Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil and environmental engineering addresses the design, construction and maintenance of the built and natural environment that surrounds us every day. Civil engineers are responsible for the infrastructure that modern life depends on: roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, water supply systems, sewage treatment, buildings and the planning frameworks within which all these systems sit. Environmental engineering extends this to address specifically how engineering can manage, reduce and remediate the environmental impacts of human activity, including waste management, contaminated land remediation and water treatment.

Together these fields address both the creation of infrastructure and its relationship to the natural environment.

At Cardiff University you will develop expertise across the combined field, studying structural engineering, geotechnics, hydraulics, materials, project management and the environmental engineering topics that distinguish this programme from a purely civil engineering focus. Cardiff's position as the capital city of Wales provides a rich professional context, and the university's engineering school is well connected to the construction and civil engineering industry. The programme runs full time over three years.

You will develop both theoretical understanding and practical engineering skills, learning to design and analyse structures and systems that meet demanding requirements for safety, durability, cost and environmental performance. The discipline requires rigorous quantitative analysis alongside the broader judgement needed to manage complex projects in real environments with real constraints.

Graduates from civil and environmental engineering programmes move into careers as civil engineers, structural engineers, environmental engineers, project managers, site engineers and consultants across the construction, infrastructure, water and environmental sectors. Many pursue Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Civil Engineers or the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. Postgraduate study in civil engineering, environmental engineering or project management is also a well-established route.