MEng Civil Engineering

The MEng Civil Engineering at Strathclyde offers a five-year professionally accredited course, giving you deep grounding in core civil engineering fields—structures, geotechnics, water, environmental and transport engineering—alongside strong design, project work, and industry engagement. It’s ideal if you want not just theory, but to develop design, problem solving and professional skills for a career building infrastructure, tackling environmental challenges, or working in consultancy or construction. 

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

In the first year, you’ll establish core engineering foundations: you take modules like Mathematics, Engineering Mechanics, Civil Engineering Design, Computing, Professional Skills, and Geology. These help you build the quantitative ability, understanding of materials and earth, plus the communication, teamwork and computing skills needed for later years. 

Year 2

The second year begins to deepen your technical understanding. You study Structural Engineering, Soil Mechanics, Hydraulics & Hydrology, Chemistry & Materials, and Surveying. You’ll learn how soils support structures, fluids move through natural and engineered systems, materials behave, and how to map and measure the land. 

Years 3 & 4

In Years 3 and 4, your work shifts more toward integrated design, specialization, and real-world project work. You’ll cover advanced modules in Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Transport & Construction Management, and undertake a Project Dissertation. The emphasis becomes applying design principles, managing projects, working in teams, and solving complex challenges (e.g. infrastructure, sustainability, pollution). 

Year 5

Your fifth year is flexible and allows you to deepen your knowledge in areas of special interest. You can select from elective modules across Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering—options might include renewable engineering, environment & sustainability, business/management topics—and engage in advanced design or research projects.

Focus areas

Structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, water engineering, environmental engineering, transport and construction.

Learning outcomes

Design and analyze infrastructure projects; apply engineering principles to environmental and transport systems; develop project management and professional communication skills; understand sustainability and resilience in engineering.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

Fully accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), and Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE). The program fully satisfies the educational base for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Strathclyde is ranked among the top 151-200 universities globally for civil engineering by QS World Rankings. Graduates are highly regarded and find opportunities with leading engineering firms, supported by the university’s strong industry links and professional mentoring programs.