Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)

Civil engineering. A firm foundation for your career.

What is civil engineering? Civil engineers are responsible for the physical infrastructure that allows society to function. Your studies will cover the three main civil specialisations in structural, water and geotechnical engineering.

Your studies might lead you to design Australia’s first high-speed train network, connecting communities and reducing carbon emissions. You might even build a revolutionary water recycling plant to tackle water security issues.

You will learn about materials used for construction; how to design buildings to be structurally safe, how to design foundations - shallow or deep - to support bridges or buildings; hydrology and how to manage water resources. Your courses will focus on preparing you to design, build and manage structures and systems as a qualified civil engineer.

Course overview

Build critical technical engineering skills by studying courses in:

• structural engineering
• water engineering
• geomechanics
• transportation engineering
• civil engineering materials
• engineering management

Admission to our undergraduate degree programs usually requires successful completion of a senior secondary school qualification similar to the Higher School Certificate (HSC), the highest educational award in New South Wales schools.

Applicants who do not speak English as a first language must demonstrate that they meet the University's English proficiency requirement. Further information regarding English language proficiency requirements can be found at the English Language Proficiency for Admission Policy.

In the application portal, you can enter the program you wish to study and upload relevant documents needed as part of your application. It is recommended you submit your application a minimum of 12 weeks before your intended semester of trimester start date.

Civil engineers can work for construction companies, consulting firms, project management companies, transport companies and governments.

Specialties can include:

• structural engineering - design and analyse buildings, bridges, and other structures to ensure they are safe, stable, and capable of withstanding loads and environmental forces.
• water engineering - design and manage systems that supply clean water, treat wastewater, and control flooding to protect public health and the environment.
• transport and traffic engineering – plan, design and optimize transportation systems to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable movement of people and goods.
• geotechnical engineering - investigate and analyse soil, rock, and groundwater conditions to design foundations for structures like buildings, bridges, and tunnels. Prevent issues like landslides, excessive settlement, or soil failure.

Engineering is the most commonly held degree of the highest-performing Fortune 500 CEOs. The CEOs of companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Tesla Motors are all engineers.

Professional outcomes

• civil engineering designer
• geotechnical engineer
• structural engineer
• transport systems engineer
• urban development engineer
• water engineer