Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering

Course Summary

Civil Engineering is a dynamic industry, which is continuously evolving and changing. Civil Engineering is about creating, improving and protecting the environment in which we live. Most people would be surprised by how much Civil Engineering affects their daily lives – from the water that we drink, to the shops we visit, to the energy that powers our mobile phone.

It encompasses all aspects of infrastructure development and is used to improve and protect the environment that we live in. It involves the planning, design and construction of facilities that we require for everyday life such as roads, tunnels, bridges, buildings, offshore oil-platforms, water supply systems, wastewater treatment systems, dams and sustainable energy schemes such as hydroelectric stations and wind farms to name but a few.

The BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering at ATU Sligo is accredited as meeting the educational standard required for Chartered Engineer status with Further Learning (Since 2012, Engineering students require a Master’s degree to be directly eligible for Chartered Engineer status with Engineers Ireland).

“Chartered Engineers are leaders in the industry. They are ethical practitioners who maintain the highest level of competence and professional integrity. They develop new technology and use innovative methods to solve complex problems” (Engineers Ireland).

Under the Washington Accord, any Degree accredited by the National professional body such as Engineers Ireland is recognised internationally (such as Australia, Canada, China, The United Kingdom, The United States, New Zealand and South Africa among others). Graduates presenting with an “Accredited” degree means that employers outside of Ireland can be sure of the quality of education achieved by a graduate and know that it is equivalent to their own education system/standards. Therefore, graduates who hold an accredited degree have a distinct advantage over those who do not have accredited degrees and it puts them at the cutting edge of Civil Engineering.

WHAT DO CIVIL ENGINEERS DO?

Civil Engineering is a profession that deals with the design, construction and maintenance of the built environment that is essential to our society. A Civil Engineer’s work involves solving complex problems in a number of different areas:

Environmental Engineering – water must be treated prior to consumption, waste must be removed and treated so that it does not damage our environment and alternative renewable energy resources must be developed and exploited.

Geotechnical Engineering – understanding the behaviour of soils and rocks to design tunnels and foundations for structures, both onshore and offshore.

Structural Engineering – skyscrapers, bridges, wind turbines and roller coasters must be analysed and designed to safely resist all forces to which they are subjected e.g. earthquake or wind forces.

Transportation Engineering – roads, railways, train stations and airports must all be planned and designed to cater for the increasing travel demands of modern society.

Construction Engineering – All of the various kinds of projects listed above must be taken from the design stage through construction to completion by qualified construction professionals.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

This programme is a blend of formal lectures, relevant practical classes to enhance understanding of topics and projects to apply the information learnt to typical Civil Engineering applications. The early part of the programme develops an understanding of science and technology which are the underlying principles of engineering. A significant number of practical classes, projects and labs ensure that all students get to apply what they learn in lectures. 

This degree includes real-life multi-disciplinary projects that allow students to find out what its like to work with students and professionals in other construction-related areas, like Architecture, Quantity Surveying and Project Management.

Gradually students are introduced to the core Civil Engineering areas of structural, hydraulic, geotechnical and highway engineering as well as project and site management. Written and verbal communication skills are continuously developed through presentations and technical writing. At the end of this programme, graduates have the skills demanded by current employers.

YEAR 1

Modules include Computer Aided Design (CAD), Mathematics, Surveying, Structures and Construction Technology. The early part of the programme develops an understanding of science and technology which are the underlying principles of engineering.

YEAR 2

The modules of Year 1 are honed with added study in areas such as Hydraulics, Geology, Site Management and Structural Mechanics. Written and verbal communication skills are continuously developed through presentations and technical writing. 

YEAR 3

Students continue with modules from the previous two years while also focusing on structural design and various sectors of engineering such as environmental. Students complete a 12-week work placement towards the end of the Semester 2 from April to June which provides practical work experience in the Civil Engineering industry with a wide-range of employers.

YEAR 4

Students continue structural analysis while also preparing their final year project allowing the student to demonstrate their research skills in a specific area of interest.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for CAO courses at ATU Sligo are available for download below:

• Download Entry requirements for just Level 8 programmes
• Download Entry requirements for all programmes

A H5 in Leaving Cert Mathematics is an entry requirement for this programme. Those who do not have a H5 grade in Mathematics may take the ATU Sligo Alternative Maths Exam, which is equivalent to Higher Level Mathematics.

The Alternative Maths Exam takes place in late August/early September each year. To register for the exam and for exact dates please visit our Alternative Maths Exam webpage

ALTERNATIVE MATHS EXAM AND ONLINE RESOURCES

ATU Sligo offers a free online pre-degree Mathematics Open Course MOOC leading to a special Mathematics exam, equivalent to Leaving Certificate Higher Level. The MOOC provides on-line resources including revision notes and sample papers to support students taking the examination. 

The MOOC, launched in June 2017, is particularly suitable for CAO Leaving Certificate applicants who may not meet the Mathematics entry requirements for this Honours degree programme (minimum of H5 in LC) following the Leaving Certificate examinations or who are not taking higher level Leaving Certificate Mathematics. A pass in this special exam will be deemed equivalent to meeting the Mathematics entry requirement for this programme.

The Mathematics examination takes place at ATU Sligo and may also be available as an on-line proctored examination.

