Civil Engineering
Pūhanga Metarahi
Scholarships
Ranking
9th in the world for Civil Engineering (ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, 2021)
Download Brochure
Scholarships
Ranking
9th in the world for Civil Engineering (ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, 2021)
Download Brochure
Qualifications
Overview
Civil engineers build cities and communities. They tackle 21st century challenges including sustainability, climate change, public health, resilience, and clean water.
Civil engineers are:
- planners, designers, constructors, and operators of the built environment — the spaces where people live, and the infrastructure we depend on like buildings, bridges, transportation, drinking water and wastewater systems
- kaitiaki (stewards of our natural environment)
- innovators and integrators of ideas, people, and technology
- managers of risk and uncertainty
Civil engineers work in interdisciplinary teams and with communities, including mana whenua, to create cutting-edge and creative approaches to solve complex and large-scale challenges.
Minors in Structural Engineering and Water and Environmental Systems Engineering
With the Structural Engineering minor, you will learn state-of-the-art approaches, and gain the expertise to work in Aotearoa and around the world in challenging and exciting large-scale structural engineering projects such as bridges, buildings, skyscrapers, dams, and towers.
A minor in Water and Environmental Systems Engineering focuses on solving the greatest challenges facing Aotearoa and the world: climate change, natural hazards, river and water quality, food production, population health, etc. Environmental systems engineers integrate our understanding of engineering, communities, and the environment in a way that is ethical and effective.
- UC is ranked 9th in the world for Civil Engineering (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2021), and in the top 100 universities in the world for Civil and Structural Engineering (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2021).
- World-class, high-tech laboratories on campus.
- Strong mentorship opportunities.
- Ability to build and compete in fun and engaging programmes, such as the bridge competition within your second year.
- Close community of students and professors.
- The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Civil Engineering is fully accredited by Engineering New Zealand.
UC offers Civil Engineering as a discipline within the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours.
Students may also choose to complete a minor alongside their discipline in either Structural Engineering or Water and Environmental Systems Engineering.
First year
The first year of the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours is made up of:
Six compulsory courses taken by all Engineering students:
- ENGR 100 Engineering Academic Skills
- ENGR 101 Foundations of Engineering
- EMTH 118 Engineering Mathematics 1A
- EMTH 119 Engineering Mathematics 1B
- COSC 131 Introduction to Programming for Engineers
- PHYS 101 Engineering Physics A: Mechanics, Waves, Electromagnetism and Thermal Physics
Plus courses specific to Civil Engineering:
In addition you must complete one other 100-level optional course. Check with Te Rāngai Pūkaha | College of Engineering Student Advisor for suggested options.
More information:
- To see how this qualification is structured, see the degree diagram on the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page.
- For guidance on how to structure your first year, visit the Engineering First Year webpage.
2nd–4th years
Once you have completed the first year and successfully applied for entry into Civil Engineering, you will study that discipline within the next three years.
Laboratory, tutorial, design, office, and field classes complement the theory presented in lectures and demonstrate its relevance to practical applications. As well as individual assignments, students also regularly work in teams on projects. Written and oral presentations are key components of many courses. Lecturers place a heavy emphasis on the importance of good communication skills.
Second year
- ENCI 199 Health & Safety on the Worksite
- ENGR 200 Engineering Work Experience
- ENCN 201 Communication Skills Portfolio 1
- ENCN 213 Design Studio 1
- ENCN 221 Engineering Materials
- ENCN 231 Solid Mechanics
- ENCN 242 Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology
- ENCN 253 Soil Mechanics
- ENCN 261 Transport and Surveying
- ENCN 281 Environmental Engineering
- EMTH 210 Engineering Mathematics 2
An external field camp also forms part of the second year's programme.
Third year
- ENCN 301 Communication Skills Portfolio 2
- ENCI 335 Structural Analysis and Systems 1
- ENCN 304 Deterministic Mathematical Methods
- ENCN 305 Programming, Statistics and Optimization
- ENCN 342 Hydraulics and Applied Hydrology
- ENCN 353 Geotechnical Engineering
- ENCN 371 Project and Infrastructure Management
- ENCN 375 Sustainable Engineering for a Changing Climate
Plus one of:
Fourth year
Plus four courses chosen from:
- ENCI 436 Behaviour and Design of Structures 2
- ENCI 437 Structural Analysis and Systems 2
- ENCI 438 Introduction to Structural Earthquake Engineering
- ENCN 401 Engineering in Developing Communities
- ENCN 412 Traffic Engineering
- ENCN 415 Pavement Engineering
- ENCN 444 Water Infrastructure and Design
- ENCN 445 Environmental Fluid Mechanics
- ENCN 452 Advanced Geotechnical Engineering
- ENCN 481 Environmental Engineering Design
- ENGR 403 Fire Engineering
- ENNR 423 Sustainable Energy Systems
- Any approved 400-level Engineering course
Students with a GPA of 6 or more may take a 600-level course as one of their options, with approval.
Civil engineers have extensive career opportunities, with a strong demand for graduates in Aotearoa and around the world.
Most new graduates are employed by consultants (who design and manage), contractors (who build and maintain), or central, regional, and local government (who develop policy and manage the infrastructure of countries, cities, and communities). These jobs often involve flexible work, challenging problems, and attractive salaries, along with many international opportunities in a diverse range of fields.
Many civil engineers become experts in specialised fields to tackle the demand for climate-resilient infrastructure and support a future global population of 10 billion people. Expert areas include structural, water, geotechnical, transportation, fire, environmental, civil systems, and construction.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in Civil Engineering.
Contact us
Te Tari Pūhanga Metarahi, Rawa Taiao | Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering
Phone +64 3 369 3113
Email engdegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz
Location
Level 4, Civil-Mechanical Engineering building – see campus maps
Postal address
Te Rāngai Pūkaha | College of Engineering
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
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