University of Bristol - Science and Engineering
MSc Structural Engineering
Bristol, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 33,900 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* home applicants | overseas applicants: 25 july 2025
** overseas full-time tuition
Key Summary
The MSc in Structural Engineering is designed with the current and future needs of the industry in mind. It is intended for graduates who wish to gain advanced engineering skills and stay at the forefront of developments in the structural engineering field.
This is a unique one-year full-time MSc programme focused on industry-relevant skills, with the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge via one of the two curated pathways – Composite Materials and Sustainable Design, and Asset Management and Digital Transformation – which are carefully designed to adapt you to the changing requirements of the future engineer as highlighted by professional bodies like the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).
You will learn from world-leading experts and benefit from state-of-the-art research facilities, including the Heavy and Light Structures Lab, the Bristol Composites Institute Lab, and the Soil-Foundation-Structure-Interaction Lab.
You will gain advanced skills in construction materials, analysis, and civil infrastructure design with the core units of the MSc programme. With the pathway Composite Materials and Sustainable Design, you will develop specialist knowledge in new materials like fibre-reinforced polymers, structural retrofitting, and sustainability criteria in the design process. With the pathway Asset Management and Digital Transformation, you will specialise in asset and data management using systems-level thinking and mathematical and sustainability approaches.
You will develop knowledge of practical civil engineering design and learn from invited guest lecturers from industry and academia. Two additional unique features of this MSc programme are (i) a field trip that will enhance your learning in construction procedures and manufacturing workflows and (ii) a summer design project that simulates real-life conditions in an engineering company, working with academic and industrial supervisors to strengthen the skills necessary for a successful career in the industry.
from 25th November 2024- 4th of December 2025
The MSc course is a 12-month full-time programme with subject areas relevant to structural/civil engineering and emerging technologies and materials in the profession's future. A strong set of core engineering units will provide a common platform of underpinning skills and knowledge at a postgraduate level in advanced structural analysis, including finite element methodologies and dynamic loadings like earthquakes, and advanced structural materials and design. You will benefit from a series of seminars, as part of the Research and Professional Skills unit, learning the most recent advances in structural engineering from distinguished invited academic and industry experts.
You will select one of the two curated pathways – Composite Materials and Sustainable Design, or Asset Management and Digital Transformation – to gain specialisation in 'new' materials and sustainable design or in systems thinking approach and digital tools, respectively. Depending on your optional units, you may design composite products or bridges using computational design tools and optimisation procedures, create a project brief and assess solutions against sustainability criteria, debate state-of-the-art digital technologies for the delivery of integrated infrastructure and asset health monitoring, and use mathematical modelling towards the achievement of UN sustainable development goals.
As part of your programme, you are also required to attend a field trip within the UK to visit construction and manufacturing sites.
Having successfully completed the taught component, you will develop a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) stage 2 project, working in groups and independently, to be submitted at the end of the academic year.
University of Bristol is ranked 8th in the UK and 51st in the world (QS World University rankings 2026)
As a graduate of the MSc in Structural Engineering, you will be better equipped to tackle challenging engineering problems with a holistic approach and make a difference within the sector. You can find yourself working for engineering design and construction firms in the UK or worldwide or, alternatively, for non-governmental organisations in the field of sustainability. You will also be equipped with unique skills that will support you in roles in the sector of composites engineering, data management, digitalisation, finance, and decision-making. Graduates may also choose to pursue a career in academia and expand their knowledge in an exciting topic of their interest.
Whatever you choose, you will develop a range of transferable skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork, and you will have a number of professional contacts to draw on.