Civil and Structural Engineering

Civil and structural engineering together form the backbone of the built environment, concerned with the design, construction and maintenance of the infrastructure on which society depends: roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, dams, buildings and coastal defences. Civil engineering addresses the broad landscape of infrastructure and environmental systems; structural engineering is a specialisation within it, focused on how structures carry loads safely and efficiently. The two areas are closely related, and this combined degree at Aberdeen provides the standard civil engineering foundation while introducing key structural specialisms, as the university notes.

At the University of Aberdeen, this four-year degree with a year abroad gives you a rigorous grounding in engineering mechanics, materials, geotechnics, fluid mechanics, structural analysis and design, alongside the environmental, project management and professional practice dimensions of civil engineering. A year abroad enriches this formation with an international perspective on engineering education and practice, important in a profession where many projects span national boundaries and where international standards and collaboration are the norm. You will develop computational skills alongside analytical ones, becoming familiar with the software tools that practising engineers use for design and analysis.

Civil and structural engineers bear significant responsibility for public safety: structures must be designed to carry their loads with appropriate margins of safety, and failures can have catastrophic consequences. The degree develops both technical competence and professional judgement, preparing you for the responsibilities of chartered engineering practice.

Graduates go on to careers in consulting engineering, construction, local and national government, infrastructure companies, defence and international development. The route to chartership with the Institution of Civil Engineers or the Institution of Structural Engineers is the typical professional trajectory. Further study at masters level, including the MEng for those seeking incorporated or chartered engineer status, is also a common route.