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FdSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Construction, Transport and Logistics
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LOCATION
Docklands Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
This is a practical, industry-led course, which is suitable for anyone already working in the construction industry, as well as for new students.
This qualification is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as fully satisfying the educational base for an Engineering Technician (EngTech).
See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.
You'll have the opportunity to follow one of two routes, depending on what direction you want your career to take - civil engineering or construction management.
Once you've completed the course successfully, you'll be able to progress onto the final year of one of our honours degrees to obtain a BSc degree if you wish. These degrees are in either Civil Engineering or Construction Management.
If you're already in employment, you'll spend four days a week in industry, while full-time students will undertake a compulsory work placement of up to four days a week in their final year. Whatever path you take, you'll gain the knowledge and skills to become a first-class construction manager or civil engineer.
Although we cannot guarantee a placement we will support you in providing opportunities to secure one. If you do not secure a placement you will still be allowed to progress directly on to the BSc (Hons) degree course.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
This sector of industry needs people with the knowledge, practical skills and personal qualities to make a difference where it counts - on site, working with other professionals.
On this highly practical course, you'll learn about the nature and environment of the construction industry as well as the regulatory framework around health and safety, planning, procurement and contracts.
You'll also explore the importance of sustainable design and the factors that influence the efficient management of a construction project in terms of time, cost and quality.
Key areas you will study include the planning and financing of projects, required contract law, and of course health and safety knowledge - both for yourself and others. Time planning and logistics, cost control and management, and quality control are vital skills for a construction manager, and they are skills we will help you to gain through problem solving, digital collaborative working as well as traditional team work activities.
In practical terms, you'll learn tools and techniques that will help you succeed in your career, including the use of industry standard software such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Project. We'll also prepare you to achieve the Construction Safety Certification Scheme (CSCS).
We'll help you to secure a competitive work placement during the final year of the course, so you can see how your learning relates to industry practice.
You can study this course on a part-time basis. If you take this option, you'll be studying the same modules over three years instead of two.
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up to date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
MODULES
- Core Modules
Mental Wealth: Professional Life CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life
This module aims to develop students' core competencies to form the basis of future competencies development throughout the programme of study. In this module, the students would consolidate their Construction / Engineering knowledge and skills for practical applications, and develop their awareness of impacts on the environment, commerce, society and individual brought about by various construction and engineering activities.
The Built Environment CloseThe Built Environment
The aim of the module is to appreciate the factors, organisation and professional disciplines involved in the planning, design, development and in-use of the built environment facility.
Construction Technology CloseConstruction Technology
This module involves exploring the choices for materials, systems and techniques used in the construction of typical domestic and industrial/commercial building. The module also looks at building design and performance particularly with respect to the selection of materials for construction purposes. It also covers sustainability issues affecting the condition of existing buildings, and their maintenance and adaptation. It will also enable the development of spatial skills in producing and understanding graphical forms of communication used in construction.
Land and Construction Surveying CloseLand and Construction Surveying
This module introduces you to geospatial surveying practices, principles and procedures for civil engineering and construction projects. The module develops skills in using modern surveying instrumentation to enable 3-dimensional position of features to be determined and for the quality of those positions to be known. The processes for determining vertical height (level) as well as horizontal position (by measuring angles and distances) will be studied. On completion of this module, students will be able to carry out survey data collection using a range of equipment and will appreciate the role of the surveyor and the role of survey data for construction purposes.
Analytical Skills in Built Environment CloseAnalytical Skills in Built Environment
The main aim of this module is to develop your skills and understanding, of the numerical and mathematical techniques which underpin civil engineering, construction and surveying disciplines. At the end of this module you should possess the core knowledge of algebra, trigonometry and statistics which can be applied to data analysis, presentation and problem solving. This module also aims to equip you with the CAD skills which will enable you to manipulate and process data numerically, graphically and spatially.
Building Science and Materials CloseBuilding Science and Materials
To provide an understanding of the scientific principles involved in the selection of materials in construction and the issues affecting the design of building services.
Engineering Mechanics CloseEngineering Mechanics
This module aims to develop your understanding of the fundamental structural characteristics governing the properties of engineering materials; and to introduce you to the fundamental concepts and principles of engineering mechanics.
The module would provide you with an appreciation of the relationship between conceptual models and real engineering systems; and enable you to develop an analytical and practical approach to the solution of basic engineering problems based on the use of the fundamental principles of mechanics.
- Core Modules
Mental Wealth: Professional Life CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life
This module builds on the L4 Mental Wealth: Professional Life module to further develop students' competencies to form the basis of their future careers. In this module, the students will undertake feasibility studies with reference to human, financial, logistical resources to realise a product/service. The module will further develop the students' self-awareness, interpersonal and negotiation skills through team work and mentoring.
Contract Procedures CloseContract Procedures
- To provide an understanding of the UK legal system, legal process, institutional structures in application to the construction process in terms of contract performance, obligations, tort and statutory requirements, in the professional environment of construction management, surveying and information management.
- To comprehend the legal obligations and procedures associated with contracts, letting, employment, equality, design, development and health and safety, and to apply legal principles to practical problems.
Construction Planning and Production CloseConstruction Planning and Production
The aim of this module is to explore the role of the contractor in managing the production process for both simple construction projects and also more complex civil engineering works. It will examine the basic principles of management techniques. It will then consider construction methods, planning tools / techniques to mobilise the construction activities and supply chain; the selection of construction methods that best suit the project and the management plant, materials and workforce. It will also examine how the project is monitored to insure the client’s requirements and stakeholders needs are met, and how the finished project is brought to a managed and successful close.
