The course in Civil Engineering aims to produce the next generation of leading Civil Engineers, with a focus on structures, materials and construction. Drawing on an impressive body of pure and applied research engineers and scientists, we will introduce you to mainstream civil engineering knowledge, ranging from geotechnical site assessment to assessing and designing structures and water engineering. Civil Engineers for the 21st Century: facing the challenge The next few decades promise to be amongst the most challenging ever for the Civil Engineering community. Increasing populations, progressive urbanisation and ongoing economic development, not to mention climate change and the persistent risk of extreme events, already present many threats to infrastructure. As a result, civil engineers need to draw deeply on their knowledge, skills and ability to innovate through design and use of materials. Doing this they provide essential facilities such as sustainable structures, roads, bridges, tunnels and flood protection and waste management, while minimising the negative impacts on communities and the environment. Alongside this, we will explore the role of the engineer in current and future projects, following the sustainable ‘cradle to grave’ approach called for by major institutions such as the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Civil Engineers. Our course has been designed very much as a ‘hands-on’ learning experience. You will learn fundamental theory, and then have the opportunity to test and apply much of that theory through design in the laboratory, using advanced software, and during field work. Professional engineers working with major clients, consultancies and contractors contribute to the course delivery, bringing real world experience to the course. The final year of the MEng is about broadening and deepening your knowledge and understanding of the discipline, to better meet the leadership needs of industry. Aims This course aims to produce the next generation of highly qualified civil engineers with a focus on sustainable structures and construction, and with qualities and transferable skills for demanding employment in industry, and the wider local, national and global community, where leadership, initiative, personal responsibility and professionalism are required.

The four-year thick-sandwich degree programme enables you to gain high-quality, relevant professional experience which is sought by employers. This puts graduates from the course in a strong position when entering the job market. Students have the opportunity to change from the full-time mode of study to the thick-sandwich course up to the end of Level 2. Careers Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey Civil Engineering is a new degree course with the first graduating students leaving in 2009/10. The number of students graduating in 2011/12 was very small so survey findings should be treated with some caution as one or two graduates in any one category may disproportionately affect the total numbers. In 2011/12, six months after graduating: * 81.3% of graduates with a first degree were in employment * 12.5% were in full-time further study Read more about graduate destinations for this subject area This is a new course, its first intake of students arriving in 2012. We anticipate that our students will help fill the increasing demand for high-quality civil engineering graduates. Contractors and consultants working on large infrastructure projects such as bridges, tall buildings, tunnels, flood defence schemes, transport and power generation are likely environments for many of our graduates to begin their careers. Some may progress to take posts of responsibility with national and local government agencies or major firms of consulting engineers. Others may specialise in fields such as construction, sustainability, innovative materials, foundation engineering, tunnelling, geotechnical exploration or building services engineering, both within the UK and overseas. Recent graduates and sandwich students on related courses have secured positions at * Atkins * BAA * Mace * Coca-Cola * Clancy Docwra * Laing O’Rourke * Waterflow Placements You can choose to study either a full-time course or the prestigious sandwich course. Sandwich students undertake high-quality, paid work placements within prominent companies and organisations. The placement in industry is usually taken between Levels 2 and 3 for at least 44 weeks. This time can count towards becoming a Chartered Engineer. Brunel’s award-winning Placement and Careers Service will support you to get the best placement to suit your aspirations. They can help you with advice to compose the best possible applications, and coach you with mock interviews – often with the support of industry visitors. The organisations that employ the students on placement are checked to ensure they can provide suitable training experiences. Quite often, Brunel graduates within firms mentor current students. The placement is assessed, and students must pass it to graduate with the words 'with Professional Development' in their degree title. Each student is allocated both a mentor within the company and an Industrial Tutor from Brunel, who is on hand to help ensure that the placement yields the best possible experience for the student’s personal professional development.