Civil Engineering BEng

Civil engineering is the professional practice of designing and developing infrastructure projects, which includes planning, budgeting, surveying and construction management. Part of the civil engineering and infrastructure cluster here at Aston, this course examines the societal, economic and operational issues related to construction. There’s a high demand for graduates with these skills. With more than two million people currently employed in the construction sector across the UK, and the industry continuing to grow, this demand is increasing. This course aims to address a key skills gap. It’s designed to be contemporary and innovative, meeting the needs of industry.

As you’ll be learning and living in the middle of Britain’s second city, you’ll also gain invaluable, real-life experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by the people and organisations responsible for constructing our built environment.

What you’ll learn

The core subjects at the heart of the degree – structures, materials, geotechnics, transport, infrastructure, engineering and construction management – will equip you with key expertise and enhance your employability.

During the course you will study a wide range of subjects, beginning with the fundamentals of civil engineering, including construction materials, mechanics and mathematical skills.

You will spend a year in industry as part of the course before completing your studies in year four with a research project and a design project as well as the opportunity to specialise in either transport, infrastructure, engineering or construction management.

The skills you will gain are in high demand and, as a graduate, you will be able to contribute to the ongoing development of the built environment in which we live and work.

Modules

Year 1

Modules in your first year will build your fundamental knowledge of the sector and relevant disciplines. To introduce you to the world of civil engineering, topics covered will include construction, materials, mechanics and mathematical skills.

• Introduction to Civil Engineering
• Construction Materials and Surveying
• BIM for Construction
• Civil Engineering Mathematics
• Building and Design and Construction Technology

Year 2

In the second year, you will build on your existing knowledge and advance your understanding of the civil engineering sector through more specialist modules.

• Structural Analysis and Numerical Modelling
• Sustainable Materials and Design
• Fluid Mechanics
• Construction Contract Management and Administration 2
• Geotechnics 1
• Transport Infrastructure Engineering

Year 3

You spend the third year on a professional placement, which is usually paid, gaining valuable industry experience. The construction industry in the West Midlands is particularly buoyant, providing a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate placements.

Final Year 

This year will feature a main research project, as well as a design project. Your choice of additional modules will enable you to specialise in either transport infrastructure engineering or construction management.

• Independent Civil Engineering Project
• Civil Engineering Design Project
• Hydraulics
• Geotechnics 2

 

Choose two of the following options:

• Civil Engineering Project Management
• Sustainable Infrastructure Systems 
• Transport Planning for Sustainable Futures

Accreditation

Currently this programme is not accredited. Accreditation will be sought from the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) which represents The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and The Permanent Way Institution (PWI).

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham, it’s also a great place to live. Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability and our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Choosing to start your Aston journey with one of our foundation programmes will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics and group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey.

We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes. 

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS.

Typical offers:

A Levels

• BBC including B in Mathematics. 
• BCC including B in Mathematics if grade B achieved in EPQ or Core Maths (and Contextual offer*)

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

IB

29 (5, 5, 4 including Mathematics Higher Level)

BTEC & Access

BTEC

• BTEC Extended Diploma (Applied Science: physics pathway/ Engineering/ Construction or Technical subject): DDM OR BTEC Extended Diploma (any subject): DDM plus A level Maths at minimum Grade B
• National Diploma and Diploma: DM plus A-level Maths at minimum Grade B
• Foundation or 90 credits Diploma: DM plus 2 A-level at minimum grade B including Maths
• National Extended Certificate or Subsidiary Diploma: M plus 2 A-level minimum Grade B including Maths
• Certificate/ National Certificate Level 3: Not accepted

Access to Higher Education

30D 15M in a related subject including at least 15 credits at Level 3 in Mathematics

T Levels

The following T levels are accepted qualifications for this course:

Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction Grade D

Building Services Engineering for Construction Grade D

Onsite Construction Grade D

GCSEs

Additionally to our Level 3 requirement, you will also need to have achieved:

GCSE Maths and English Grade C/4 and above

Our Admissions Policy

View our Admissions Policy

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated above).

Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

International students

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements. For more information about qualifications view our Aston in your country webpage.

Teaching won’t just be lectures, you’ll have workshops, guest lectures and visits to relevant sites to make sure your understanding is grounded in industry, ensuring you are ready for the working world when you graduate.

Complete your practical work in our brand new, state of art laboratory facilities in highway engineering, materials and structures, and the latest industry-standard engineering software packages.

You will also have a compulsory year in industry, giving you the opportunity to put your learning into practical use and enabling you to grow in confidence, maturity and experience. The construction industry in the West Midlands is particularly buoyant, providing a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate placements and your placement will be arranged with support from the placement tutor.

More information

* The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as Home students. Further information can be found here. 

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our scholarships here.

There’s an incredible range of rewarding and impactful careers that you can go into after you graduate with one of our Civil Engineering and Infrastructure courses. With the opportunities for placements, lecturers with real world industry experience, and optional modules, you’ll have the chance to construct your own career path.

On graduation, you could work for UK or global organisations such as building and project management consultancies, all concerned with the development and construction of buildings and other infrastructure. The transferable management and technical skills developed during your studies will also be attractive to other professions and there is potential for graduates to go into diverse fields such as finance, logistics and general management.

Recent graduates from similar courses at Aston have joined companies including Alstom, BAM Construction, Mott McDonald and the Department for Transport.

Why study civil engineering at Aston?

Civil engineers are in high demand as the construction industry continues to grow and thrive. This course will give you all the skills and experience you need to lead a successful and fulfilling career as a civil engineer.

What will I be doing on the civil engineering course at Aston?

You will learn the key techniques and skills you need to become a civil engineer including materials, transport and engineering. You’ll gain knowledge and experience based on real life examples and companies, giving you the skills you need to begin your career in this exciting area. 

Why must I take a year out in industry?

We think that the knowledge you gain through your studies are best applied to real life and the most effective way to do this is by working in a company. As well as the opportunity to apply the technical knowledge you’ve learned, you’ll also gain invaluable communication and team skills. 

We have excellent links with industry and can help to arrange this placement for you. 

Why should international students choose Aston University?

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham it’s also a great place to live. 

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career.  

Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course.