Civil Engineering

Summary

Civil engineering shapes the world around us. From the infrastructure we rely on every day to the systems that support sustainable living, it is central to how societies grow and adapt.

On this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to design and build solutions to challenges in the built environment. You will explore how cities, structures and infrastructure are planned, created and managed, while building the teamwork and problem-solving skills needed for a career in industry.

In your first two years, you will build a strong foundation in engineering science alongside the core principles of civil engineering. You will begin to develop your design skills through workshops and projects, exploring sketching, model making and computing as tools for engineering thinking.

In your third year, you will deepen your understanding of key areas such as highway and traffic engineering, structural stability and geotechnics. You will also complete an individual project, bringing together the knowledge and skills you have developed.

Key features of the course

Build strong foundations. Develop a solid understanding of engineering science and core civil engineering principles in your early years.

Learn through design. Take part in workshops and projects that develop your skills in sketching, model making and computing.

Explore specialist areas. Study topics such as transport systems, structural behaviour and ground engineering in greater depth.

Apply your knowledge. Your individual project gives you the opportunity to investigate a topic in detail and bring together your learning.

Student support

Your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) will support you throughout your time at Southampton, offering academic guidance, career advice and signposting to wellbeing and pastoral services when needed.

You will be part of a collaborative learning environment, working with students and staff who share your interest in shaping the built environment.

Further information

You will study in a setting designed for practical and project-based learning, helping you to develop both technical knowledge and professional skills.

The skills you gain will prepare you for careers across civil engineering, including infrastructure design, construction, transport and environmental engineering.

Course Modules

Year 1: An Introduction to Engineering Design; Civil Engineering fundamentals; Mathematics for Engineering and the Environment I; ThermoFluids; Mechanics, Structures and Materials.

Year 2: Liveable Cities; Structural Analysis; Mathematics for Engineering and the Environment II; Structural Design; City Infrastructure Design Project; Soil Mechanics; Hydraulics; Numerical Methods.

Year 3: Individual Project; Structural Stability and Finite Element Analysis; Geotechnical Engineering; Highway & Traffic Engineering; Design 3; plus additional module options.

Assessment is conducted through a combination of unseen written examinations and assessed coursework in the form of problem solving exercises, laboratory reports, design projects, essays, and individual and group projects. Experimental, research and design skills are assessed through laboratory reports, coursework exercises, dissertations and oral presentations.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Civil Engineers, Institution of
• Highway Engineers, Institute of (IHE)
• The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation
• Structural Engineers, Institution of