Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Bachelor in Civil Engineering (Short degree Program)
Enschede, Netherlands
Bachelor's degree
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,694 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Students with a non-EU/EEA nationality* | for EEA/EU students the deadline is 15.08.2026
** For non-EU/EEA students tuition fee: € 9360/year
Key Summary
About: This Short Degree at Saxion University of Applied Sciences suits students who've completed at least six semesters in civil engineering or hold a related degree. Term one covers water, roads, bridges and sluices; later terms let you specialize in water management or hydraulics, focusing on water safety and infrastructure. Graduates receive the internationally recognized Bachelor of Science (BSc).
Career Outcomes: You'll find roles as technical designer, superintendent, consultant or project leader, and as hydraulics engineer or water management specialist in government institutions, engineering companies, consultancies, contractors and research offices, and other infrastructure, construction and flood-protection roles worldwide and abroad.
This program is a Short Degree program, aimed at students who have completed at least 6 semesters in Civil Engineering or already hold a degree in a field related to Civil Engineering. The Dutch Civil Engineering sector is well-known throughout the world as a top-level profession.
Focus on water safety
In the first term, every aspect of Civil Engineering will be addressed during the study: water, roads, and constructions like bridges and sluices. In the remaining terms, you will specialize in either water management or hydraulics: two areas in which Dutch Civil Engineers are known worldwide.
Excellent career perspective
With this degree, you'll have excellent job opportunities in your home country and abroad. Momentarily, there's a great shortage of Bachelor-level trained civil engineers.
After your studies
Once you have completed your Bachelor's degree, you will receive the internationally recognized title 'Bachelor of Science’ (BSc). From that point on you will be a civil engineer with expertise in water safety through hydraulics and water management. The odds of finding a job at this time are very high. In your own country or internationally, you will easily be able to start exciting projects.
We are proud to offer scholarships to talented international students who apply for a bachelor's or master's Program at Saxion University of Applied Sciences.
Saxion Scholarships Program
Over the years we developed several scholarships that are available for talented international bachelor and master students from outside the EU/EEA.
- Orange Tulip Scholarship Program (OTS)
- Orange Knowledge Program (OKP)
- MENA Scholarship Program (MSP)
- Holland Scholarship (HS)
Other Scholarships
Further information on how and where to apply for a scholarship is available at the nearest Royal Netherlands Embassy, or from the Dutch Education Organization NUFFIC.
The one-year short degree program for Civil Engineering is divided into two semesters. In the first half year, you study degree-related subjects, work on projects, and draw up your learning plan.
The program consists of the following modules:
Integrated Design of Infrastructures
In this module, you will utilize digital technologies to design safe infrastructures, both on land and on water. 5 ECTS
Essentials of Hydraulic Structures
This module is meant to get you up to speed with the latest European and Dutch design regulations. You will work on the fundamental design of hydraulic structures as used in common water safety problems. 5 ECTS
Probabilistic Design of Flood Defenses
The Dutch are world famous for their Delta works. Crucial parts of this complex safety system are dykes, polders, and slices. You will look at these flood defense systems from a probabilistic viewpoint: what are the optimal dyke heights in a particular area? Which flood defense systems are most cost-effective? What are the financial implications when a hydraulic system fails? 5 ECTS
Applied Water Project
In this module, you develop your project management and communication skills. You will practice both oral and written communication strategies, and develop the necessary skills to complete the project reports and presentations. Additionally, you will receive extra guidance on how to use the English language in an academic setting and learn how to work with Dutch students. 5 ECTS
Applied Urban Water Management
Much of the water problems in the world occur in urban areas. Cities flood easily, are too dry to promote health and well-being for their citizens, or do not use sustainable solutions for storing and using rainwater. In this module, you will learn which options for sewerage and water storage are available, and how to select the best option for a particular situation and area. 5 ECTS
Final Project - Preliminary research
Before starting the dissertation project, you need to carry out preliminary research. In this preliminary research, you analyze your problem and its context in a specific geographical area. For this problem, you will look into different alternative solutions, and make an argument choice for a method to determine the definitive solution. Based on the findings from the preliminary research, you will make a design for the chosen solution to your civil engineering problem in its relevant context. At the end of the project, you will present your work in a presentation and a report. During the presentation, you will also answer questions about the argument structure used in the dissertation report. 10+25 ECTS
Civil Engineering is structured around two world-class professional areas:
Hydraulic Engineering
The hydraulics engineer can design efficient solutions for keeping bodies of water, like seas, oceans, and rivers, under control.
Water Management Engineering
The water management engineer is in charge of efficient designs for creating optimal water volume and water quality in urban areas. This includes creating water solutions in overly dry areas, as well as optimal use of excess water in flood-prone areas.
A Bachelor in Civil Engineering will be able to work in a team and work as a technical designer, superintendent, constructor, consultant, project leader, and calculator, in many organizations such as:
- Government institutions
- Engineering companies
- Consultancies
- Contractors
- Research offices