Current and prospective applicants can access the Mathematics MOOC as follows:

1. Register your name and email address on the Open Course (MOOC) website here: https://opencourses.itsligo.ie/login/signup.php

2. Once registered on the site enrol on the course here: https://opencourses.itsligo.ie/course/view.php?id=27 (the enrolment key is civil2017).

PRE DEGREE MATHEMATICS COURSE

Applications are also welcome from students who hold or hope to graduate with an ordinary BEng (Level 7) in Civil Engineering and who wish to progress to an honours BEng (Level 8) Degree. Entry is to the start at the third year (penultimate year). Minimum entry requirements and application details can be obtained from Dr. Brian McCann.

Applicants who wish to apply to transfer into the courses should apply directly to the Admissions office by downloading the application form attached below.

For more information please email admissions.sligo@atu.ie

Career Opportunities

Ireland, together with the rest of the world, is experiencing a shortage of Civil Engineering graduates to work in all areas of the Civil Engineering and construction industries. 

Civil Engineering is a broad and diverse profession offering an almost endless range of potential career opportunities. Graduates become involved in everything from planning and designing transport systems to improving the energy efficiency of buildings.Graduate employment opportunities include positions in the design, specification, supervision, construction and maintenance of civil engineering projects.

Various bodies have an interest in employing civil engineers, both nationally and internationally – government bodies, semi-state bodies, local authorities, consultancies, contractors, insurance firms and financial institutions.

Ongoing development of infrastructure needs is a major concern for every country worldwide and civil engineers are leaders in this field. In addition, Civil Engineers can go on to work in the renewable energy sector which is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world.

In addition, demand for Civil Engineers, both in Ireland and abroad is continuing to grow with Engineers Ireland recording in their Engineering 2019 - A barometer of the engineering profession that civil and building engineers are among the most in demand with 59% of organisations surveyed looking to hire these engineers.

Accreditation of our honours degree by Engineers Ireland means that the qualification is recognised in major world economies such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, China, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States, thus offering the potential for work and travel abroad.

An accredited degree, as offered by ATU Sligo, also gives graduates a distinct advantage over those who do not have accredited degrees and puts them at the cutting edge of civil engineering.

Graduates are highly sought after by employers who value their ability to perform as a valuable team member from the outset.

Further Study

Level 8 graduates may progress to taught and research Masters of Engineering at ATU Sligo or at other higher education Institutions.

Postgraduate options at ATU Sligo

Testimonials

Hear what employers have to say about Engineering graduates from ATU Sligo. Plus, see some of the projects our students have worked on.

Did you know?

We also offer this programme at Level 7 - AU835 BEng in Civil Engineering

Ireland, together with the rest of the world, is experiencing a shortage of Civil Engineering graduates to work in all areas of the Civil Engineering and construction industries.

Programmes are accredited from Level 6 to Level 8 by Engineers Ireland, which ensures that students who complete our degrees have a professionally recognised degree, can avail of the shortest route to chartered status, as well as having their degrees recognised worldwide. An accredited degree, as offered by ATU Sligo, also gives graduates a distinct advantage over those who do not have accredited degrees.

Students complete a 12-week work placement towards the end of the second semester of Year 3 from April to June which provides practical work experience in the Civil Engineering industry with a wide-range of employers.

Significant number of practical classes, projects and labs ensure that all students get to apply what they learn in lectures.

This degree includes real-life multi-disciplinary projects that allow students to find out what its like to work with students and professionals in other construction-related areas, like Architecture, Quantity Surveying and Project Management.

We provide a diverse degree that exposes students to a range of key topics and that allows our graduates to work in different disciplines throughout the construction industry, both nationally and internationally.

Our staff are highly qualified professionals and academics with a wealth of experience in the civil engineering industry and in key research areas.

Students can exit after Year 2 or 3 and leave with a qualification.

Student projects are presented at The Sligo Engineering & Technology Expo. The Expo is attended by a range of companies including Fortune 500 industry leaders. This allows students to network with potential employers. View the latest Engineering Expo Catalogue

Students enjoy a common first year across our Level 8 engineering degrees to give them an understanding of all aspects of engineering and the flexibility to change direction in Year 2 if desired. Students can choose from  AU944 BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering, BEng (Hons) in Robotics and Automation, or AU943 BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering

An ATU Sligo initiative, a Female Student Network, has been established to help female students to settle into third level education and aid retention. This new peer group operates within the Civil Engineering and Construction programmes at ATU Sligo.

Alumni

"I chose Civil Engineering as it was something I had been interested in from an early age. I chose Sligo because it offered a degree fully recognised by Engineers Ireland which in turn meant I could become a Chartered Engineer in the future.

The BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering is an intensive and very demanding programme compared to other colleges or universities offering similar civil engineering degrees. This is important as the programme prepared me for the hard work required to be a practicing engineer and the ability to manage huge workloads that I have experienced during my working life. It provided me with the core elements in structural design, hydraulics and project management which are now part of my everyday tasks.  

In 2011, I established my own engineering and project management company in London and various projects I have been involved with include berthing infrastructure, offshore pipelines construction and installation of offshore structures. Typical day-to-day tasks include engineering design management, planning, procurement and on/offshore construction supervision. I previously worked on a project which involved the offshore construction of 50km of 24” gas export pipeline in the southern sector of the North Sea."

Kevin Whyte, BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering graduate and Engineering & Construction Consultant at CONSUB, London

Course Format

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

Semester 8