Overview
Can we help the environment more through our infrastructure? Is there a way to ensure that buildings are greener and more efficient? Develop the practical and academic skills you need to address these challenges, with our Civil and Environmental Engineering degree at ARU. When you graduate, you'll be ready to work towards Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
Careers
We work with employers to make sure you graduate with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need. They help us review what we teach and how we teach it – and they offer hands-on, practical opportunities to learn through work-based projects, internships or placements.
Civil engineers tend to specialise in two areas – design and production. This course will prepare you for both.
- Design civil engineers work mainly in offices, looking at the need for projects and how a particular project can be achieved.
- Production civil engineers work and plan on-site, check the quality of work, and oversee schedules and budgets.
Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us. If you would like to continue your studies and develop further skills with us, we offer a wide range of full-time and part-time postgraduate courses. You could even further your research study skills with a PhD.
Modules & assessment
Year one, core modules
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Every building needs to be feasible, whether it is the cost, the workforce required, or the timescale set. Without reviewing this a project could quick fail. Here you will start with the feasibility stage of a built environment project including the development of initial design skills and construction experience. After an introduction to the project and the definition of the deliverable deadlines you will work in groups to produce a project plan for your work, organising it for the year ahead. This includes the production of a topographical survey of the project site and collection of relevant data though field and laboratory work. You’ll use this information to produce a site investigation report which will be the basis for the feasibility study. The second half of the project will focus on initial design, where you will be required to carry out investigations into the suitability of various materials for the construction of elements of the project, taking into account not only the mechanical properties of these materials but also sustainability and economic considerations. You will analyse and design a simple structure in this project, applying basic static and design principles to define the dimensions of the structural elements. You will also construct an element of the project which will develop your skills relating to the programming of the construction process, health and safety management and team work as well as first-hand construction experience.
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Develop the underpinning engineering skills needed to solve technical problems and communicate technical ideas and concepts. These skills are essential for the successful completion of your project and knowledge based modules. The module will be divided into two main areas; Mathematics and technical report writing. Mathematics will focus on the basic mathematical skills needed to understand the language of mathematics and to interpret engineering mathematical expressions. Algebraic skills will also be extensively developed to carry out mathematical analysis and solve engineering problems. The module will also introduce the mathematics of trigonometry and geometry and their application to solve practical engineering problems. Technical report writing is a fundamental communication skill for engineers and will be developed throughout the course. This part of the module aims to provide the tools to enable you to structure and present technical reports and also reference correctly. You will make use of appropriate IT skills to communicate technical ideas through the written word and by graphical means.
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There is a wide range of jobs and roles within Civil Engineering, and here you will see how these all work together to bring a project through to fruition. You will learn about the role of the civil engineer in society and explore breadth of career opportunities that await you on graduation. You will look at the value of inclusive engineering and the people-centric nature of this profession. Engineers are often required to ensure that work is safe, minimising risks to people and the environment, to engage in negotiations and hold positions of responsibility. Each of these requires an understanding of ethics, making ethical skills integral to engineering practice. You will encounter ethics throughout your time at university and this module will introduce this to you, showing you the importance of this type of consideration. Civil engineering projects are often complex, therefore you must work effectively in inter-disciplinary design and construction team, you must also be an accomplished communicator in order to take full advantage of their technical skills and knowledge. This module will help you develop your written, aural and drawing communication skills as well as your ability to work as a team, key skills that an employer will want to see. You will also look at the history of civil engineering, learning from past failures and mistakes, particularly looking at the incorporation of sustainability and resilience into engineering design. Through this module you will get the opportunity to visit construction sites and to start to understand construction planning and processes. Visits from guest lecturers from industry will also be encouraged, as will visits by representatives from the professional bodies such as the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers.
