Civil and Geoenvironmental Engineering (MSc)

How will I be taught?

Part 1 of your course involves taught classes such as lectures, laboratory sessions and tutorials. You will be taught by leading international researchers in the fields of civil and geoenvironmental engineering.

A feature of the MSc in Civil and Geoenvironmental Engineering is the series of short, workshop style training courses covering practical applications, integrating professional practice issues with the scientific and engineering foundation of the course. These workshops are delivered by recognised professional practitioners in the industry.

How will I be assessed?

Achievement of learning outcomes in the majority of modules is assessed by a combination of coursework assignments, plus University examinations set in January or May. Examinations count for 60%–70% of assessment in Stage 1 of the programme, depending on the options chosen, the remainder being largely project work and pieces of coursework.

Award of an MSc requires successful completion of Stage 2, the Dissertation, with a mark of 50% or higher. Candidates achieving a 70% average may be awarded a Distinction. Candidates achieving a 60% average may be awarded a Merit. Candidates failing to qualify for an MSc may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma for 120 credits in Stage 1. Candidates failing to complete the 120 credits required for Stage 1 may still be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate for the achievement of at least 60 credits.

How will I be supported?

You will receive supervision from experts in their field during your project and dissertation, and will have access to the research facilities of the School.

Feedback

You will receive written feedback for written coursework assignments and oral feedback for assessed presentations.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge and understanding

Upon completing this programme, you should be able to:

• Understand the multidisciplinary nature of geoenvironmental engineering and the need for the integration of knowledge from civil engineering, earth sciences and biological sciences in the management of geoenvironmental engineering challenges.
• Demonstrate awareness of the significance of geological, geochemical, hydrological and biological data in geoenvironmental management.
• Demonstrate awareness of the scientific, technical, legal and commercial issues affecting geoenvironmental engineering practice;
• Describe the techniques used to characterise flow of groundwater and surface waters.
• Describe and model the principal geochemical processes affecting contaminant mobility in the ground and their role in impacting the quality of groundwater and surface waters.
• Describe surface water biota and biological processes, and the effects of contaminants on the ecology of surface waters.
• Undertake mathematical and numerical modelling of groundwater flow and groundwater contaminant transport.
• Select appropriate methods for the investigation, assessment, management and mitigation of contaminants in the ground, in groundwater and in surface waters.

Intellectual Skills

• Use knowledge and scientific, evidence-based, methods in the assessment and solution of geoenvironmental engineering challenges, often on the basis of limited and possibly contradictory information.
• Deal with complex geoenvironmental engineering issues both systematically and creatively.
• Show originality in tackling both familiar and unfamiliar problems.
• Critically review the background to a geoenvironmental engineering problem and to formulate a programme of work to address the issue.
• Systematically undertake a significant research project in geoenvironmental engineering which includes originality in the application of knowledge and the exercise of critical engineering judgement.
• Collect, evaluate, synthesise and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in a variety of ways, and identify means to gain new data where needed.
• Conceive, plan, execute, and communicate the results of an extended in-depth piece of individual project work.
• Sustain a critical argument, both in writing and through presentations.

Practical Skills

• Use appropriate mathematical and experimental methods for the modelling and analysis of geoenvironmental engineering problems.

Transferable Skills

• Manipulate, present and report data in a variety of ways;
• Manage resources and time;
• Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written, and physical or practical means.