BEng (Hons) in Sustainable Civil Engineering at Waterford Institute of Technology

What is Sustainable Civil Engineering?

Civil Engineers are increasingly working to achieve safe and sustainable development in a cost-effective, environmentally protective and socially responsible manner. They utilise engineering principles to enhance the built and natural environment, and contribute to environmental protection and remediation, water conservation, environmental biotechnology, materials and infrastructure development.

The completion of a civil engineering project involves the solution of technical problems from which the cooperation among professionals of many different disciplines is needed. From conceptual design to forensic study of failed performance, civil engineers need the mathematical, scientific and computational tools to solve problems associated with developing and sustaining a civilised community. Central to the current and future civil engineering profession is the core issue of ‘sustainability’.

What is the BEng (Hons) in Sustainable Civil Engineering course?

The BEng (Hons) in sustainable Civil Engineering is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the Engineering Common Entry Route. This honours degree course is at NQAI Level 8 and has been designed to produce graduates who can successfully operate as civil engineers in the future Irish and global engineering and construction industry. The overall context to the course is the key theme of ‘sustainability’. The graduates will be conscious of the vital influence that civil engineers will increasingly have on achieving the various sustainability targets at national, EU and international levels. The course is accredited by Engineers Ireland, meeting the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer status.

The course is designed in a modular format to facilitate integration with other engineering and built environment courses. It will be offered in the full-time mode but the modular structure enhances the flexibility in the methods by which the course can be delivered and taken. The full-time course is of four years duration with each year divided into two semesters. Integral to the course is a six month industrial placement where students acquire industry experience relevant to their programme of study. Students undertake placement with building and civil engineering contractors, engineering design offices and specialist contractors. Students develop skills relevant in the workplace and gain an appreciation of business and industry practice.

Industrial Placement

In year three, students go on industrial placement for up to six months. This gives the students a taste of what professional practice is all about, how the industry operates and how theoretical knowledge is applied in practice. It also generates industrial links between WIT and the engineering industry in Ireland and abroad.

Career Opportunities for Sustainable Civil Engineering graduates

This course commenced originally in 2010 and is very well regarded by industry, both in Ireland and internationally. Having a civil engineering qualification that has sustainability as its core theme enables graduates to undertake a variety of design and construction roles in the future civil engineering industry.

Follow on Study for Sustainable Civil Engineering graduates

The graduates from the BEng (Hons) in Sustainable Civil Engineering will be equipped with the necessary skills to undertake postgraduate studies (NQAI Levels 9 and 10) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities. These studies include taught courses such as the MSc in Construction Project Management at WIT or MEng/PhD Research.