Program Overview

MEng Civil Engineering - 2026 entry

Overview

Help shape the future of our world by becoming a civil engineer. In your first year, you'll delve into core disciplines alongside Civil Engineering through our collaborative modules. You'll learn from experts in the field on areas aligned with our research strengths, including vibration engineering, water resource and pollution control, and construction project management. Our MEng Civil Engineering degree is designed to equip you with first-hand industry experience and insight into your role as a civil engineer through site visits and fieldwork. We will prepare you for a future career where you'll be at the forefront of creating real-world solutions. You'll learn by doing with our focus on project-based learning. Kickstart your career with opportunities to gain valuable work experience through summer placements and the 'Year in Industry' programme.

Entry Requirements

Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects
---|---|---
A-Level | AAA | GCE AL Maths grade A and another science* subject at grade A. Candidates may offer GCE AL Maths, Pure Maths or Further Maths
IB | 36/666 | HL 6 in Mathematics (Analysis and approaches or Applications and interpretations) and HL 6 in another science subject. Applicants achieving IB Maths SL7 plus IB HL6 in Physics will also be considered.
BTEC | DDD | See below under 'read more' for further information
GCSE | 4 or C | Grade 4/C in GCSE English language
Access to HE | 30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade | 15 L3 credits at Distinction Grade in an acceptable Mathematics subject area and 15 L3 credits at Distinction Grade in another science subject area
T-Level | Distinction | T-Level in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing, or T-Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction. GCE A-Level Maths is still required.
Contextual Offer
* Please note: The contextual offer shown is an example based on offers made to students starting in 2025, and is for guidance only. We will confirm the contextual offer for 2026 entry later this year.__* Please note: The contextual offer shown is an example based on offers made to students starting in 2024, and is for guidance only. We will confirm the contextual offer for 2025 entry later this year. | A-Level: AAC
IB: 32/655
BTEC: DDM | Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.
Other accepted qualifications | View other accepted qualifications
English language requirements | International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B1. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Course Content

Collaborative modules in your first year will give you a broad knowledge across all core engineering disciplines. As you progress through your degree you’ll study increasingly advanced topics aligned to our research strengths in areas such as geotechnical engineering, conceptual design of buildings and hydraulics.

Year 1

The multidisciplinary ethos of the first year builds core theoretical and practical knowledge in all engineering disciplines. This allows you to transfer to a different discipline at the end of the year. A year-long multidisciplinary group project provides a means of putting core knowledge into practice.

• ENG1002: Engineering Mathematics and Scientific Computing (30 credits)
• ENG1005: Multi-Disciplinary Group Challenge Project (30 credits)
• ENS1000: Fundamentals of Engineering (15 credits)
• ENG1007: Fundamentals of Mechanics (15 credits)
• ENG1008: Fundamentals of Materials (15 credits)
• ENG1009: Fundamentals of Electronics (15 credits)

Year 2

In your second year you’ll undertake hands-on learning with practical work on topics such as soils, solid mechanics and robotics. You'll also complete a large-scale civil engineering project.

• ENG2001: Civil Engineering Challenge Project (30 credits)
• ENG2004: Entrepreneurship 2 (15 credits)
• ENG2006: Industry 4.0 (15 credits)
• ENG2009: Modelling of Engineering Systems (15 credits)
• ENG2010: Soil Mechanics (15 credits)
• ENG2011: Solid Mechanics (15 credits)
• ENG2012: Structural Behaviour (15 credits)

Year 3

Your third year introduces more advanced modules, in areas such as structural engineering, hydraulics and geotechnical engineering.

• ENG3013A: Civil Design and Build: Part 1 - Research (15 credits)
• ENG3013B: Civil Design and Build: Part 2 - Development (15 credits)
• ECM3156: Civil Engineering Hydraulics (15 credits)
• ENG3001: Construction Project Management (15 credits)
• ENG3003: Digital Engineering and Building Information Modelling (15 credits)
• ENG3006: Geotechnical Engineering and Foundation Design (15 credits)
• ENG3014: Structural Engineering (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• ENG3015: Structural Dynamics (15 credits)
• ECM3158: Water Resources and Pollution Control (15 credits)

Placement Year (if taken)

If you are studying ‘with Year in Industry’ you will spend your fourth year on placement and carry out a 120-credit module.

Final Year

The final year of study for MEng students offers optional specialist modules in structural or environmental engineering. You'll put your research and engineering skills into practice through an extended individual project.

• ENGM015: MEng Individual Investigative Project (45 credits)
• ECMM153: Conceptual Design of Buildings (15 credits)
• ENGM006: Civil Engineering Materials (15 credits)
• ECMM109: Advanced Geotechnical Engineering (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• ECMM163: Sustainable Engineering (15 credits)
• ECMM110: Water and Environmental Systems (15 credits)
• ECMM124: Hydroinformatics Tools (15 credits)
• ENGM012: Performance Based Design Under Dynamic Loading (15 credits)
• ENGM025: Smart Civil Structures (15 credits)
• ENGM008: Design of Reinforced Concrete and Steel Structures (15 credits)

Course Variants

MEng Civil Engineering with Year in Industry

• UCAS code: H209
• Our five year ‘with Year in Industry’ programme includes a paid placement in business or industry for the duration of your third year. Work experience is a real advantage when entering the graduate job market. It’s also a great way to try out different jobs and to make contacts within companies you’re interested in working for.

Fees

• Please note: The fees for students starting in 2026 have yet to be set. The fees provided below are the fees for students starting in 2025 and are for guidance only. We will post the fees for 2026 entry shortly.
• UK students: £9,535 per year
• International students: £30,900 per year

Scholarships

• The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships.
• Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

Learning and Teaching

• You’ll typically have between 15 and 32 hours of direct contact time per week with your tutors and you will be expected to supplement your lectures with independent study. You should expect your total workload to average about 40 hours per week during term time.
• In addition to lectures you’ll also have access to our workshops and laboratories where you’ll be trained to use specialist equipment, supporting and developing what you’ve learnt in the classroom and enabling you to put what you’ve learnt into practice.

Assessment

• Modules are assessed by a combination of continuous assessment through small practical exercises, project work, essay writing, presentations and exams. You must pass your first year assessment in order to progress to the second year, but the results do not count towards your degree classification.
• Project work is a core element of this degree, providing invaluable experience of problem-solving, engineering design and team working. Projects are typically industrially driven, are commercially relevant and often directly involve a company.

Your Future

• Civil engineering is concerned with creating and managing the infrastructure and environment in which we live. As a civil engineer you’ll play a key role in the future prospects and health of society. Civil engineering interfaces with electrical, mechanical, chemical and managerial processes. People skills are vitally important to civil engineers, who work alongside a broad section of society in order to bring plans to fruition. Our programmes combine science with personal and management skills developed through practical projects and direct study.
• Exeter has an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and a strong employment record. Our graduates excel in specialist engineering fields and across a broad range of other sectors. We offer a very wide range of opportunities for you to develop the skills employers are looking for.

Career Paths

• The broad-based skills acquired during your degree will give you an excellent grounding for a wide variety of careers, not only those related to Engineering but also in wider fields. Examples of roles recent graduates are now working as include:
  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Chartered and Certified Accountant
  • Civil Engineer
  • Electronics Engineer
  • Engineering Project Manager
  • Project Engineer
  • Information Technology Professional
  • Mechanical Engineer
  • Programmer
  • Software Developer