BEng Hons Civil Engineering with Foundation Year

At Plymouth, we believe you learn engineering by doing engineering. That's why our civil engineering program is packed with hands-on projects from day one, giving you the chance to apply theory to real-world challenges in our industry-standard facilities. You'll get your hands dirty in our specialist labs, work on live briefs, and use the same professional software you'll encounter in your career. This practical approach is woven throughout your degree to ensure you graduate not just with knowledge, but with proven skills and confidence.

Here’s how you’ll put theory into practice:

• Specialist Laboratories: You'll have extensive access to our dedicated civil engineering facilities, including heavy structures labs, geotechnics labs with industry-standard testing equipment, and hydraulics labs featuring a wave flume and flow channels for coastal and water engineering projects.

• Industry-Standard Software: Develop highly sought-after digital skills using professional software packages central to modern design, such as Oasys, Revit, and AutoCAD, ensuring you are industry-ready upon graduation.

• Group Design Projects: Tackle authentic engineering challenges through collaborative projects, like the multi-disciplinary design task in your first year, which mirrors the teamwork you’ll experience in your professional career.

• Fieldwork and Site Visits: Apply your learning in real-world contexts through local and national field trips. These are designed to investigate construction techniques, geological formations, and major infrastructure projects, bringing textbook principles to life.

• Final Year Individual Project: Conduct a substantial, in-depth research or design project on a topic you are passionate about, allowing you to specialize and demonstrate your independent engineering capabilities to future employers.

• The Digital Fabrication and Immersive Media Lab: Explore cutting-edge construction technologies, including 3D printing and virtual reality, for modelling and visualizing complex designs and solutions.

A Civil Engineering degree from the University of Plymouth opens doors to a huge range of rewarding careers where you can literally build the future. Our graduates are highly sought after for their strong practical skills and are ready to tackle global challenges, from designing sustainable infrastructure to protecting coastal communities. You'll leave here not just with a degree, but with a passport to a profession that makes a real difference.

The typical career paths our graduates embark on include:

• Graduate Civil Engineer: Working with consultancies like Arup, AtkinsRéalis, or WSP on the design and management of major projects.

• Structural Engineer: Specialising in the design and analysis of buildings, bridges, and other structures to ensure they are safe, resilient, and efficient.

• Geotechnical Engineer: Focusing on the behaviour of soil and rock, providing critical analysis for foundations, tunnels, and slopes.

• Coastal Engineer: Designing defences and schemes to manage erosion and flooding, a specialism where Plymouth's expertise is nationally recognised.

To ensure you secure these roles, you will be supported by our dedicated Careers Service, which offers one-to-one advice, CV workshops, and networking events specifically with engineering employers. The university's strong industry partnerships are a key benefit; we have excellent links with major local and national employers like Babcock International, Kier Group, and the Environment Agency, who often provide live project briefs, guest lectures, and placement opportunities.

This direct line to industry contributes to our strong employment figures. The Guardian University Guide 2024 ranks us 6th in the UK for Civil Engineering, a testament to the quality of our graduates and their employability. Furthermore, the professional accreditation from the Joint Board of Moderators is not just a stamp of approval; it’s the foundational step towards achieving Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status and eventually Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, which is highly valued by employers and can significantly enhance your long-term career prospects and earning potential.

Further Academic Progression:

Your BEng (Hons) degree provides the perfect platform for continued learning. Many of our graduates choose to pursue a Masters degree (MSc) here at Plymouth to deepen their expertise in areas like Coastal Engineering or Environmental Management, which can fully satisfy the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer status. For those with a strong research interest, we also offer the opportunity to pursue a PhD, contributing to groundbreaking projects within our world-leading research institutes, such as the Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) Lab.