UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORD
School of Engineering and Informatics
School of Engineering
Programme title: MSC/PGDip Civil and Structural Engineering
Awarding and teaching
institution:
University of Bradford
Final and interim awards
MSc/Postgraduate Diploma/ Postgraduate
Certificate
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
level 7]
Programme title:
Civil and Structural Engineering
Programme accredited by:
Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)
Duration:
1 year full time
UCAS code:
N/A
Subject benchmark
statement:
Date produced:
Engineering
Last updated
October 2013
April 2007
Introduction
Civil engineering is a strategically important profession for both developed and
developing countries. With creativity and technical skills, civil engineers plan, design
construct, maintain and operate infrastructure facilities essential to modern life,
ranging from bridges and highways to water and wastewater treatment facilities and
buildings. Civil engineering is a broad field that spans a number of branches
including subjects such as Structural Engineering, Water Resources Engineering,
Environmental Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Geotechnical
Engineering. As countries develop, and their population’s increase, and as
environmental concerns mount, civil engineering skills will be increasingly needed
throughout the world. Meeting the challenges of providing housing and buildings,
infrastructure to control pollution, transportation links, drinking water and energy
needs, urban redevelopment and community planning are few examples of the
problems civil engineers solve. Civil engineering offers wide career choices, ranging
from design, construction, research, planning, teaching, to management. The branch
of structural engineering is concerned with the structural design and analysis of
buildings, bridges, and other structures. This involves calculating the stresses and
forces that act upon or arise within a structure, and designing the structure to
successfully resist those forces and stresses. Resistance to wind and seismic
loadings, especially performance near resonant frequencies, which affect the overall
© University of Bradford
1
stability of a structure are major design concerns. Other factors such as durability
and cost are also considered. In addition to design of new buildings, structural
engineers may design a seismic retrofit for an existing structure to mitigate
undesirable performance during earthquakes. Most civil and structural engineers
today deal with power plants, bridges, roads, railways, structures, water supply,
irrigation, the natural environment, sewer, flood control, transportation and traffic.
Civil and structural engineering aims to improve and maintain the built and natural
environment with best use of resources to enhance the quality of life for present and
future generations. Those entering the civil engineering field are increasingly
required to continue their education long after bachelor’s graduation and are required
to increase their knowledge base to remain competitive. Thus this MSc programme
at the University of Bradford is designed to provide advanced civil and structural
engineering education to meet the aspirations of students’ needs. The programme is
designed in a way to address a balanced curriculum between advanced technical
and design skills, and research skills. Optional modules are also included to offer
students more choices and meet their interests and needs in civil and structural
engineering. The programme is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM)
as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer, and as a
technical MSc for holders of an IEng degree.
The School of Engineering and Informatics places emphasis on both teaching and
research, believing them to be mutually dependent. We have particular research
strengths in Water Engineering; Acoustics; Structural Engineering; Geotechnics;
Sustainability; and Computer Modelling and Design. We conduct this research jointly
with many companies including Yorkshire Water, Thames Water, Bersche-rolt,
Transport Research Laboratory, AngloFelt Industries, Lime Technology, Castle
Cement, Ibstock Bricks and many others.
With reference to teaching and learning, the School aims to produce postgraduates
who aspire to challenging careers in industry, commerce and the public sector or to
developing their own enterprises. Postgraduates will be able to move directly into
responsible roles in employment with a minimum of additional training. It achieves
this aim by:


Providing a supportive, structured environment in which students are
encouraged to develop independent learning skills;
Developing subject knowledge and understanding, developing discipline skills
and developing personal transferable skills, to enable graduates to pursue
programmes of advanced study, or to move directly into responsible
employment.
© University of Bradford
2
Programme Aims
The aims of the MSc programme are:




To provide students with the advanced theoretical knowledge, concepts and
skills necessary for original thought and problem analysis related to civil and
structural engineering.
To provide students with deepened academic and technical skills necessary to
integrate their knowledge and understanding to solve a range of complex
engineering problems.
To enable students to carry out independently, but under supervision, a specific
research project in civil and structural engineering.
To provide those possessing an accredited undergraduate degree, the Further
Learning educational requirements (in compliance with UK-SPEC) to permit
progression to Chartered Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and/or
the Institution of Structural Engineers and/or the Institution of Highways and
Transportation, and registration with the Engineering Council (UK) as a
Chartered Engineer.
Programme Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
The students on this MSc programme will build on their undergraduate level to
deepen and develop advanced knowledge and understanding of principles
underpinning science and mathematics, engineering analysis and practice, design,
and sustainability needed in civil and structural engineering, water engineering,
geotechnics, and multi-disciplinary design. Students will integrate their technical and
non-technical knowledge and understanding through the whole programme to solve
a range of complex civil and structural engineering problems.
The teaching and learning methods implemented to engage students in developing
their Knowledge and Understanding of the programme include formal lectures, case
studies, tutorial exercises, practical demonstrations, directed learning, and group and
individual work.
The method of assessment is by written examinations and both analytical and
experimental coursework.
On completion of this award at Masters Level (FHEQ Level 7), you will be able to:Intellectual Abilities
 Apply engineering principles and inter-personal skills to the critical analysis of
multi-disciplinary complex problems in order to create innovative solutions to
these problems;
 Integrate engineering understanding and apply insight to the solution of real
problems;
 Approach, construct, analyse and solve design problems;
 Demonstrate intellectual capabilities of formulation, conceptualisation and
reflection of complex non-routine problems;
 Develop abilities to plan a research programme of work, conduct corresponding
experimental and theoretical work and report findings in a critical thesis;
© University of Bradford
3

Demonstrate self direction and originality in problem solving.
Practical Skills
 Exercise initiative and personal responsibility in professional practice;
 Design or develop new skills or procedures for new situations;
 Develop a range of laboratory skills from their individual research project;
 Use software packages in the advanced analysis, design and evaluation of
complex engineering systems.
General Transferable Skills
 Use critical thinking; evaluation and integration of scientific and technological
information from a variety of sources.
 The ability to learn in a structured but broad programme and manage accordingly
their time and effort and the resources available to them.
 The ability to develop, monitor and update a research plan, taking into account
changes that may affect the plan.
 Work effectively with a group as leader or member, make appropriate use of the
capacity of group members, negotiate and handle conflict with confidence.
On completion of this award at PG Certificate and/or PG Diploma level, you will be
able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced understanding of, and ability to apply, the main
theories, principles and techniques of advanced geotechnics, earthquake
engineering and civil and structural engineering;
2. Model and evaluate elastic and elastic-plastic structures and predict the
effects of changes in operational parameters on structural behaviour.
3. Deploy advanced level design optimization skills to formulate and solve
optimization problems, selecting and implementing solutions, related to
engineering design;
4. Demonstrate analysis and synthesis of information relating to a specified
engineering/technology and environmental management problem, and an
ability to generate practical solutions.
At Masters Level, and including all of the above, you will be able to:
5. Select, design, plan and manage a self-directed research-informed civil
engineering project, demonstrating a critical analysis and evaluation of
relevant material and the ability to apply relevant skills and research
methodologies in the production of an advanced report.
Curriculum
This is a 12-month programme that starts in September. The curriculum of this
programme is made up of a taught element of 100 credits and an individual MSc
research project element of 80 credits. The taught element is structured in the form
of modules carrying 10 or 20 credits arranged within the two semesters forming the
academic session. The first semester is based on numerical and design modules
aiming to bring students up to a common level in order to progress to semester 2,
which is made of detailed technical core and optional high level subjects. The MSc
© University of Bradford
4
project forms the major part of this MSc programme. It gives students the opportunity
to develop their ability to learn, research and work independently. Students are
expected to integrate their knowledge to develop practical evaluation and solution(s)