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Your introduction to some of the basic analytical concepts and processes involved in the design of structures, you will explore some of the fundamental concepts relating to analytical and design processes. From this you will develop analytical skills which will allow you to carry out basic structural calculations. You will also be introduced to basic 2D drafting techniques using industry standard software allowing you to effectively interpret technical drawing and give them the skills which can be applied to your specialist discipline area in later modules. Skills like these are highly sought after in the construction industry. You’ll learn about BIM (Building Information Modelling) and will gain an appreciation of the role of the designer in civil engineering and the design process, as well as learn to use spreadsheets and databases to manipulate analyse and present technical data. Many problems in civil engineering cannot be solved with analytical methods and acquiring computer programming assists engineers to solve these complex problems, for example flow in pipe networks, analysis of beams of varying cross-section and loading, seepage through an earthen dam, and routing of storm water runoff through a detention basin. You’ll cover the basics of computer programming through computer workshops, learning through hands-on tutorials of common civil engineering problems using basic and applied programming skills.
Year two, core modules
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Designed to develop your ability to analyse built environment challenges though the application of engineering concepts, theories and mathematics, in this module you will also broaden your perspective of built environment projects by including the environmental and financial aspects. You will apply your knowledge of the three main strands of civil engineering, structures, geotechnics, and hydraulics to critically analyse a proposed project and determine the suitability of the design and to propose alternatives which will improve it technically, economically and environmentally. You will need to consider the environmental impact of the project and apply the relevant analysis and legislation to produce an environmental impact report. You will apply the principles of construction management to the project to develop a sequence for a construction project and produce a programme using industry standard project planning software and to also consider the financial implications and resources management necessary for this project.
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Ruskin Modules are designed to prepare our students for a complex, challenging and changing future. These interdisciplinary modules provide the opportunity to further broaden your perspectives, develop your intellectual flexibility and creativity. You will work with others from different disciplines to enable you to reflect critically on the limitations of a single discipline to solve wider societal concerns. You will be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines to apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, seek and maximise opportunities to realise your potential to give you a distinctive edge and enhance your success in the workplace.
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Develop your knowledge of the more theoretical aspects of Hydraulics and Geotechnics and gain the theoretical foundation to carry out the analysis and design in your future modules, helpingyou to make sense of specialist software output. HYDRAULICS: Introducing you to the principles of hydraulics, this will demonstrate how these principles are used for the design of hydraulic structures and their components. You will also be introduced the principles of hydraulics in pipe systems and open channels’ design and operation. You will have laboratory sessions to give you the opportunity to explore the practical aspects of hydraulics principles. GEOTECHNICS: Here you will study the theoretical principals that geotechnical design is based on. This includes the theory behind settlement predictions and the determination of shear strength parameters for drained and undrained scenarios to be used in the design of foundations and other geotechnical structures. Lateral earth pressure theory will also be covered and its relevance in the design of retaining walls, braced excavations and deep foundations.
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Building on your previous module you will continue to learn key skills in engineering with emphasis on the application of mathematics to express and solve engineering problems but now including more complex mathematical concepts. You will be introduced to calculus, the mathematics of change, and will develop an appreciation of the overwhelming influence that these concepts have had on engineering analysis and design and particularly their application to specialist software. Learn to apply differentiation and integration technics to solve simple engineering problems such as optimisation and volume calculations, analyse engineering concepts through the solution of complex equations and differential equations using analytical and numerical techniques. You will also explore coding as a tool and technique to develop your problem solving skills and develop solutions to complex mathematical problems with application to engineering.
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Deepen your understanding of both structural mechanics and structural analysis techniques. In this module you will cover static equilibrium, the resistance of structures to external loads, behaviour of structures under the influence of external loads, internal stresses, internal stress distributions and superposition. You will be introduced to structural deformations and deflections, determinate and indeterminate structures and influence lines. Hand calculation analysis for beams, pin jointed frames and unit load methods will be covered and you will also be introduced to the use of software for structural analysis with an emphasis on the use of hand calculations to support and validate the results obtained using structural analysis packages. You will be expected to show that you can generate structural analysis calculations that are clear and suitable for checking by an independent engineer.
