Management in Construction (Civil Engineering) MSc

Why choose this course?

This industry-accredited course offers a strategic overview of civil engineering and management issues; addressing the challenges facing the construction industry. It successfully combines structural engineering with advanced construction management.

The course is aimed at civil and/or structural engineers who aspire to become senior managers in both consulting engineering and contracting organisations, and is particularly suitable for graduate engineers starting their career in the construction industry. It will develop your professional, analytical and management skills, as well as improve your technical skills and knowledge.

Apply for this course

Mode	Duration	Start date
Full time	1 year	September 2021 January 2022
Full time	2 years including professional placement	September 2021 January 2022
Part time	2 years	September 2021 January 2022

Location

Penrhyn Road

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2021/22 entry

If you are planning to join this course in the academic year 2021/22 (i.e. between August 2021 and July 2022), please view the information about changes to courses for 2021/22 due to Covid-19.

Changes to courses for 2021/22 due to Covid-19

Continuing students

Students who are continuing their studies with Kingston University in 2021/22 should refer to their Course Handbook for information about specific changes that have been, or may be, made to their course or modules being delivered in 2021/22. Course Handbooks are located within the Canvas Course page.

Reasons to choose Kingston University

This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators, which includes the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) and the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) under licence from the Engineering Council.
This MSc meets the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) if you already have an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng (Hons) or an Accredited IEng (Full) BEng/BSc (Hons).
Kingston has excellent links with industry. Students have worked with: Matra-Marconi Space Ltd; Ericsson; Balfour Beatty; The National Health Service; and British Gas.

Accreditation

Further Learning Programme - MSc (non-technical)

This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), which comprises the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation on behalf of the Engineering Council, as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree.

It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited IEng degree or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.

Our MSc course in Management in Construction (Civil Engineering) is accredited until 2023 entry.

See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.

Please check the Engineering Council website for more information.

Engineering council

Civil Engineering at Kingston

What you will study

There are four taught modules and a thesis. Three of the modules are intended to provide you with an understanding of the core management skills needed to make a major contribution within the industry, while one structural design module enables you to broaden and deepen your technical knowledge of specialised civil engineering areas. You will also cover subjects that are both specific and complementary to civil engineering. In addition, you will develop the ability to resolve the broader problems that arise in civil engineering.

The advanced concrete design module is assessed by coursework based on the national university competition organised by The Concrete Centre, the trade body representing the concrete industry in the UK.

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.

For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module first time with no reassessments. It is the responsibility of individual students to find a suitable paid placement. Students will be supported by our dedicated placement team in securing this opportunity.

Modules

Core modules

Management of Project Risk, Quality and Safety

30 credits

The module starts with a general introduction into the management of projects, and then goes more deeply into the technical aspects of project management techniques and project risk analysis.

It also covers many aspects of health and safety legislation and practice, starting from the history of health and safety in the UK, the Health and Safety at Work Act, risk assessment, and covers major sets of regulations that impact on construction work. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations are dealt with in depth, as this is a key piece of statutory legislation that relates to the construction industry. Good practice and the importance of advice and guidance are emphasised.

Quality management is dealt with in relation to the requirements of the latest edition of ISO9000, and the process leading to registration under this standard. Modern practices in quality and the use of various quality management techniques are covered.

Business in Practice

30 credits

This postgraduate module covers the theory and practice of the business and management needs of students from different academic contexts such as, but not limited to Science, Engineering, Computing and Health Services who are aspiring team leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs in business within the context of the commercial, public, voluntary, or academic sector.

Estimating, Tendering and Procurement

30 credits

This module concentrates on the way the construction product is priced and paid for and aims to give an in-depth understanding of the roles that the client/employer, the main contractor, and the professional service consultants have in relation to the procurement of construction works.

It also examines the processes that need to be undertaken at senior management level in terms of the estimating and tendering decisions by contactors' during the bidding process. It analyses in detail the strategic decision making rationale that needs to be put in place when making a decision to tender a bid and the process of turning an estimate into a tender submission.

Dissertation

60 credits

The overall aim of the module is to allow you to develop research skills and gain an appreciation of a subject area of the your own choosing. In undertaking the work that is required you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and competence in reviewing existing published literature and data and through the use of your own efforts apply one or more of a range of research methods to collect and analyse data and draw well-founded conclusions as a result of your research.

The module allows you to study an area of interest in significant depth and allows you to demonstrate a clear understanding of what has been learnt through a variety of means; a literature review, a research proposal, an oral presentation and a substantial dissertation.

