Civil & Environmental Engineering

Civil and environmental engineering addresses the built and natural systems that society depends upon: roads, bridges, tunnels, water treatment works, flood defences, sustainable drainage, and the infrastructure that makes urban and rural life possible. It is a discipline that requires both rigorous technical training and sensitivity to the environmental and social consequences of engineering decisions. As climate change intensifies, the demands placed on civil engineers to design resilient, low-carbon, and ecologically thoughtful infrastructure are growing rapidly.

At Cardiff University, this four-year, full-time degree combines the core disciplines of civil engineering with a sustained focus on environmental applications and sustainability. You will study structural analysis and design, learning how buildings, bridges, and other structures bear loads and resist failure. Geotechnics introduces the behaviour of soils and rocks under engineering conditions.

Hydraulics and water engineering cover the behaviour of fluids in channels, pipes, and coastal contexts. Environmental engineering adds the study of water quality, waste management, contamination, and the design of systems for treating and monitoring environmental systems. Throughout the programme, you will develop proficiency in engineering mathematics and computing, as well as the skills to communicate technical analyses clearly in written and presented forms.

Cardiff is a well-regarded engineering school with strong connections to the engineering sector in Wales and beyond, and the four-year structure allows for real depth across both the civil and environmental strands. A typical entry tariff of 136 UCAS points indicates the level of prior attainment expected.

The programme develops systematic problem-solving, quantitative analysis, and an understanding of how engineering decisions are made within legal, environmental, and commercial constraints.

Graduates work in structural engineering, geotechnical consultancy, water and environmental engineering, transport planning, and project management. Many pursue chartered engineer status with professional bodies. Postgraduate study in specialist areas is also a common route.