Civil Engineering

Dracata

Dracata

Dracata

Associate
Joined
21 Oct 2006
Posts
1,615
Location
Cambridge
Hi guys,

I'm considering a career change to go into the civil engineering / architectural / design field, starting university Sept '08

I was wondering if anyone here has gone on to do a Civil Engineering HND/BSc, or is actually a Civil Engineer,

I'm looking to find out what the course/education for it is like and generally everything/anything about it
 
Not to steal your thread mate, but i dont think my own question would be worth its own thread, quickie to the 'same crowd' would it be worth doing two years in Mechanical Engineering or would it be a waste of time and doing the full four essential?
 
It might be worth looking at specialised courses. They're not as useful as a general degree, but most are sponsored and you're pretty much guaranteed a job at the end. I know the railway do one at sheffield uni.
If your interested in diving as well, plymouth have a good rated diving civilal and coastal engineering. Divers with a civil engineering degree our highly sort after.

There's pros and negatives about everything, just thought I would throw them in.
 
At uni ive got a lot of friends studying civil engineering and general opinion is that it is quite a comprehensive course with a lot of work, however, as you say your making a career change i assume youve been working full time so you'll probably find the uni work a step down haha.

Were are you planning to study as this can drastically affect the style of the course.

If you use facebook you could join the civil engineering group for the uni your planning to go to and chat with people actually on the course or even speak with some graduates to get some more accurate opinions.
 
I've done Civil Engineering with Architecture, graduated from Southampton with a Masters in July, now working as a grad structural engineer in Winchester designing private residential houses, soon a business park near Reading and possibly get put on the LFC stadium. I tended towards the structures/architecture aspects as opposed to geotechnics/hydraulics/management.

Hard degree with commitment required but god career prospects - starting on £22-24k, £26-28k with 2 years good experience, and once you get chartership in 4/5 years, you are are way past £30k.

Great opportunities to work on glamorous projects with options to work on those abroad.

I am not fed up yet, then again I am only 2 weeks into the job. :)
 
Dracata said:
Hi guys,

I'm considering a career change to go into the civil engineering / architectural / design field, starting university Sept '08

I was wondering if anyone here has gone on to do a Civil Engineering HND/BSc, or is actually a Civil Engineer,

I'm looking to find out what the course/education for it is like and generally everything/anything about it
Click to expand...


I did a HND then went into 3rd year of the Bsc.

Both were done at uni and speaking to the guys that had done the 1st and 2nd year degree course the HND was pretty similar in the content with the exception that we had done slighty more indepth geotechnics and they had done the same with some structures but wasnt anything too major.

Overall theres two types of civil engineer

Design/consultant- designs structures, drainage, roads, ground investigations etc. Carry out reports and investigations into buildings (crack monitoring, trial pit investigations). Overall consultants certify that the structure or design works.

Contactor - Builds what the consultant/architect has designed on site. Plans, prepares and organises works. Oversea supervision and monitoring.
 
Thanks guys, this is really useful information.

Ace of Spades - where did you go, and what was your opinion of the actual course?
 
went to napier, think they stopped doing the HND due to low attendances and interest.

The HND was quite intense and is a full time course 9-5 most days. We got quite a lot of maths lectures. On the HND you get tested quite regularly (every couple of weeks) which forces you to attend, where as on the degree you get exams once a semester.


From memory the HND was something along the lines of


1st Year

Structural Analysis - introduction to analysis of beams cantilevers, shear force
diagrams, bending moments.

Surveying, setting up tri-pod taking levels. We had a week of surveying a farm

Mathmatics- id say it was higher maths over again which was great as i had #### maths teacher at high school. Definatly picked it up.

CAD and IT (using MS project and simple drawings)

Geotechnics - looking at different clays and definations along with how to do site investigations

Fluid Mechanics- flow through pipes (bernouli) sp?

Communications (project work)

Engineering Management - Introduction to construction personel and there responsibilities

Construction engineering- Introduction to plant and some design.

Materials - Crushing concrete cubes preparing reports etc


2nd year was pretty much the same just more advanced and you had to do a presentation of a project.

Overall it was quite intense a lot of hard work but was worth it! :)
 
Im about to go into second year and i'm doing civil engineering, career prospects are good from what I hear and i'm enjoying the course although some parts are quite hard.
 
hey know this is an über old thread but was thinking of doing a HNC/HND in civil engineering myself, then possibly going on to study a Bsc. Whats the course like? hows the mathematics on it as i know its an important and large aspect of the course and tbh it isnt one of my stronger subjects.
 
uknowist said:
hey know this is an über old thread but was thinking of doing a HNC/HND in civil engineering myself, then possibly going on to study a Bsc. Whats the course like? hows the mathematics on it as i know its an important and large aspect of the course and tbh it isnt one of my stronger subjects.
Click to expand...

You need to be good at maths. If you slightly struggle(like i did) then your already too far behind. It's ALL maths
 
Have a look into Fire Engineering, there is such a demand for them at the moment, I had a work placement even after first year of uni and was sponsored for third year, have the option to work all over the world :)
 
I've nearly finished a part time MSc in Geotechnical Engineering, while working as an Engineering Geologist. Can be quite enjoyable but it ain't the most highly paid field to be going into.

There's a real shortage of people with a civil engineering background coming in to the industry though.

I know a few people that have gone straight from the HNC / HND route to do a masters.
 
Uriel said:
I've nearly finished a part time MSc in Geotechnical Engineering, while working as an Engineering Geologist. Can be quite enjoyable but it ain't the most highly paid field to be going into.

There's a real shortage of people with a civil engineering background coming in to the industry though.

I know a few people that have gone straight from the HNC / HND route to do a masters.
Click to expand...

well id like to give it a shot, but if the maths is as bad as what ppl have mentioned id rather not waste my time trying lol
 
my gf is also thinking of doing it and she has a levels in physics and chemistry, do u think she would be able to cope with the maths?
 
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