Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Civil engineering shapes and develops our societies, it is at the core of how we live within communities. Growing populations, urbanisation, industrialisation ad technological advancement are driving growth in the industry which is rapidly expanding with increasing demand for innovative, sustainable and quality infrastructure, globally. The sector is experiencing significant skills shortages and the demand for qualified, skilled and ambitious civil engineering professionals, around the world, to support, deliver and lead public and private sector projects across infrastructure development, construction materials and environmental engineering, has never been greater.

This professionally accredited online Civil Engineering and Construction Management masters degree programme has been designed to be at the forefront of technological developments within the sector, giving you the skills to enhance your personal and professional skill set for progressive and rewarding career in the global civil engineering industry.

Our online MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management programme will help you to combine in-depth knowledge and practical skills with strategic management abilities to prepare for a rewarding career anywhere in the world. Many of our academics are Chartered Engineers with extensive industry links. You will be able to draw on their experience to improve your learning, understanding and career prospects.

• Boost your professional credibility on a course with non-technical accreditation by the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors, the Permanent Way Institution, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Institute of Highway Engineers
• Take your first steps towards coveted Chartered Engineer status: this course meets the Further Learning requirements for registration. To gain academic requirements for chartered status, prospective students will need to hold an undergraduate degree which is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)
• Course accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), providing a Chartered membership (MCIOB)
• Cover critical issues facing the industry today, from flood risk engineering management to sustainable development
• Apply your learning to real-world projects and scenarios

Explore your full potential within the fields of civil engineering and construction management with this forward-thinking MSc programme.

A broad and dynamic study programme

Programme modules cover topics that are highly relevant to the profession, today and tomorrow, such as flood risk engineering management, sustainable development, and environmental performance management.

We also develop your transferable skills in scholarly writing, research, critical thinking, independent learning, communication and problem solving. Such skills will mean you are ideally placed to engage with continuing professional development and further advanced study in the disciplines of Civil Engineering and construction management.

The combination of core and optional modules enables you to tailor your studies to address topics which are important in successfully achieving and maintaining sustainable built environments – anything ranging from significant property developments to infrastructure projects including highways and railways.

Real-world learning with our UK-based residential

If you choose the Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering optional module, you will be required to attend a three-day field based residential in Derbyshire. This will be extended to a 5-day block residential week if you also take the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering module which involves laboratory work at our campus.

The residential enables you to apply the skills and knowledge you have acquired in a practical setting, allowing you to gain experience using state-of-the-art equipment found on site. It is also a great opportunity to network and make industry links, meeting others from your course as well as your tutors.

Work towards Chartered Engineer status (CEng) with an accredited course

Our online MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management degree is a highly flexible work-based-learning route designed to support your application towards Chartered Engineer status (CEng).

MSc (non-technical) - this degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council (EngC) as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Together they represent around 100,000 of the world’s leading professional engineers.

To hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration, you must also hold a Bachelor (Hons) degree that has been accredited as partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Please note: That students completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited Bachelor degree accredited for IEng only or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.

This online Civil Engineering and Construction Management Master’s degree is also accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the world's largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership. Members of the CIOB members work worldwide in the development, conservation and improvement of the built environment.

Before you start the programme, please contact the professional engineering institution you are registered with to seek their confirmation that this programme is a suitable pathway to engineering chartership for your circumstances. They will also be able to help you to source a suitable mentor to aid you in your professional development, a required element of this programme.

The list of professional engineering institutions can be found on the Engineering Council (EngC) website.

Raise your professional profile with an accredited course

MSc (non-technical) - this degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

To hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration, you must also hold a Bachelor (Hons) degree that has been accredited as partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Please note: That students completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited Bachelor degree accredited for IEng only or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.

Broaden your connections with student membership

Students on this accredited MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management course will be eligible for Student Membership with one of the professional bodies within the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) group:

• The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
• Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
• Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)
• Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE)
• Permanent Way Institution (PWI)

As a student member you’ll experience benefits such as advice and support, events and networking, knowledge hubs and resources, professional communities and careers support.

Mentoring from experienced Chartered Engineers

Professional development is an important part of this programme, involving mentoring and support from an experienced Chartered Engineer. You are required to source a suitable mentor via the engineering institute you are registered with or via your workplace. Mentors can fulfil two separate roles. A workplace mentor can advise on technical and business suitability in your approach, whereas a mentor who is a Chartered Engineer will ensure you are meeting all of the competencies to a suitable level to support your application to become a Chartered Engineer.

Gain a Postgraduate Certificate in one year for your CPD

If you are seeking a postgraduate qualification and do not feel ready to commit to a full Master’s award, then the Postgraduate Certificate in Civil Engineering and Construction Management means that you will be able to complete a shorter level 7 qualification in 12 months, for your continuing professional development requirements.