Structural Design in Concrete and Steel

30 credits

This core module covers latest developments in specification, design and detail of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete framed buildings and, steel framed structures. Methods of analysis and structural design are in accordance with Eurocode 2 (EC2) and Eurocode 3 (EC3) for concrete and steel respectively.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

Analyse, design and detail reinforced and pre-stressed concrete elements includinf flat slabs and post-tensioned slabs to EC2.
Carry out the conceptual design including design for stability and robustness of multi-storey concrete framed buildings.
Specify sustainable modern concretes including self-compacting concrete, high strength voncrete, admixtures and additions, in accordance with up-to-date practice.
Critically compare various methods of design with steel such as simple, continuous and semi-rigid and carry out plastic analysis of steel frames.
Analyse, design and detail incl. fire resistance requirements of steel elements such as beams, columns and composite floors to EC3.
Design single and multi-bay industrial structures in steel including bolted and welded connections.

Optional modules

Professional Placement

120 credits

The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates an extended professional placement. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and develops and enhances key employability and subject specific skills in their chosen discipline. Students may wish to use the placement experience as a platform for the major project or future career.

It is the responsibility of individual students to find and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this should not normally involve more than two placements which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the Course Leader, prior to commencement to ensure its suitability. Students seeking placements will have access to the standard placement preparation activities offered by Student Engagement and Enhancement (SEE) group.

Read more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.

Work placement scheme

Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to take the option of a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Tier 4 visa.

Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

Entry requirements

Typical offer

Good honours degree (minimum 2.1) or equivalent in civil engineering or structural engineering, and/or suitable industrial experience.

Please note: each application is assessed on an individual basis and may be subject to additional requirements, such as undertaking short course(s), work experience and/or English language qualification(s). Meeting particular minimum entry requirements does not automatically guarantee a place.

International

In order to complete your programme successfully, it is important to have a good command of English and be able to apply this in an academic environment. Therefore, if you are a non-UK applicant* you will usually be required to provide certificated proof of English language competence before commencing your studies.

For this course you must pass IELTS academic test in English with an overall score of 6.5, with no element below 6.0, or meet the scores listed on the alternative online tests. Please note that we do not accept Standard XII as proof of Academic English.

Applicants who do not meet the English language requirements may be eligible to join our pre-sessional English language course.

Please make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements, which includes details of other qualifications we'll consider.

* Applicants from one of the recognised majority English speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Teaching and assessment

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services.

Your workload

16% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Type of teaching and learning

Year 1

Scheduled teaching: 282 hours
Guided independent study: 1518 hours

How you will be assessed

Assessment typically comprises exams (eg test or exam), practical (eg presentations, performance) and coursework (eg essays, reports, self-assessment, portfolios, dissertation). The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose

Type of assessment

Year 1

Coursework: 76%
Exams: 20%
Practical: 4%

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Class sizes

You will be part of an intimate cohort of students which provides dedicated academic guidance and advice as well as the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes, therefore you may be taught alongside postgraduates from other courses.

Who teaches this course?

This course is delivered by the Department of Construction and Surveying which is part of the School of Natural and Built Environments in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing.

The Faculty's wide selection of undergraduate and postgraduate courses covers a diverse range of subject areas, from aerospace to geography; from maths and computing to biotechnology; and many more. Our collaborative set-up provides new opportunities for our students, and we design our courses with industry professionals to ensure you stay up to date with the latest developments.

Department of Construction and Surveying

The Department of Construction and Surveying offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in building surveying, construction management and quantity surveying focusing on providing a strong foundation for students' future careers and an enhanced learning experience. We have built a reputation for the quality of our courses and have successfully embedded the concept of sustainable development in all of our degree courses.

Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Dr Ted Donchev

Course Director

Dr Hasan Haroglu

Dr Konstantinos Poutos

Dr Tariq Umar PhD, CEng IntPE(UK), MICE

Facilities

There is a wide range of facilities for practical work at our Penrhyn Road campus, where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest technology and industry-standard equipment, including:

extensive materials and structures facility for concrete, masonry, steel and timber;
geotechnical and hydraulics testing facilities; and
surveying equipment, such as satellite global-positioning systems.

Dedicated computer-aided design facilities include:

a range of CAD/CAM packages, such as Ideas, SolidWorks and AutoCad;
finite element analysis
computational fluid dynamics; and
virtual instrumentation.

You can also use the dedicated Graduate Centre on campus. This includes:

IT facilities;
seminar rooms;
social spaces and a canteen; and
specialist libraries.

Students studying this course will benefit from the John Galsworthy Building, a £20million teaching and learning facility, which opened in November 2007. The six-storey complex brings lecture theatres, flexible teaching space and information technology suites together around a landscaped courtyard.

Fees for this course

2022/23 fees for this course

Home 2022/23

MSc full time £9,620
MSc part time £5,291

International 2022/23

MSc full time £15,400
MSc part time £8,470

2021/22 fees for this course

Home and European Union 2021/22

MSc full time £9,430
MSc part time £5,187

Overseas (not EU) 2021/22

MSc full time £14,900
MSc part time £8,195

Fees for the optional placement year

If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free WiFi is available on each of the campuses.

