Civil Engineering deals with the design, construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment.

It includes the design of bridges, buildings, roads and dams, and works relating to management of our water resources. The work of civil engineers is evident all around us and their contribution to society is huge. This work incorporates environmental protection; large-scale construction projects; ensuring the provision of safe drinking water; designing and implementing strategies for treating wastewater and pollutants; development of transport infrastructure; flood prevention; and the design of foundations for different ground conditions.

Skills for meeting these requirements are developed in UCD Civil Engineering, in core areas of structural design, water and environmental engineering, transport engineering and geotechnical (soil and foundation) engineering.

First Year
Engineering students follow a common first year which includes modules in:

• Chemistry
• Creativity in Design
• Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• Energy Engineering
• Engineering Computing
• Mathematics
• Mechanics
• Physics.

Second to Fifth Year
Areas of study for Civil Engineering include:

• Theory, Design and Analysis of Structures
• Hydraulic Engineering
• Treatment Processes for Water and Wastewater
• Geotechnics
• Construction Materials & Practice
• Transportation Engineering
• Highway Engineering
• Professional Engineering studies

A student’s week involves attending lectures, tutorials, participating in laboratory classes and undertaking project and design exercises both individually and in teams. Coursework is continually assessed but modules also include end of trimester written examinations.

For detailed information on subject content click here.

You may be interested in the following Blog posts: Societies that Engineering Students can get involved with in UCD.

Students have the opportunity in their third year to spend either one or two trimesters studying abroad in a partner University, there are options to study in countries such as France, Spain, China, Australia, Canada, USA, Singapore, New Zealand

Professional Work Experience

Professional Work Experience (PWE) is incorporated in the ME programme. Eight-month internships (the majority of which are paid) have included the following employers: AECOM, Arup, ESB, Malone O’Regan, MJH Structural Engineers, Walls Construction, Roughan & O’Donovan, RPS and Sisk.

Graduates can find employment in:

• Environmental industries
• Transportation engineering
• Water resource and hydraulic engineering
• Management and project management
• Financial services
• Structural engineering
• Research

Graduates can also apply for taught and research Master’s in UCD, including Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Water, Waste & Environmental Engineering and Engineering with Business. Graduates can also apply for positions in PhD research programmes.

• A-Level/GCSE
• Other EU Applicants
• Non-EU Applicants
• Level 6/7 Progression Routes
• Mature Entry Route
• HEAR
• DARE

UCD Engineering & Architecture College Office
Engineering and Materials Science Centre
Belfield, Dublin 4

Tel: +353 1 716 1916
Email: laura.egan-obrien@ucd.ie