Mentoring from experienced Chartered Engineers

Professional development is an important part of this programme, involving mentoring and support from an experienced Chartered Engineer. You are required to source a suitable mentor via the engineering institute you are registered with or via your workplace. Mentors can fulfil two separate roles. A workplace mentor can advise on technical and business suitability in your approach, whereas a mentor who is a Chartered Engineer will ensure you are meeting all of the competencies to a suitable level to support your application to become a Chartered Engineer.

A talk from our academic

Our Programme Lead for Civil Engineering and Construction Management, Derek Spalton, talks about our online Civil Engineering and Construction Management postgraduate courses.

If you have any further questions you can contact-us.

The online MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management programme comprises of two core 20 credit modules, one prescribed 20 credit module, three optional 20 credit modules and one Independent scholarship worth 60 credits, totalling 180 credits.

You can view the study plan for this online course. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered. In addition, where demand is high, some modules may be subject to a cap.

You can also study the MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management full-time or part-time on campus.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Pace of study

The academic year is made up of three 10-week terms, known as trimesters. We recommend about 20 hours of study per week to complete one 20-credit module over a 10-week trimester for the standard study plan.

If you opt to undertake the accelerated study plan whereby you will study two modules in one trimester, we recommend 40 hours of study per week.

Should you decide to study on the accelerated rate you should ensure that you have the capacity to fully engage with your studies and achieve the best grades and final award. If you choose to study on the accelerated rate, you will need to balance approximately 40 hours of study per week alongside your professional and personal life and commitments.

It may be useful to consider studying one module at the standard rate of study before deciding whether to then increase to the accelerated rate of study.

There will be 1/2 virtual classrooms over the 10 week trimester and if you are unable to attend you will be able to download the session to view in your own time.

Study Skills

Many of our students are mature learners and have not studied academically for many years. To help you to become an effective student, able to study at Postgraduate level, there are a number of advanced study skill resources available to you covering areas such as research skills, critical evaluation in academic context, literature search, referencing, plagiarism and so on.

Assessment method

You will undertake formative and summative assessments to demonstrate that you have met the module and programme learning outcomes.

Formative assessment activities provide the opportunity for structured learning and feedback, such as self-assessment, peer review or feedback directly from your tutor.

More formal summative assessments which count towards your grades, such as project design work and design briefs, project reviews and portfolios, assignments, case studies, presentations, team-work projects and examinations.

The following three modules involve a time-constrained exam which will be taken online.

• Project Planning Value Engineering and Risk Management
• Transport and Infrastructure Engineering & Sustainable Design
• Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Theoretical concepts and practical application will be covered in live lectures, tutorials and seminars.

Residential

Two optional modules, the Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering module and the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering module, incorporate a short residential held in Derbyshire. During the residential, you will undertake practical sessions and assessments to gain hands on experience of a range of civil engineering processes whilst learning to identify significant logistical and management constraints.

If you select a module involving the residential, you are required to attend at least 75% of the residential to pass the programme.

Details for residential costs can be found in the Fees section.

Personal Development Planning (PDP) and Employability

Personal development planning (PDP) is embedded throughout this course. During your studies, you will be encouraged to identify how aspects of the programme will both benefit your development and future practice.

Professional development opportunities exist throughout each module, such as: live projects, industry links and case studies, conferences, professional body CPD courses, proposals, presentations and student delivery of seminar topics.

You will be actively encouraged to adopt a developmental and reflective attitude towards understanding transferable skills and their potential for employment opportunities. To help you reflect on your current competencies, you will have access to reflective self-assessment and personal diagnostic tools and a wealth of resources.

As you set out or develop in your professional career, you will be required to continually develop your skills as technologies can become obsolete or be superseded. At postgraduate level this is effectively the beginning of your PDP or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) journey.

Student support and guidance

Whilst we encourage our students to become independent, life-long learners, we also recognise that offering the right support and guidance will help you to achieve your goals. There is a wealth of support available to you at the University, from your dedicated Personal Tutor and Online Learner Advisor, through to our:

• Library
• Health and Wellbeing Centre
• Careers and Employability Service
• IT Support
• Union of Students
• Develop@Derby for study, personal and employability skills

All these services, and more, are available to you as an online student at the University of Derby.

Get a taste of the course content

Our Civil Engineering and Construction Management course taster will give you an idea of how online learning works. It includes a selection of content from a course module so you can see what some of our learning material looks like. 

You will need to complete a short form to access the course taster. 

You will require at least a 2.2 degree or equivalent in a Civil Engineering or Construction-related discipline.