Printing

In the majority of cases coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

Funding and bursaries

Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:

If you are an international student, find out more about scholarships and bursaries.

We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:

What this course offers you

This course provides a strategic overview of civil engineering and management issues.
It will develop your professional, analytical and management skills, as well as improving your technical skills and knowledge. For example, you will gain communication, teamwork, IT and problem-solving skills.
Each module combines a stimulating mix of lectures, practical laboratory work, group work, case studies and presentations.
Input from industry experts complements the academic teaching throughout the course.
Your MSc dissertation allows you to build on your academic knowledge and extend your in-depth knowledge in your area of specialisation. It can be an excellent selling point when looking for a job or promotion.
You can choose to study the course full-time or part-time to fit in with work commitments. September and January start dates give you extra flexibility.
The course was originally designed to satisfy the Engineering Council's SARTOR 3 requirements. We have now developed it to appeal to students who do not require a Matching Section as well.
We regularly review all our postgraduate courses to make sure that they are up to date, reflect industry needs and are comparable to other university courses.

How the engineering staff work with industry partners

Our excellent industrial links have developed over many years and throughout many countries. Some examples include work with:

Matra-Marconi Space Ltd;
Ericsson;
Balfour Beatty;
The National Health Service; and
British Gas.

Our Industrial Advisory Committee reviews and advises industrial activities. The Committee acts as a forum for discussing teaching, research and consultancy to industry.

Industrial project review

This course features an industrial project review and analysis module, which is designed to be taken in industry. It gives you the chance to address a real-world problem in an engineering environment. Throughout the course, academic teaching is complemented by input from industry experts.

Engineering research

Many academic staff are engaged in a range of research and consultancy activities funded by the Research Councils, the European Union, the government, trade unions and industry. These activities ensure our staff are in touch with the latest industry thinking and bring best practice to your studies.

Research centres

Engineering research within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing is organised into three research centres, which provide focus and encourage the cross-fertilisation of ideas.

Civil engineering and construction research takes place in the Sustainable Technology Research Centre. The research groups within the centre cover a wide range of topics, including:

land use;
building design and construction;
re-cycling waste materials;
efficient energy use and distribution;
water resources (hydraulics); and
monitoring using remote sensing.

Changes to courses for 2021/22 due to Covid-19

Course information (changes for 2021/22 entry)

Composition of the course

Unless government advice instructs otherwise, Study Abroad programmes will take place in 2021/22. The safety of all our students is paramount, therefore, as per normal practice, all Study Abroad activities must also be approved by the University's insurers to ensure that students are adequately protected during their period abroad. We will provide updates as the pandemic situation stabilises and/or further government advice is released.

Changes can be made to courses as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and in response to feedback from students and other key stakeholders. Any such changes made to the composition of the course will be highlighted to students by email before enrolment.

Modules

Changes can be made to modules as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and to provide a high quality student experience. Any such changes made to module titles, module summaries and/or availability of modules will be highlighted to students by email before enrolment.

Length of course

We expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress through and graduate from the course without delay.

In exceptional circumstances the sequence of learning and teaching activities may be changed in 2021/22, e.g. moving those modules which can be delivered more effectively to the first teaching block and moving back those – such as practical modules and placements – which may be more difficult to deliver due to some ongoing restrictions.

In some cases, it may be necessary to delay placement modules which may then impact the length of the course. In these circumstances the University will guide students through the appropriate options available to ensure students are able to make informed choices.

Entry requirements (changes for 2021/22 entry)

We have not changed entry requirements as a direct result of the pandemic.

Entry requirements for international students

We have not changed entry requirements for international students as a direct result of the pandemic.

Teaching (changes for 2021/22 entry)

Changes to the way the course will be delivered

As we transition from the pandemic restrictions, we expect to steadily increase the proportion of on-campus teaching. We will continue to provide a proportion of online learning, as experience has shown that this enriches and supports the student learning experience.

If the pandemic affects teaching and learning activities in 2021/22 more than we currently anticipate, the proportion of online learning will increase. However, unless a lockdown is enforced, we will ensure that all courses provide a reasonable percentage of their teaching and learning activities on campus.

Should your circumstances prevent your attendance at on-campus sessions, you should still be able to engage with your course remotely in a way that allows you to progress. Where this is not possible, for example on courses with high practical content, your course team will be able to advise you on the options available to you.

Changes to teaching in the event of a further lockdown or adjustments in government advice

The University will continue to closely monitor government announcements and advice in relation to the pandemic and, where required, will take any necessary action in order to comply with such advice.

