BEng Hons Civil Engineering with Foundation Year

This programme is expertly designed to build your practical engineering skills and confidence from the ground up, creating a solid foundation for degree-level studies regardless of your previous background. Your foundation year will introduce you to hands-on learning in our Byrom Street laboratories and specialist engineering workshops, where you'll develop core skills using equipment and software that prepares you for more advanced studies. 

Here’s how you’ll develop your practical engineering skills:

• Foundation Year Workshops: You'll begin with practical sessions in our engineering workshops, developing essential hands-on skills through targeted projects and experiments that build engineering intuition.

• Introductory Software Training: You'll learn fundamental engineering software including AutoCAD for technical drawing and basic modelling tools, building digital skills that prepare you for degree-level studies.

• Laboratory Introduction: You'll gain early access to our civil engineering laboratories, with introductory sessions that help you understand testing procedures and equipment operation in a supported environment.

• Byrom Street Facilities: You'll learn in our well-equipped engineering building that provides dedicated workshop spaces, computing labs, and study areas designed for foundation year students.

• Project-Based Learning: Your foundation year includes practical projects that develop problem-solving skills and engineering thinking, preparing you for more complex design challenges in subsequent years.

Graduates of LJMU’s BEng Civil Engineering with Foundation Year commonly step into roles like Civil Engineer, Structural Technician, Transport Planner, or Project Coordinator—equipped with real-world insight, practical skills, and confidence. The Foundation Year ensures you build a solid academic base, while the professionally-oriented curriculum and project linkages with industry prepare you to thrive in engineering careers, both in the UK and beyond.

Here’s how LJMU supports your journey forward:

• Career Services & Employability Support
  You’ll have access to the Student Futures team for career planning, CV and interview workshops, themed employer events, and year-round recruitment fairs. Through LJMU’s Careers Zone 24/7 and tools like Unitemps (for flexible paid work) and Discovery Internships, you can build experience and workplace confidence even during your studies. 

• Employment Stats & Salary Figures
  15 months after graduating:

  • £28,000 average salary

  • 4% unemployment rate

  • 87% in work, with 90% reporting their work is meaningful, 70% using skills from their studies, and 97% in highly skilled roles—proving that LJMU graduates are in demand and employed in roles that match their ambitions.

  • University–Industry Partnerships
    Employers actively contribute to teaching, projects, and placement opportunities—providing case studies, design challenges, and practical insight to reinforce your learning and enhance employability. 

• Accreditation & Long-Term Professional Value
  This programme is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (ICE, IStructE, CIHT, and IHE), fully satisfying the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially for Chartered Engineer (CEng), laying the groundwork for professional progression with further accredited learning. 

• Graduation Outcomes & Recognition
  LJMU ranks highly—16th in the UK for construction, surveying and planning (The Guardian, 2025) and 15th for general engineering (The Times, 2025)—so your degree carries real weight. And the integrated Foundation Year means you enter the honours programme with confidence, continuity, and full access to the same excellent facilities and support systems. 

Further Academic Progression:
Upon completing your BEng, you can consider several exciting paths:

• Progress into MSc or Master’s-level study in areas like structural engineering, environmental engineering, or transport infrastructure.

• Pursue Chartered Engineer (CEng) status through accredited further learning combined with professional experience.

• Optionally, work toward PhD-level research, diving deep into innovation, sustainability, or smart infrastructure designs.