If you don’t have a degree or an accredited degree, we can consider your application if supported by significant industrial experience within the sector. Please include evidence of all experience you have in your application. While the University guidelines on recognition of prior learning (RPL) will be followed, RPL will only be recommended where applicants can present a portfolio of professional work that is deemed to be of an appropriate level.

Please note, in regards to RPL:

• The Negotiated module (7ME506) is exempt from RPL
• RPL is not available for Independent Scholarship 60 credit module

Professional membership

To get the most out of the programme, you are expected to be a member of a professional engineering body. Before you join this masters degree, you should contact the membership department of your professional body to ensure that they will recognise this programme as part of your application for chartered engineer status.

English language qualifications

If English is not your first language, or you have not successfully completed your highest level of qualification in English, you will need an English language qualification*. For this course you will need at least one of the following:

• IELTS 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 in any areas)
• TOEFL 580 (paper based) 237 (computer based) or 92 (internet based)
• Pearson Test of Academic English: 58
• Cambridge Advanced Certificate: Pass
• London Tests of English: we accept level 5 for postgraduate courses
• International GCE O Level English Language: Grade C
• International GCSE English/English as a Second Language: Grade C.

Find out more about our English language requirements

^‡2024/25 for new entrants

Starting between September 2024 and August 2025.

2025/26 for new entrants

Starting between September 2025 and August 2026.

About your fees

This figure would be the total cost of this course based on the fee in the current academic year. However, please note that fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase if your course lasts longer than one year.

If you are required to undertake any associate study or additional study as a condition of your offer for the programme, please be aware that the cost for this may be in addition to the programme cost stated above.

Residential costs

The Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering module and the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering module contains a short residential which is taken in during a block week. To undertake the residential, there is an additional cost of £150 which is not included in your course fees.

If you choose to study the Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering module or both the Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering module and the Advanced Geotechnical Engineering module, the total cost of the course is £9,150 (new students in AY24/25) or £9,870 (new students in AY25/26).

The full programme fee quoted does not include the cost of the residential as it depends on your module choices. Please note, if you opt for the residential, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for your own travel, short-term study visa (if required), accommodation and other incurred costs. The University will assist, where possible, with these arrangements. Find out more about obtaining a short-term student visa.

Flexible payment plans available

Choose from two payment plan options:

• Pay monthly and only for the modules you are studying

• Pay your full course fees upfront and avoid annual increases

Masters funding options

Depending on where you are from in the UK or EU, and on your pace of study, you may be eligible for a postgraduate student loan. Accessible through Student Finance, this is a non-income based loan to help with living costs and tuition fees whilst studying your masters programme.

If you are considering applying for a student loan, please also see our additional guidance on Loans for Online Students.

Alumni discount for Derby graduates

We offer a discount on postgraduate course fees for all Derby alumni.

Find out about the Alumni discount

Apply directly to the University.

Apply now

For support with completing your application, view our guide to the application process.

Documents to support your application

In order for your application to be assessed, you will need to provide the following documents when you apply:

• Official photo identification such as a passport or driving licence
• Current CV
• Written reference supplied on headed paper from either a manager, supervisor, tutor or teacher
• Copies of certificates and transcripts or a letter of testimony for previous qualifications*

*Documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. Each translation must contain:

• Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• The date of the translation
• The full name and signature of the translator, or an authorised official of the company
• The translator’s contact details

A list of approved translators can be found on the UK Government website.

Please note: failure to submit any documentation when requested, may result in your application being withdrawn.

Application deadlines

All of our online courses have set start dates throughout the year. We require time to review your application and get back to you with a response before your course starts. Take a look at information regarding applying for an online course to see full details of deadlines and term dates.

Our MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management programme will provide you with an ideal platform to undertake professional management roles within the industry sector.

This course will provide valuable skills and knowledge to support your career growth and development in a wide range of roles such as planning, site management, quantity surveying, project design, and project management. Or you may pursue more specialist disciplines such as: Geotechnical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Highway Engineer, Engineering Surveyor, Facilities Manager and Asset Management Engineer.

Throughout the course, you will be able to apply knowledge learnt on the programme directly into your workplace helping you to make a positive impact quickly which will be rewarding on a personal level and will be of great value to your employer or to your own business.

The course is designed to support you in your career development within the profession, however you may wish to consider further study and research towards a PhD qualification.

Utilise our Careers and Employment Service​

Whilst you are a student at the University of Derby, and for 3 years after you graduate, our Careers and Employment Service can assist you with job search advice, CV creation, workshops and events, as well as one-to-one appointments with employment advisers to help with career planning and interview preparation.

Contact us

Contact the University of Derby Online Learning:

Other courses you might like

• Civil Engineering and Construction Management MSc (on campus)
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