In the event that a further lockdown is enforced in 2021/22 the University will aim to deliver the course fully online once more. The majority of our courses are prepared to be delivered fully online if the situation requires it. Where the quality of the student experience may be compromised, or the course is unable to be delivered fully online, the University may need to suspend the delivery of that course until a time that it can be delivered. Students will be supported in these situations to ensure they are able to make the right choices for their particular circumstances.

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours for Year 1

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled learning and teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours were not and will not be made as a direct result of the pandemic.

‘Scheduled learning and teaching' includes teaching delivered online, either live or recorded/on demand.

Timetable

Your individualised timetable for teaching block 1 (i.e. up to December 2021) should be available by the end of August. Timetables for teaching block 2 (i.e. from January 2022) will not be available until the autumn. We make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible.

In 2020/21 it was agreed that scheduled learning and teaching could take place on any day of the week between 9am and 9pm, to maximise the time available for teaching in order to accommodate smaller group sizes and social distancing. This meant we sometimes had to use Wednesday afternoons and enrichment week for additional teaching slots. If we need to accommodate smaller group sizes and social distancing in 2021/22 we expect to adopt a similar approach. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Assessment (changes for 2021/22 entry)

The experience of delivering courses in 2020/21 under the various Covid-19 restrictions has enabled us to better prepare and plan the delivery of our courses in 2021/22. We are confident the course can be delivered as planned and, therefore, do not anticipate having to make any further changes to the course, i.e. to the overall methods of assessments, in response to issues arising from the pandemic. However, if this becomes necessary, the changes will be highlighted to students via email before enrolment.

Changes are made to modules, including how they are assessed, as part of normal enhancement processes to keep our modules up to date with current developments in that subject area and in response to feedback received from students and other key stakeholders. Any changes to the overall methods of assessment for Year 1 of the course will be highlighted to students by email before enrolment.

If social distancing or lockdown restrictions are in place in 2021/22, online alternative options to formal on-campus examinations, including practical examinations, will be made available to students where possible.

Staff (changes for 2021/22 entry)

No changes are expected to the general level of experience or status of staff involved in delivering the course.

Staff are engaged in Continuous Professional Development activities to develop their teaching expertise, as part of the normal enhancement processes, to ensure that course teams have the required breadth of expertise.

Fees, funding and additional costs (changes for 2021/22 entry)

Tuition fees

There will be no changes to published tuition fees for 2021/22.

Additional costs (e.g. field trips, materials, equipment, etc.)

As we transition from the pandemic restrictions, we expect to be able to increase student access to on-campus facilities. Students will therefore have access to University computers and library facilities.

If, due to an increase in social distancing requirements or the enforcing of a lockdown, it becomes necessary to significantly increase the proportion of teaching delivered online, students will need a personal laptop or computer and access to the internet to participate in online teaching and learning activities. Students who are able to travel will have access to computers on campus, however, it should be noted that access to on-campus facilities might be restricted if social distancing requirements are enforced.

The University is committed to supporting students who are unable to access suitable technology to ensure equity of access in a blended delivery mode.

Funding

There will be no changes to any existing University funding arrangements for 2021/22. Currently there are no indications from the UK government that there will be any changes to government funding arrangements.

Fees and funding for international students

There will be no changes to published tuition fees or funding arrangements specifically relating to international students for 2021/22.

Work placements and field trips (changes for 2021/22 entry)

We are anticipating that placements (including work and clinical placements) and field trips included as part of the course will go ahead in 2021/22. However, to ensure students gain maximum value from placement activities, it may be necessary to reschedule them to later in the year, when any impacts from the pandemic restrictions are minimised.

Any proposed changes to placements or field trips would go through the University's agreed processes where the impact of the change will be carefully considered.

In the interests of the health and wellbeing of our students, all placement arrangements must be approved by the University's insurers and the appropriate risk assessments made before students are sent on a placement.

Courses which require placements or field trips to be completed in order to pass relevant modules will have contingency plans in place in the event that a placement or field trip cannot be completed due to another lockdown or more stringent social distancing measures.

Award, qualification and accreditation (changes for 2021/22 entry)

Qualification

No changes will be made to the qualification awarded, e.g. BSc (Hons), MSc, etc., as a direct result of the pandemic.

Changes can be made to courses, including the qualification awarded (although very rare), as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area. Any changes made to the qualification awarded for the course will be highlighted to students by email before enrolment.

Accreditation

The experience of delivering courses in 2020/21 under the various Covid-19 restrictions has enabled us to better prepare and plan the delivery of our courses in 2021/22. We are confident the course can be delivered as planned and in accordance with any professional body requirements. We do not anticipate making any further changes to courses in response to any issues arising from the pandemic and which would put at risk any professional body accreditation status.

Additional (changes for 2021/22 entry)

International students should maintain awareness of the UK government's and their home country's government's advice on possible travel restrictions. The University will closely monitor advice and guidance published by the UK government and assess its impact on our international students. Appropriate advice and guidance will be provided as and when required.