Civil Engineering (with Integrated Foundation Year)

A Brighton Civil Engineering degree (with Integrated Foundation Year) prepares you to design, plan and build the vital infrastructure that keeps communities connected and safe — roads, bridges, water systems, railways and more.

At Brighton you’ll become part of a welcoming, supportive community that helps you grow, no matter what your background. This course starts with a foundation year to build core skills if you don’t yet meet the standard entry requirements. Once you pass that year, you move seamlessly into the full civil engineering degree, giving you the confidence, knowledge and tools to succeed.

Brighton graduates go on to work in civil engineering consultancies, construction firms, infrastructure agencies, water companies and local or national government. Some continue to specialise further or progress to postgraduate study or chartered engineering pathways.

Top reasons to choose this course

• Start your degree with confidence – the foundation year builds your knowledge in maths, science and engineering principles, preparing you for success in the full BEng course.

• Ideal for a wide range of backgrounds – perfect if you don’t have the required A-level subjects, are changing career or returning to education.

• Smooth progression to an accredited degree – successfully completing the foundation year guarantees entry to the Civil Engineering BEng(Hons), accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) for professional recognition.

• Excellent career prospects – Brighton’s civil engineering courses rank 2nd in the UK for student satisfaction and 12th for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide).

• Industrial Advisory Board support – benefit from expert advice, networking opportunities and one-to-one meetings with professionals to help you plan your career and secure placements.

• Hands-on learning from the start – work on real-world engineering problems and develop practical skills in specialist labs including concrete, hydraulics and soils.

• Industry-focused projects – take part in initiatives like the Engineering for People Design Challenge to help solve global infrastructure challenges.

• Expert teaching and industry links – learn from academics with consultancy experience and benefit from advice and networking through our Industrial Advisory Board.

• Placement opportunities – choose an optional paid placement year to gain valuable experience with leading employers such as Balfour Beatty, Mott MacDonald and South East Water.

• Pathway to further study – progress to our Civil Engineering MEng for an extra year at masters level or explore specialist postgraduate degrees.

• Shared first year with flexibility to transfer to Civil with Environmental Engineering or Civil Engineering with Construction Management.

Why Brighton is a great place to study Civil Engineering
Less than an hour from central London, our Moulsecoomb campus puts you at the heart of a city powered by engineering, construction and infrastructure innovation. Brighton is home to thriving local industries, major civil engineering consultancies and active regional projects, all within easy reach of your lectures and labs.

You’ll study in a community that’s diverse, welcoming and well connected, with transport links that make site visits, employer events and placement opportunities part of everyday learning.

Course Modules

Foundation year
Your foundation year builds the core maths, science and mechanics you need for engineering. You’ll progress from algebra to calculus, explore physics and electromagnetism through labs and tutorials, and learn how forces and motion shape mechanical systems. You will finish with a team project that develops your research, problem-solving and presentation skills so you’re ready for year one.

Core modules
Core Mathematics
Core Science
Engineering Mathematics
Engineering Science
Mechanics
Foundation Year Project

Year 1
In your first year, you’ll build the core skills that shape every civil engineer. You will learn how to survey land and construction sites, analyse simple structures and understand how materials like concrete, steel and timber behave in real conditions. You’ll explore soil mechanics and geology through labs and fieldwork, and develop the maths and statistics needed for engineering problem-solving. You will also learn how the profession works – from sustainability to safety – and collaborate with others on the Engineering for People Design Challenge to apply your learning to real communities.

Core modules
Land and Construction Surveying
Structural and Stress Analysis
Construction Materials
Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics
Mathematics for Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering Practice

Year 2
In your second year, you will push your engineering skills further and take on more advanced design challenges. You’ll learn how structures behave under load, how materials and construction methods shape real projects, and how to design reinforced concrete safely and sustainably.

You will build confidence with numerical modelling and programming in computational mechanics, deepen your understanding of soil behaviour for foundations and earthworks, and explore hydraulics through hands-on lab work. Group design tasks help you apply these skills to a simplified structure, strengthening your teamwork and preparing you for industry or placement.

Core modules
Construction Methods and Technology
Structural Analysis
Concrete Technology and Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Geotechnical Engineering 1
Hydraulics
Computational Mechanics

Optional Placement Year
You can choose a salaried professional placement after your second year to gain hands-on experience in the civil engineering industry. This year allows you to apply your academic knowledge to real-world projects, develop technical and professional skills, and build valuable industry contacts. The placement enhances your employability and confidence, giving you a competitive edge when starting your career.

Final year
In your final year, you’ll complete an individual research project and advanced design modules, focusing on steel structures and integrated structural design. You can tailor your studies with option modules covering hydraulics, geotechnical engineering, dynamics of structures, sustainable construction, environmental impact assessment and building information modelling. This year develops your specialist knowledge, practical design skills and project management expertise to prepare you for professional practice.

Core modules
BEng Individual Project
Design of Steel Structures
Integrated Approach to Design of Structures

Options*
Dynamics of Structures
Geotechnical Engineering 2
Applied Hydraulics
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Project Planning and Analysis
Sustainable Construction
Environmental Impact Assessment
Water, Sanitation and Health

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.