Year three, core modules
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This interdisciplinary module takes advantage of the broad range of construction industry skills available in the School of Engineering and the Built Environment. It is designed to give you an opportunity to apply skills and knowledge previously gained throughout your course and to develop your ability to both manage and carry out the design of a small civil engineering project. You will generate a range of engineering solutions, making a considered assessment of each option and to recommend a design proposal. The design scenario for this module will challenge you to integrate your civil engineering design skills into an interdisciplinary design process. While delivering a range of meaningful engineering solutions to the project, your designs will need to consider and balance a broad range of design aspirations such as: maximising site opportunities; delivering a resilient/loose fit design; the three pillars of sustainability; taking advantage of Design For Manufacture and Assembly considerations. You will be expected to demonstrate that you are drawing on and making effective use of your knowledge and understanding from a broad range of civil engineering subject areas including team work, communication, engineering analysis, design, construction materials, construction techniques and construction management.
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Enhance your understanding of static and dynamic behaviour of structures in general with particular focus on braced and moment frames. You will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the links between applied loads, load paths, structural behaviour and efficient use of construction materials. This module will help you to make informed decisions regarding: appropriate structural forms; appropriate structural analysis methods; choice of structural material. In lectures you will cover the principles of static and dynamic structural analysis of frame structures as well as the codified design of frame structures. You will be required to demonstrate that you can clearly communicate your decision making process and the outcome of your structural analysis and design, through a well presented design calculation report. In your calculation report, you will be expected to make effective use of: technical terminology; descriptive text; appropriate drawings and/or sketches.
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Flooding puts huge pressure on national economics, cities, communities and individuals with short-term impacts including human casualties, displaced people and communities, serious health problems and enormous damage to property and infrastructure. Affected areas may take years to recover. Significant river floods in the UK and EU, over the years, have prompted changes in flood legislations but the risks still remain significant. Here you will develop a deep understanding of flood risk management framework and different approaches to that. First, you’ll focus on hydrological principles of flooding and introduces different flooding drivers, impacts and the required interventions/strategies (mitigation and adaptation) to cope with that. You will specifically focuses on flood risk formulation and assessment and introduces different flood frequency analysis methods. Computer modelling of flooding is focused and used in this module, aiming to improve your practical skills, as well as economic appraisal of flood risk management strategies.
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Deepen your understanding of the construction materials, and related construction techniques, that are prevalent in the UK construction industry. You will build on the knowledge of construction materials that has previously been delivered during the Level 5 project module, extending this Level 5 knowledge to cover typical methods of construction. You will gain the knowledge and skills to understand and evaluate the key physical properties of the main construction materials and to understand how these properties relate to both methods of manufacture and typical construction details. You will be introduced to the concepts of Design for Manufacture & Assembly and Modern Methods of Construction as well as selected construction details and techniques such as movement joints and structural connections. Additional critical aspects will also be covered, including durability, fire resistance, quality control, specification and recycling/re-use of construction materials.
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Responding to the concern of many about the effect that the built environment is having on the natural environment, this module has been designed to give you an insight into the scientific basis of the environmental performance and construction of buildings and their services. The main focus is on the introduction of modelling tools that can be used to simulate a building's performance and its effect on the environment. Understanding the principles by which a building interacts with the external environment through its fabric, is therefore key in understanding building performance. Considerable emphasis is placed on the use of environmental criteria to assess a building's thermal, visual and aural performance. You will explore a number of scientific methods with a small amount of practical experiment-based work. A number of technical solutions will be explored for lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning a building and the passive design features of a building will be explored. This module identifies and evaluates different low-carbon energy strategies available, to be incorporated whilst designing low-carbon buildings and also the different standards and benchmarks for low-carbon buildings, highlighting strategies and approaches that could be deployed in heating and cooling of buildings.