Introduction to Building Measurement CloseIntroduction to Building Measurement
Develop the understanding of the theory and applied techniques for measuring construction works from working drawings.
Advanced Sustainable Technology CloseAdvanced Sustainable Technology
The module investigates and analyse sustainable construction technologies and methods used in buildings and construction works.
Tendering, Estimating and Cost Control CloseTendering, Estimating and Cost Control
- To provide you with an introduction to financial control of construction projects and the procurement process by accessing knowledge based on information produced from tendering, estimating and financial procedures.
- Allow to enable you to understand deliverables, time constraints, budgets and to implement best value best practice.
Engineering Surveying CloseEngineering Surveying
This module develops your understanding and theoretical knowledge of applied techniques within engineering surveying. You will develop your ability to devise solutions to measurement problems and to evaluate the results and the systems performance in an engineering context. Students on this module will hence investigate and apply measurement techniques and systems in order to solve engineering surveying problems.
This module includes a residential field scheme which takes place away from the university.
Ground Engineering CloseGround Engineering
Any construction project at any scale begins with groundworks. For the success of groundworks, Civil Engineers need to have a fair understanding of engineering geology (i.e. earth science for engineers), soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and materials used in transforming the natural ground to the engineered ground through reinforcement and/or stabilisation, so too the benefits and costs (technical and environmental) of groundwork solutions.
This module is designed for you to gain a thorough understanding of engineering geology (earth processes, geological structures, ground hazards and engineering implications), soil mechanics (physical, hydraulic and mechanical properties), and soil as a construction material in form of compacted ground or reinforced compacted ground (i.e. accompanied with physical/chemical additives).
This module builds on stability analysis topics of study that are embedded in the Level 4 Engineering Mechanics module. This module also builds on the Level 4 Engineering Materials; the emphasis here will be on materials in ground engineering discipline.
3D Data Modelling and Analysis Close3D Data Modelling and Analysis
This module examines the concepts, methodologies and techniques of acquiring and modelling 3D data. The principles of 3D ground models based on grid and triangulated structures are investigated as techniques for representing and analysing terrain and other surfaces. The principles of Terrestrial Laser Scanning, Photogrammetry, and Satellite Remote Sensing are examined as techniques for data acquisition. The techniques and limitations of 3D data, representation and modelling via digital terrain models, point clouds 3D surfaces are analysed.
Structural Analysis and Element Design CloseStructural Analysis and Element Design
The main aim of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of the behaviour of indeterminate structures and the design of reinforced concrete and steel structural elements to the appropriate British Standard or European Code of Practice
Employment Internship CloseEmployment Internship
The aim of this module is to enable you to integrate the skills and knowledge, you have acquired during the programme to produce reflections on and solutions to realistic work based problems set within a real working environment.
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
This is a practical course for a practical profession, so if you're on the full-time course you'll have regular site visits to put the theory you learn into practice. East London is one of the biggest regeneration areas in Western Europe, and you'll have access to prestigious projects such as the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station - right on your doorstep.
You'll be encouraged to take part in group work to mirror real-life working practices and you'll benefit from using our purpose-built labs with industry-standard hardware and software and modern surveying equipment.
Our construction science lab includes an environmental chamber, plus measuring devices, building service equipment installations and monitoring devices. Our dedicated drawing and design office provides networked PCs with specialist software to support Computer Aided Design (CAD).
As well as lab-based, practical work, you'll learn through formal lectures, tutorials and workshops, including talks from leading companies and industrialists. We also provide programme notes and digital resources to support your own independent study.
As one of our students, you'll be offered the chance to take part in a week-long residential 'Constructionarium' project at the National CITB Training Centre in Norfolk, where you'll work alongside contractors and design engineers.
Each year we're visited by around 20 local industry professionals - known as the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) – who update us on the changing requirements for graduates. They also supervise final-year projects, when they'll be looking out for likely candidates to recruit for jobs.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
We'll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes essays, research reports, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project. Most of the assessment in your first year is by coursework and we'll give you as much feedback as possible so that you can develop and improve your written assessment submissions.
The assessment methods are varied, including coursework, group and individual presentations, time-controlled assessments and exams. The balance between exams and coursework is approximately 30 per cent exams, 10 per cent presentations and 60 per cent coursework. The work placement is assessed by a combination of the production of a work based portfolio and employer assessment.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

Docklands Campus, Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Related Courses

I've had a unique and life changing experience at UEL. After years of working as a painter-decorator, I made the decision to follow firstly an FdSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management and then top up to a BSc (Hons) Construction Management degree. Surrounded by extraordinary lecturers, who inspired everyone through their dedication and professionalism, I have managed to obtain my goals. Within weeks of graduating, I was able to find a job as an engineer on a grand scale project. "
Vlad Volonga
Construction Management, BSc (Hons)
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
Qualified technician construction managers or civil engineers are in high demand, not only in the UK but in all major developing regions of the world. Local construction and civil engineering companies visit our School regularly to recruit talented students for work within the industry.
In recent years, many of our students have been offered full-time jobs in the company where they undertook a work placement as part of the course. Among the list of prestigious projects that our students have worked on are the Shard, King's Cross Station Western Passenger Hall and the Crossrail Connaught Tunnel refurbishment.
So what are your options? You might end up working in a design office or on a building site. As a construction manager you may be responsible for logistics, plant, materials and people. As a trainee engineer, you'll be designing the structural frame of a building or setting out its position ready to be built.
With this qualification you could choose to focus on a specialist sector such as house-building, education, health, commercial and retail, waste management, manufacturing or infrastructure.
Whatever your particular interest, we'll put you on the right track with our industry links, practical training and supportive teaching style. After that, it's up to you.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.