BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering with foundation year
Course overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Engineering
Attendance
Full-time, 4 years
Full-time, 5 years
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out morePlacement
Optional placement year available
3rd
Our Civil Engineering courses are ranked third in London (Guardian University Guide league table 2018).
93%
Our most recent National Student Survey (2016) indicated that 93 percent of our students were happy with this course (UNISTATS 2016).
Unique
We're one of only a few universities in the country who offer a programme of weekly construction site visits to major civil engineering and construction projects in London.
Curtis George
BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
My time at UEL was pivotal in shaping my career. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at UEL and I found the atmosphere on campus, the accessibility and interaction with the lecturers and the modern facilities immensely inspirational.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,729.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parents' Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- All nursing and many allied health students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from the government.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance or contact Student Finance England.
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
You don't need to pay this up front.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
Maintenance Loan
Part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
From academic year 2018/19, part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation.
Part-time students need to study their courses at a rate of at least
25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
We appreciate that finance is one of the key considerations when you are applying to university. That's why alongside your Government loan, you can apply for scholarships to help towards your finances. We have invested over £2 million worth of scholarships to financially assist new students, starting in September 2019. If you are awarded a scholarship you don't need to pay it back.
All students will receive:
Ebooks
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Price per 30 credit module.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money. Please make sure you also factor in the fees for the visa application and immigration health surcharge when budgeting.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2021
-
Degree with Foundation Year
64
New UCAS Points
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more here.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
This course will prepare you for a range of technical and professional work within the civil engineering sector. We’ve structured it after careful and regular consultation with industry experts.
At the core of your degree, throughout which you’ll combine academic and practical learning, is the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of key infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges and canals.
We’ll also give you a firm grounding in structural engineering – the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads.
Other areas you’ll study include geotechnical engineering, the behaviour and stability of materials such as soil and rock, and the study of water engineering. This involves understanding how clean water reaches your house, how dirty water leaves your house, and how surface water in general moves in channels or rivers - essential knowledge when designing flood protection works.
“Civil engineering offers such a breadth of knowledge and skills,” says Course Leader Dr Arya Assadi Langroudi. “Regardless of whether you specialise in structures, water engineering, geotechnics, highways, project management or construction, you’ll need to be imaginative, inquisitive, confident, versatile and articulate.”
“Here at UEL, we take pride in supporting and guiding our students to develop these skills alongside learning these technical subjects.”
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
Foundation year - all core
- Mental Wealth: Professional Life 1 (core)
- Engineering Materials (core)
- Applied Mathematics & Computing (core)
- Thermofluids (core)
- Engineering Mechanics (core)
- Land Construction & Surveying (core)
- Mental Wealth: Professional Life 2 (core)
- Advanced Mathematics and Modelling (core)
- Structural Analysis and Element Design (core)
- Ground Engineering (core)
- Engineering Surveying (core)
- Water
Engineering (core)
The extra placement year means it will take four years to complete your studies, instead of three.
- Mental Wealth: Professional Life 3 (core)
- Capstone Project (core)
- Structural Engineering (core)
- Geotechnical Engineering (core)
- Transport Infrastructure Engineering (core)
How you'll be assessed
We’ll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes 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 year is by coursework and we’ll give you as much feedback as possible.
The balance of coursework and exams in years two and three is two to one. In your final year, 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.
Course specification Foundation Year SpecificationHow you'll learn
Our course offers you a mixture of academic and practical work (in the field, on-campus and off-campus), and also access to a broad range of laboratories. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects are a key part of the course – as they are in the profession.
Each term, we are visited by members of our Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). The board comprises around 20 industry professionals who update us on changing requirements for graduates and monitor the relevance 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.
Every year, our civil engineering and construction management students visit the Constructionarium site 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 a Team 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 a chance for you to demonstrate your academic and professional excellence to future employers.
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 dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.
Academic support
Students are supported with any
academic or subject related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders,
former and current UEL students.
If you need a bit of extra help with
certain skills such as academic writing, maths or IT, our Skillzone and English
for Academic Purposes we 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.
Our Student Support hubs in Docklands
and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL
provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific
learning difficulties (SPDs).
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.
The size of classes can vary depending
on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large
groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars
and collaborative work. You will receive your personalised timetable at the
beginning of the academic year dependent on your course.
Who will teach on this course
Arya Langroudi
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.
Your future career
With a degree in civil engineering from the University of East London, you’ll be well placed to land a great job. The high quality of our teaching on the course is widely recognised, and the constant input from industry professionals ensures your studies will be highly relevant to employers once you graduate.
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 takes between three and five years.
Recent graduates have gone on to work for Balfour Beatty, Transport for London, the Canary Wharf Group, Morrish & Partners, SRK Consulting and Atkins. Others have chosen to work in other professional areas, such as finance, education, marketing and housing.
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 master’s level as well as completing your IPD.
If you decide to continue studying, you’ll have the option of taking a one-year postgraduate MSc course. If your studies are going well after two years of the BEng degree, you can pursue the same goal by switching to a four-year MEng. The advantage of this is that you would receive funding for the full four years instead of having to make a separate funding application for a master's course.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.
