Civil Engineering

Overview

Civil engineering is all about the assessment, planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the different types of infrastructural works that society needs, from roads and rail systems to bridges, harbours, airports, energy and utility services, and water supply schemes. It is a broad discipline which also includes structural and environmental engineering. Environmental engineers apply engineering principles to improve the quality of our environment and work towards the creation of healthy water, air and land resources.

This honours degree includes both technical and management skills and we have been very careful to maintain the correct balance between theory and practical skills, to emphasise team working and professionalism and to incorporate industry standard information technology. Graduates should be creative problem solvers who can help to shape the future.

A 12-week work placement is a central feature of the programme in year three. It’s while on placement that you really see the value of your academic learning in a real-life working environment. Your placement lays the foundations of your career path and significantly boosts your employability at the end of the course. Students have the option to graduate after year 3 with a level 7 qualification.

The emphasis in year 4 is to ensure that graduates are able to work effectively as a professional engineer and are ready to enter the workplace. This is achieved by providing a comprehensive simulated design office experience where students are working in teams, plan, design and prepare drawings for a real-life engineering project from the concept phase to the construction.

What will I study?

First year at a glance

• Construction Technology: the function and composition of the various structural elements of low-rise masonry and framed structures and the practices and work sequences involved in their assembly and construction
• Engineering Drawing and 3D CAD: the sequential development of hard-line drawing and introduces 3D CAD visualisation software
• Engineering Mathematics: essential numerical, algebraic and graphical skills for studying engineering
• Engineering Science: introduces the learner to the basic principles of physics, particularly energy consumption and conservation, and its associated aspects in engineering
• Engineering Mechanics: introduces the learner to the use of applied mathematical solutions to basic engineering problems
• Site Surveying: introduces basic principles of land surveying and basic skills in linear surveying and levelling
• Civil Engineering Materials: introduces the properties of materials used in civil engineering and how these may relate to specific applications
• 2D CAD Introduction: on completion of this module students will be able to produce, layout and print simple CAD drawings using the most recent AutoCAD software

Entry Requirements

Entry 2024

For admission to a programme, standard applicants must

• score the necessary CAO points and
• meet the minimum entry requirements

Leaving Certificate in six subjects i.e. H5 in two subjects and O6/H7 in four other subjects. The six subjects must include Mathematics and either English or Irish grade O6/H7.

For Non-EU International Entry Requirements please visit https://www.mtu.ie/international/non-eu/.

Career options

Employment Opportunities

Civil engineering offers challenging and varied employment, with opportunities to travel. This course provides a broad range of marketable, practical and professional skills such as site surveying, engineering design and detailing (3D CAD), design office and site administration, laboratory testing, project management and health and safety. Civil engineering graduates are employed, both in Ireland and abroad, by contractors, subcontractors, consultants, state and semi-state bodies, local authorities and suppliers of civil engineering products and equipment.

Progression

Further Studies

Suitably qualified Level 8 graduates may apply for a wide variety of taught master programmes both in Ireland and the UK.

There is a clear pathway for graduates who wish to pursue further studies and ultimately gain professional engineering qualifications such as Chartered Engineer.