Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is the discipline responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the built environment and public infrastructure. Roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, water supply systems, sewage networks, coastal defences, and the structural elements of buildings are all within the civil engineer's domain. It is a profession that requires both technical rigour and creative problem-solving, combining mathematics and physics with practical knowledge of materials, construction methods, and the social and environmental contexts in which engineering projects are delivered.
At the University of Plymouth, this four-year full-time programme, which includes a foundation year, gives you a broad and rigorous grounding in civil engineering design and application. The foundation year builds the scientific and mathematical preparation needed for degree-level engineering, providing a structured entry point for students who are ready to commit to engineering but need to consolidate their background knowledge. As the main degree progresses, you will cover structural mechanics, geotechnics, hydraulics, environmental engineering, and infrastructure design, developing both the analytical tools and the practical skills that professional civil engineering demands.
The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, giving you substantial professional and international experience alongside your academic study.
Civil engineering graduates are employed across construction and infrastructure, water and environmental engineering, transport planning, structural consultancy, offshore engineering, and local and central government. Many graduates pursue the professional development pathway toward chartered engineer status. The foundation year route makes the programme accessible to students who are strongly motivated to become engineers but whose school preparation needs supplementing.
Postgraduate study in structural, environmental, or geotechnical engineering is available for those who wish to specialise.