on a significant project in the Civil and Structural Engineering sector. The structure of
the curriculum, which shows the core (C) and optional (O) modules for this
programme is presented in the table below. The curriculum may change, subject to
the University's programme approval, monitoring and review procedures, as
improvements are made each year. More details, including learning outcomes and
assessment, are available for each unit.
Unit Code
Credit
Semester
Level
Module Title
ENG4022M
10
1
7
Advanced Structural Analysis
C
ENG4091L
20
1, 2
7
Advanced Structural Engineering Project
C
ENG4080M
10
1
7
Engineering Vibration
C
ENG4074M
10
1
7
Advanced Geotechnics
C
ENG4029M
10
1
7
Design Optimisation
O
ENG4031M
10
1
7
Advanced Numerical Methods
O
ENG4005M
20
2
7
Case Study
C
ENG4075M
10
2
7
Earthquake Engineering
O
ENG4025M
10
2
7
Finite Element Methods
O
ENG3104M
10
2
6
O
ENG4084M
10
2
7
Steel & Composite Design*
Environmental Computational Fluid Dynamics
ENG4064M
10
2
7
Sustainable Energy*
O
ENG4072M
10
2
7
Risk Management
O
ENG4098B
80
1,2,3
7
MSc Project
C
Credit rating of options to be selected
C/O
O
Semester 1
10
Semester 2
20
C – Core; O – Option
* Only available if it has not been studied at BEng Stage 3.
Assessment Regulations
Whilst this Programme conforms to the general principles set out in the standard
University Assessment Regulations which are available at the link below,
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/aqpo/ordinances-and-regulations/, the following
exception(s) apply to these regulations:
1. The MSc project must be passed at 1st attempt
2. To gain an accredited MSc award, 160 credits must have a minimum mark of
50% with the remaining 20 credits with marks at a minimum of 40%.
This requirement can be met with supplementary assessment (on one
occasion only) in any number of taught subjects. You may therefore re-sit a
module that has a mark in the 40% to 50% range for the purpose of remaining
on the accredited award.
© University of Bradford
5
If the above requirements are not met, but the University’s postgraduate regulations
are complied with, then a non-accredited MSc will be awarded.
Admission Requirements
The University welcomes applications from all potential students regardless of their
previous academic experience; offers are made following detailed consideration of
each individual application. Most important in the decision to offer a place is our
assessment of a candidate’s potential to benefit from their studies and of their ability
to succeed on this particular programme.
Entrance requirements for each
programme will vary but consideration of your application will be based on a
combination of your formal academic qualifications and other relevant experience.
If you have prior certificated learning or professional experience which may be
equivalent to parts of this programme, the University has procedures to evaluate this
learning in order to provide you with exemptions from specified modules contained
within the curriculum. Please talk to us if you do not fit the standard pattern of entry
qualifications.
We are continually reviewing and developing our practices and policies to make the
University more inclusive, but if you are disabled we may need to make some
adjustments to make sure that you are not disadvantaged. We would advise you to
contact the programme leader before you apply to discuss these.
In addition to satisfying the general admissions requirements of the University of
Bradford, you must have a first degree in relevant discipline; normally a Secondclass Honours degree or equivalent in Science, Engineering, or Technology.
Candidates who do not fulfil the normal entry requirements but have extensive
industrial experience in Civil and Structural Engineering are considered on an
individual basis. Those applicants seeking to use this MSc, if it is accredited by the
JBM, as Further Learning to satisfy the educational base requirements for
chartership must also be in possession of an appropriate accredited degree.
English Language Requirements:
All students must satisfy the English language requirements for admission as
described in http://www.brad.ac.uk/international/english-prepare.php. If your native
language is not English, you will have to pass a test in English approved by the
University before you can be admitted. The following qualifications are acceptable as
satisfying this requirement. Both are available internationally:
The International English Language Testing Service Test (IELTS) administered
by the British Council is the test, which is preferred by the University. You will
need to achieve an Overall Band of at least 6, with at least 5.5 in each of the four
sub-tests. Testing facilities are available at most British Council overseas offices.
When you take your test, you should ask for a copy of your Test Report Form to
be sent to the University.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the
Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, USA. You will need
to achieve an overall score of at least 80*, and sub-tests not less than 18 in
Reading, 17 in Writing, 17 in Listening and 20 in Speaking. If you take this test,
you should enter the University's code 0828, on your answer sheet.
© University of Bradford
6
Teaching and Assessment Strategies
The teaching and learning strategy takes into consideration the learning outcomes,
progression through the levels of study, and the nature of the subject, and the need
for you to take greater responsibility for your own learning as you progress through
the programme. The strategies and methods implemented are:

The teaching and learning methods implemented to engage you in developing
your knowledge and understanding of the programme include formal lectures
(including those from Visiting Lecturers), case studies, tutorial exercises, practical
demonstrations, directed learning and individual work.
The method of
assessment is by written examination and both analytical and experimental
coursework.

The methods implemented in developing your intellectual skills include engaging
with you during tutorial exercises, case studies, practical demonstration and
supervised research or project work. The methods of assessment of intellectual
skills are implicit in the written examinations, analytical and experimental
coursework and more particularly in your MSc dissertation and PG/Dip final
report.

The methods implemented in developing your practical skills include
demonstrations and practicals linked with the taught modules. You will also
design and operate equipment and use control and measuring instruments under
supervision during your research project. The methods of assessment of
practical skills include feedback on laboratory work linked with the taught
modules. Also a large part of the mark of the MSc dissertation and the PG/Dip
will be attributed to the Experimental Method and Equipment and the
Presentation & Discussion of Results.

The methods implemented in developing your transferable skills are implicit in the
programme. The University of Bradford is well known for attracting students from
a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and countries. This and the learning
facilities available to all students provide the conditions for students to develop
and manage their learning. The University of Bradford modus operandi, Making
Knowledge Work, is imbedded in the philosophy of this programme, particularly in
the area of Engineering, Design and Technology, which is well equipped with
practical and computational facilities. The methods of assessment of transferable
skills are built in the structure of the examinations, case studies, laboratory
demonstrations and research or project work.
Student support & guidance
Programme Team
Support for you personally and in your programme of study, will be provided both by
the University and the Programme Team. You will be allocated a personal tutor who
is someone with whom you will be able to talk about any academic or personal
concerns. The School will ensure that there is someone available with whom you
feel comfortable to help and support you. You will be provided with a comprehensive
series of handbooks that you can consult on a range of learning issues and your
programme tutors will be available to consult on subject specific queries.
© University of Bradford
7
Students’ Union
We value the feedback provided by students and collaborate with the Students’
Union, through a system of student representatives and formal staff student liaison
committees, so that any issues you wish to raise are addressed rapidly.
The Students Union provide professional academic representation and advice. The
Students’ Union and the University of Bradford work in partnership to provide
confidential counselling and welfare services where you can get help with any aspect
of your personal or academic life. Student Financial and Information Services (part
of the Hub) will provide you with information about a diverse range of issues such as
council tax, personal safety and tourist information. International Students can
access a range of additional advice and support services through the Student’s
Union.
Employability and Career Development
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance their
employability profile, commitment towards a career pathway(s) and to implementing
a career plan.
Professional career guidance and development support is available throughout your
time as a student and as a graduate from Career Development Services. The
support available from Career Development Services includes a wide range of
information resources, one to one appointments, a weekly workshop programme, a
mentoring programme, graduate recruitment and careers fairs, plus information and
help to you find part time work, summer work placements, internship programmes
and graduate/postgraduate entry vacancies. In addition, some students will receive
seminars and workshops delivered by Career Development Services as part of their
programme of study. All students are encouraged to access Career Development
Services at an early stage during their studies and to use the extensive resources
available on their web site www.careers.brad.ac.uk.
Career Development Services annually undertakes a survey of all postgraduates to
find out their destination six months after graduation. The survey gathers data on the
employment and further study routes graduates have entered and a range of other
information including job roles, name and location of employers, salary details etc.
The survey findings for each programme of study are presented on the programme
information pages on the University website and via Career Development Services’
website www.careers.brad.ac.uk
Learner Development Unit for Academic Skills Advice
For postgraduate students on taught programmes who are looking to improve their
marks during their time at university, study skills and maths advice is available to all
regardless of degree discipline. Students can access a programme of interactive
workshops and clinics which is delivered throughout the year. This is in addition to
our extremely popular face-to-face guidance from our advisers, who also offer a wide
range of online and paper based materials for self-study.
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/learner-development/
© University of Bradford
8
Disability
Disabled students will find a supportive environment at Bradford where we are
committed to ensuring that all aspects of student life are accessible to
everyone. The Disability Service can help by providing support, advice and
equipment to help you get the most out of your time at Bradford. It is a place where
you can discuss any concerns you may have about adjustments that you may need,
whether these relate to study, personal care or other issues.
For more information contact the Disability Service by phoning: 01274 233739 or via
email: disabilities@bradford.ac.uk
University policies and initiatives
Ecoversity
Ecoversity is a strategic project of the University which aims to embed the principles
of sustainable development into our decision-making, learning and teaching,
research activities campus operations and lives of our staff and students. We do not
claim to be a beacon for sustainable development but we aspire to become a leading
University in this area. The facilities we create for teaching and learning, including
teaching spaces, laboratories, IT labs and social spaces, will increasingly reflect our
commitments to sustainable development. Staff and student participation in this
initiative is crucial to its success and its inclusion in the programme specification is a
clear signal that it is at the forefront of our thinking in programme development,
delivery,
monitoring
and
review.
For
more
details
see
www.bradford.ac.uk/ecoversity/
Further information
For further information, please check the University prospectus or contact the
Admissions Office
The Admissions Office,
University of Bradford,
Richmond Rd
Bradford BD7 1DP
Tel: +44 (0)1274 233054
The Admissions Office,
School of Engineering and Informatics
University of Bradford,
Richmond Rd
Bradford BD7 1DP
+44 (0) 1274 23 4567
http://www.brad.ac.uk/courses/
http://www.edt.brad.ac.uk/home/#
The contents of this Programme Specification may change, subject to the
University's programme and regulatory approval, monitoring and review procedures.
© University of Bradford
9