: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours
- Year 2: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours
- Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours
Your timetable
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible.
Every year, our civil engineering and construction management students are given the option to attend the Constructionarium Course based in Norfolk. There you'll work as a team with a sponsoring contractor and design engineer, building scaled-down versions of famous bridges or buildings.
In your final year, you'll complete an Integrated Design Project. One recent topic was how to build a theme park - deciding where to site it by comparing ground conditions and environmental impact in three possible locations, how and where to put in transport links, and whether a bridge would be needed to cope with the extra traffic.
You'll present your work to teams from Atkins and the IAB and answer their questions. It's challenging stuff, but it's also the chance for you to demonstrate your academic and professional excellence to future employers.
Class sizes
In Year 1, about 100 to 200 students. In Years 2 and 3, between 30 and 90.
How you'll be assessed
We'll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes individual laboratory and research reports, practical, design and project work, as well as group and tutorial presentations and a final-year project.
Fifty per cent of the assessment in your first and second year is by coursework and we'll give you as much feedback as possible so that you can develop and improve your written assessment submissions.
In your final year, over half of your assessment will be based on design and research projects.
Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.
Campus and facilities
Our campus and the surrounding area
Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment.
Join us and you'll be able to make the most of our facilities including contemporary lecture theatres and seminar rooms, art studios and exhibition spaces, audio and visual labs and a multimedia production centre.
Features include our 24/7 Docklands library, our £21m SportsDock centre, a campus shop and bookstore, the Children's Garden Nursery, cafés, eateries, a late bar, plus Student Union facilities, including a student lounge.
The University of East London is one of the few London universities to provide on-campus accommodation. Our Docklands Campus Student Village houses close to 1,200 students from around the world. We are well connected to central London and London City Airport is just across the water. We also run a free bus service that connects Docklands with Stratford campuses.
Who teaches this course
This course is delivered by the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
- Course leader
Dr Meghdad Bagheri
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Ali Abbas
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Richard Latham
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Luana Parisi
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Alex Apeagyei
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Dr Elnaz Naghibi
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
John William Walsh
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Dr Mihaela Anca Ciupala
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Jawed Qureshi
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Sarah Catmur
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Jaya Acharya Nepal
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Dr Ravindra Jayaratne
Department of Engineering & Construction, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering
What our students and staff say
Studying at UEL was the best decision I've ever made. The subject can be challenging but the diverse nature of the University means that you can network successfully to find those with a similar level of knowledge and experience to yourself."
Adrian Pettigrew
Civil Engineering, BSc (Hons)
Growing up I was inspired by realising that civil engineering is about providing solutions to people's needs and leaving a legacy. I'm currently working as the site engineer and the innovation champion HS2 Enabling Works Contract. It is actually the biggest rail infrastructure project in Europe. I am particularly passionate about innovation in an engineering environment as it allows me to be a little bit more creative and see things from a different perspective."
Georgia Kalogeraki
Package Manager & Innovation Champion at BBVS JV HS2 Main Works