Year four, core modules
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This module aims to demonstrate the importance of Environmental Geotechnics and the extent to which ground engineering environment interaction can lead to disastrous impacts on societies and the environment. It shows how Civil Engineers can apply existing knowledge and techniques to unconventional materials and ill-defined problems. Use will be made of case histories and back analysis to demonstrate how fundamental principles can be applied to a wide variety of complex situations. The potential effects of climate change will be explained. Specific aims of the module are to: provide knowledge and understanding of the extent of problems that have, and can, arise due to ground engineering-environment interaction; enable students to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively by identifying the key components of the issue; promote an ability to make informed judgements in the absence of complete data and to be able to recognise how established techniques can be extended to deal with novel situations. The module provides coverage of the most common ways in which ground engineering impinges on the environment (ie contaminated land investigation, assessment and remediation; waste disposal by engineered landfilling/landraising and subsequent site rehabilitation; tailings dam erection, stability assessment and seepage control; derelict land investigation and re-use. This module can be followed by students who have a background knowledge of science and mathematics - high-level mathematics is not used and neither is it assumed that participants have in-depth knowledge of construction. However, participants need to be computer literate and able to use a hand calculator. Furthermore, students who have not previously been involved with technical aspects of construction will need to do a substantial amount of background reading about groundworks.
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Construction of the built environment has a major impact on the environment, which is reflected in a growing body of legislation, policies and initiatives to reduce or manage this impact. Sustainable development and the effective management of environmental impacts are at the top of the political agenda for action at global and local levels. The need to understand the demands of the environment and sustainability is now an essential part of the construction manager's work. Integrating these influences and demands into the design and management of construction work is vital for the environmental, economic and social welfare of society. Enhance your understanding of the history and current position with regards to the environment and sustainability, exploring the interaction between society, construction and the environment. You will establish the historical context of sustainable development and discuss future developments and develop a systematic understanding of environmental issues and concepts of sustainable development in relation to the construction industry along with a broad understanding of the pressures facing companies to address environmental and sustainable development issues. You will be challenged to transfer the broad ideas and principles of sustainability and environmental management and to implement these at a site level in the management of the construction projects. Sustainable development and environmental concerns will be examined and ways in which these can be integrated into the day-to-day management of construction will be considered. A range of evaluation and monitoring techniques - such as environmental management systems, sustainability indicators and corporate environmental and sustainability reporting will be discussed.
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Gain the knowledge and competencies to manage a civil engineering organisation in a highly volatile economic environment. You will develop an understanding of how civil engineering organisations are managed financially in line with a set of broad business objectives and also to examine organisations in the context of both the external competitive environment and economic environment. You will examine alternative corporate strategies and examine how decisions about strategy will influence management processes and internal procedures, the relationship between corporate strategy and tender strategies, and also financial performance through the use of standard financial statements. This will enable you to acquire the skills necessary to assess the financial stability of both contracting and subcontracting organisations. Financial management will be studied to gain an understanding of how financial data is converted into usable information identifying historical performance which can be interpreted as part of a manager's decision making armoury. The role of the management accountant will be explored and contrasted with that of the financial accountant. An important objective here will be to examine how pro-active financial management can be practiced rather than merely reacting to the whims of the market place. Management is achieving results through others and the usefulness of theories relating to motivation and work behaviour will be analysed. Human Resource strategies will be introduced and the importance of current employment legislation and equality legislation to civil engineering organisations will be assessed.
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This module aims to introduce water and environmental infrastructure such as drinking water supply system, sewer and drainage system, wastewater treatment plant, green infrastructure and flood management system and to develop knowledge and understanding on their design, operation and management including roles of the bodies involved in their monitoring, maintenance and management. Also, this module intends to investigate the mutual impacts of infrastructure on environment, society and economy (pillars of sustainability) and climate change, urbanisation and population growth on infrastructure’s performance.
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This module enables you to carry out an individual piece of research in the civil engineering field, which will require a literature review of current knowledge in the chosen topic area, the formulation of a research question and the collection of primary data by experimentation and modelling. Advice will be given by civil engineering staff on choosing a research topic in a briefing session delivered towards the end of the academic year prior to that in which you undertake your dissertation.
