Course code: 1014 + Course abbreviation: BE(Civ) + Total credit points required: 192 (48 credit points at Bachelor of Engineering level 1, plus 144 credit points from the relevant engineering branch) + 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time (1 year full-time Bachelor of Engineering, 3 years full-time in the engineering branches)
On-campus (Clayton)
The
overall aim of the course is to prepare a well-rounded professional poised for
employment in any of a wide range of civil engineering occupations and eager
for continuing education to remain abreast of latest developments in his or her
discipline.
Civil engineers work in branches such as structural engineering, soil
engineering, rock engineering, dam engineering, hydraulic engineering,
engineering management, highway engineering, traffic engineering, public health
engineering, water resources engineering, town planning, and coastal
engineering. In any of these branches, a civil engineer may work in the
functional areas of research, investigation, design, construction or operation,
and the undergraduate course in the Department of Civil Engineering prepares a
student accordingly. The areas of structures, geomechanics, water, management
and transport are the major areas of civil engineering activity and form the
basis of the department's organisation and teaching.
Students
enter this branch of engineering after completion of the common first year
(refer to the entry for the Bachelor of Engineering earlier in this section).
The intention of level 2 is to develop `sub-professional' skills, ie the
ability to design commonplace engineering artefacts in the context of suitable
theoretical treatment. At the same time, students gain some appreciation for
the breadth of civil engineering. Theory is developed in parallel with the
applications (problems). The theoretical insights are further developed in
levels 3 and 4, as more complex scenarios are considered.
Level 3 is designed to develop `core professional' skills. It includes a
management unit, engineering investigation, road engineering, two structural
units, a water unit and a geomechanics unit. The water and geomechanics groups
share a groundwater unit.
Level 4 is seen as a year of specialisation. Each student must take both
'Project A' and 'Civil engineering practice 4' (six credit points each) and a
minimum of four civil engineering electives (six credit points each). The
remaining 12 credit points may be taken anywhere within the university
(including the Civil Engineering department), as long as it does not
substantially duplicate a unit already studied. Some of the electives are
multidisciplinary.
Communication skills are seen as an important part of the civil engineering
degree. Emphasis is placed on developing good written and oral presentation
skills. To graduate, students need to attend a number of communication courses
and indicate proficiency in written and oral presentations and group skills.
The
course consists of 48 credit points of core units at levels 1, 2 and 3 and 12
credit points of core at level 4, plus a minimum of 24 credit points of civil
engineering level 4 electives. The student may choose the remaining 12 credit
points from anywhere in the university. These credits may not substantially
duplicate material already studied.
Students should refer to 'Course map 3 - Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)' at
the back of this section for an outline of the course requirements for this
program.
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents