BEng Structural and Fire Safety Engineering

At the University of Edinburgh, we believe theory is only as powerful as your ability to apply it. This program is built around hands-on learning that puts you in the shoes of a professional engineer from day one. You'll have access to our world-class laboratories and cutting-edge digital tools to test theories, solve complex problems, and see the real-world impact of your designs. This practical experience is central to your development, ensuring you graduate with the confidence and skills to excel in your career.

Your learning will be brought to life through:

• Dedicated Fire Lab: You will gain hands-on experience in our dedicated Fire Lab facility within the School of Engineering, where you can study material behaviour, flame spread, and fire dynamics first-hand.

• Structures Laboratories: Apply structural principles in our heavy structures labs, testing materials and components to failure to truly understand their behaviour and resilience under extreme loads.

• Industry-Standard Software: Develop vital digital skills using professional analysis and design software central to the field, such as ANSYS for finite element analysis and Revit for Building Information Modelling (BIM).

• Compulsory Group Design Projects: Tackle authentic, multi-disciplinary challenges through projects like designing a conceptual building, where you must integrate structural and fire safety principles from the ground up, mirroring real-world engineering practice.

• The Sandpit: Collaborate and innovate in our flexible project space, 'The Sandpit,' designed for student-led group work, prototyping, and developing creative engineering solutions.

• Institute for Infrastructure and Environment: Benefit from the world-leading research conducted within our institute, which often informs our teaching and provides context for your practical work on sustainable and resilient infrastructure.

• Individual Research Project: In your final year, you will conduct a capstone research project, often using these specialised facilities, allowing you to deeply investigate a specific challenge in structural fire safety.

Graduating from this unique programme positions you at the forefront of a niche and high-demand sector within engineering, where you'll be equipped to design the resilient and safe structures of tomorrow. Your specialised skill set in both structural integrity and fire science makes you incredibly valuable to employers worldwide, from leading design consultancies to government safety bodies. You'll be ready to take on complex challenges and make a tangible impact on public safety and the built environment.

The typical, rewarding career paths our graduates pursue include:

• Structural and Fire Safety Engineer: Designing buildings and infrastructure to resist extreme loading events, including fire, for specialist firms like Arup, OFR, and the ARUP Fire team.

• Building Regulations and Compliance Officer: Working with government agencies, local authorities, or insurance companies to ensure designs and existing buildings meet the highest safety standards.

• Risk and Resilience Consultant: Analysing potential hazards for large-scale projects and developing strategies to mitigate risk for consultancies like Jensen Hughes or the Built Environment division at BRE.

• Graduate Structural Engineer: Entering a traditional structural engineering role with a distinct and highly sought-after specialism that sets you apart from other candidates.

Your journey to these roles is powered by the University's dedicated Edinburgh Career Service, which offers everything from one-to-one appointments and CV clinics to exclusive employer events and recruitment fairs specifically for engineering students. The programme's strength is amplified by the University's deep industry partnerships; the programme was developed in close consultation with major players like Ove Arup & Partners and the Institution of Fire Engineers, ensuring the curriculum meets real-world needs. This industry connection is a key reason why the University of Edinburgh is consistently ranked among the top universities in the UK for graduate employability.

The professional accreditation by the Joint Board of Moderators is a critical advantage. It means your degree fully satisfies the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status and provides the foundation for you to later pursue Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, a credential that significantly enhances your career authority and long-term earning potential.

Further Academic Progression:

Your BEng provides a perfect springboard for advanced study. Many graduates choose to pursue a Masters degree (MSc) here at Edinburgh, such as the renowned MSc in Structural and Fire Safety Engineering, to deepen their expertise and fully meet the educational base for Chartered Engineer status. For those drawn to research, the University offers exceptional opportunities to pursue a PhD, contributing to groundbreaking projects within our world-leading Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, tackling global challenges in resilience and safety.