Assessment
There is a holistic approach to assessment that ensures the learning outcomes have been met. Assessment methods vary, depending on the nature of the module and the type of skill being evaluated. The details of the type, extent and duration of the assessments are provided in the Module Guide for each module. The range of assessment methods may be summarised as follows:
- group work and presentations
- design exercises and examples
- coursework
- timed assignments
- production of drawings
- projects
- practical and laboratory work
- unseen examinations
- dissertation/major project.
Where you'll study
Your faculty
The Faculty of Science & Engineering is one of the largest of the four faculties at Anglia Ruskin University. Whether you choose to study with us full-time or part-time, on campus or at a distance, there’s an option whatever your level – from a foundation degree, BSc, MSc, PhD or professional doctorate.
Whichever course you pick, you’ll gain the theory and practical skills needed to progress with confidence. Join us and you could find yourself learning in the very latest laboratories or on field trips or work placements with well-known and respected companies. You may even have the opportunity to study abroad.
Everything we do in the faculty has a singular purpose: to provide a world-class environment to create, share and advance knowledge in science, technology and engineering fields. This is key to all of our futures.
Where can I study?
Chelmsford
Our striking, modern campus sits by the riverside in Chelmsford's University and Innovation Quarter.
Fees & funding
Course fees
UK students starting 2022/23 (full-time, per year)
£9,250
International students starting 2022/23 (full-time, per year)
£15,000
UK students starting 2023/24 (full-time, per year). We expect full-time fees to be £9,250 per year in 2023-24, but please note that fee levels are to be confirmed by the Office for Students.
£9,250
International students starting 2023/24 (full-time, per year)
£15,800
How do I pay my fees?
Tuition fee loan
UK students can take out a tuition fee loan, which you won’t need to start repaying until after your graduate. Or there's the option to pay your fees upfront.
International students
You can pay your tuition fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will also ask you for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter. Details will be in your offer letter.
Scholarships
We offer a fantastic range of ARU scholarships, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university. Some of these cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Funding for UK students
Most new UK undergraduate students can apply for government funding to support their studies and university life. This also applies to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who have citizens' rights following Brexit.
Government funding includes Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans. There are additional grants available for specific groups of students, such as those with disabilities or dependants.
We also offer a range of ARU scholarships, which can provide extra financial support while you’re at university.
Funding for international students
We offer a number of scholarships, as well as an early payment discount. Explore your options:
Entry requirements
Teaching at ARU
We offer face-to-face campus teaching (with the exception of Distance Learning courses), supported by our established online learning systems, which provide additional support for individual study and engagement. The number of contact hours varies course by course, and you can contact us for further information.
In the event that there are restrictions that are put into place due to the pandemic by the government - we will endeavour to retain face to face teaching as much as possible but will respond accordingly to the restrictions placed on the University.
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements. Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course, please email answers@aru.ac.uk for further information.
You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. Before starting a course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning.
All tariff points must come from A levels. Points from AS levels cannot be counted towards the total tariff points required for entry to this course.
International students
We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.
Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning from September 2020, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. A small number of our courses require additional technical specifications or specialist materials. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning. Our website also has general information for new students about starting university in 2020-21.
Teaching at ARU
We offer face-to-face campus teaching (with the exception of Distance Learning courses), supported by our established online learning systems, which provide additional support for individual study and engagement. The number of contact hours varies course by course, and you can contact us for further information.
In the event that there are restrictions that are put into place due to the pandemic by the government - we will endeavour to retain face to face teaching as much as possible but will respond accordingly to the restrictions placed on the University.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you'll need to make sure you meet our English language requirements for undergraduate courses.
Check the standard entry requirements for IELTS requirements for this course.
Improving your English language skills
If you don't meet our English language requirements, we offer a range of courses which could help you achieve the level required for entry onto a degree course.
We also provide our own English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) in the UK and overseas. To find out if we are planning to hold an ELPT in your country, contact our country managers.
