MSc Civil Engineering
Course Overview
The University of Bolton's JBM-accredited Master's in Civil Engineering is aimed at engineers who want to broaden and deepen their technical knowledge of specialised civil engineering areas and develop a broader perspective on the issues facing the civil engineering industry. This programme builds on your prior knowledge and skills, introducing advanced concepts and theories to challenge your problem-solving and critical evaluation capabilities. By studying with us, you can extend your knowledge and understanding of civil engineering while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus.Our expert team will guide you as you explore the complex roles and responsibilities of civil engineers. We'll consider social, natural and built environments, assessing how economic constraints influence project management and decision-making.
Research and design also play key parts in this comprehensive course, which will challenge you to design creatively and apply engineering modelling and analysis methods to projects. You'll have the opportunity to grow your technical skillset by linking theory with practice in a variety of assignments, reports and design processes, enhancing your literacy and risk management abilities along the way. We also aim to help you develop lifelong learning skills so that you can take ownership of your professional development for the future, maximising your potential for success.
We also offer this course with different durations. For details of the 18-month full-time course starting in January, please visit our full-time MSc Civil Engineering: January Start course search web page. Alternatively, to find out more and apply for the 24-month part-time course starting in September, please visit our part-time MSc Civil Engineering course search web page.
Highlights
- We'll support you in building on your existing engineering knowledge with a series of modules designed to challenge and stimulate your abilities with rich and varied content.
- You'll benefit from the University's longstanding and excellent reputation for civil engineering postgraduate and professional development courses.
- We're a well-respected, teaching-focused department with a friendly approach and experienced lecturers.
- We regularly monitor and update the course to ensure the content is industry-relevant and introduces you to the latest thinking and innovations.
- When you successfully complete this course, you'll receive the award of MSc Civil Engineering from the University of Bolton, which meets the requirements of a 'Technical' MSc with the accrediting body, the Joint Board of Moderators.
Key Features
- Our programme offers a broad overview of the advanced civil engineering discipline, including influencing issues and challenges, such as economic constraints and professional and ethical responsibilities.
- Our team of highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers offers face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support. We'll also assign you a dedicated personal tutor to help guide you through your studies.
- We prefer to teach in relatively small groups so that you have plenty of opportunities to ask us questions and get help, as well as benefit from the ideas and support offered by your classmates.
- As well as small group learning and support, the University has excellent libraries, 24/7 IT facilities and campus-wide WiFi for all students.
- English language support is available via a dedicated module that focuses on improving students' English language skills, especially in relation to engineering.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- Normally, you should hold at least an upper second-class honours degree (2.1) in Civil Engineering.
- Applicants with a lower second-class honours degree (2.2) in Civil Engineering (or equivalent qualifications) will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and evidence of significant relevant postgraduate work experience/learning will be expected.
- We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Postgraduate studies in civil engineering are ideal if you would like to broaden and deepen your technical knowledge of specialised civil engineering areas and develop a broader perspective and understanding of the issues facing the civil engineering industries. The course is designed for those who have already graduated with a civil engineering or engineering-related degree.
As a graduate of this programme, you'll possess a range of transferable skills. These include problem-solving, research skills, analysis of complex sets of information, use of concepts and theories to make engineering judgments, critical thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork, commercial awareness, and health and safety.
What can I do with this qualification?
Civil and structural engineers can work on buildings of all kinds, as well as transport and communication infrastructures such as bridges, roads, tunnels, canals and other large constructions. They may also work for employers involved in producing, storing and distributing electricity, gas and water. Opportunities are available with employers both in the UK and overseas.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include the following:
- Geology
- Environmental consultancy
- Operation management
- Teaching
- Research and development
- Technical sales and consultancy
Professional Recognition
The technical MSc Civil Engineering is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM; www.jbm.org.uk) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). To hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration, candidates must also hold a Bachelor (Hons) degree that has been accredited as partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). This applies to students starting the course between September 2023 and August 2027.
The University of Bolton will encourage you to become a student member of the relevant Institution(s) and participate in local and regional activities, enabling you to network with potential employers.
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Civil Engineering - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
We take a blended approach using a variety of teaching and learning methods. We combine face-to-face teaching with online delivery and engagement, where appropriate. In many cases, we focus on case studies and apply academic theory to real-life scenarios. You can expect structured lectures, tutor-led individual and group sessions, discussions and seminars during term time, as well as online learning over the summer period when you're working on your dissertation.
Your achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed in a number of ways, including assignments, individual and group presentations, discussions, reports, written and oral examinations and design processes such as calculations, specifications, drawings and models.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Advanced Geotechnical Modelling, Analysis and Design
- Advanced Structural Modelling, Analysis and Design
- Group Project
- Dissertation Part 1
- Dissertation Part 2
- English for Engineering
- Project Management
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 65% Written exams 35% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 78% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 22% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
