BEng (Hons) Civil and Coastal Engineering

This programme is uniquely designed to give you hands-on experience at the intersection of civil engineering and coastal environments, preparing you to tackle some of the most pressing challenges related to coastal infrastructure and climate resilience. You'll have access to our world-class facilities in the Marine Building, which houses the Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) Laboratory, one of the UK's most advanced facilities for modelling coastal and ocean processes. Your learning is enhanced by specialist software and features projects that address real coastal engineering challenges, giving you highly specialised experience that is valued by employers in this sector.

Here’s how you’ll gain practical, industry-relevant experience:

• Specialist Coastal Engineering Software: You'll gain proficiency in tools including AutoCAD for design, Revit for BIM, and specialised coastal modelling software such as MIKE by DHI or TELEMAC for simulating waves, currents, and sediment transport.

• Plymouth Coastal Design Projects: A key feature of your degree is the series of group design projects focused on coastal challenges, such as sea defence design, harbour development, or beach management schemes.

• COAST Laboratory: You'll conduct experiments in our state-of-the-art wave basin and flumes, capable of generating complex wave conditions (waves, currents, wind) to test coastal structures and study coastal processes.

• Hydraulics Laboratory: You'll use our flow channels and wave generation equipment to model nearshore hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and the interaction between structures and water.

• Geotechnical Engineering Equipment: You'll test soil properties, particularly those of coastal and marine sediments, using our advanced geotechnical testing apparatus, gaining insight into foundation design in dynamic environments.

• Fieldwork and Surveying: You'll gain hands-on experience with environmental monitoring equipment, conducting beach profiles, topographic surveys, and using GPS and drones for coastal mapping.

• South West Coastal Site Visits: The curriculum includes numerous field trips to iconic coastal engineering sites around Devon and Cornwall, such as sea walls, harbours, and erosion protection schemes.

• Placement Opportunities: You can opt for a professional placement year with coastal engineering consultancies, environmental agencies, or marine contractors, with support from the University's Careers Service.

Graduates of Plymouth’s BEng Civil and Coastal Engineering often move directly into careers such as Coastal Engineer, Flood Risk Analyst, Transport or Infrastructure Designer, or Water Resource Engineer. Because you’ll graduate with both civil engineering fundamentals and specialist coastal knowledge—and benefit from industry-aligned learning and real-world labs—you’ll enter the job market with valuable technical skills and confidence.

Here’s how Plymouth supports your journey:

• Career Services & Employability Support
  The course includes a strong emphasis on professional development, featuring modules designed to prepare students for the optional placement year. You’ll be supported throughout with site visits, placement matchmaking, guest seminars, and mentoring by professional engineers.
   

• Employment Stats & Salary Figures

  • Impressively, 95% of graduates are in work or further study, and 95% say their degree was either a formal requirement or gave them an advantage for their job. A further 89% report their work as meaningful.
     

• University–Industry Partnerships
  Plymouth maintains close collaboration with industry through its Industrial Advisory Committee. These partnerships ensure live projects, fieldwork, and placement opportunities remain relevant and impactful for your career.
   

• Accreditation & Long-Term Professional Value
  The degree is fully accredited by industry bodies via the Joint Board of Moderators (ICE, IStructE, IHE, CIHT), supporting the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially for Chartered Engineer (CEng)—providing a strong springboard toward chartered status.
   

• Graduation Outcomes & Recognition
  You’ll learn in exceptional, high-spec environments—from the dedicated COAST Laboratory to the heavy structures workshop. These facilities ensure your skillset is both current and practical for professional engineering contexts.

Further Academic Progression:
Once you complete your BEng, exciting opportunities await:

• Progress into the MEng (Hons) Civil and Coastal Engineering, which enriches your undergraduate degree with advanced technical depth and further aligns you toward full Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
   

• Pursue advanced study through MSc qualifications such as Coastal Engineering or Civil Engineering (with further learning for CEng), backed by industry-focused research facilities.
   

• Alternatively, equipped with robust accreditation, hands-on coastal engineering experience, and professional readiness, you can confidently step into impactful roles that protect and design resilient coastal and infrastructure environments.