MSc Structural Engineering
- MSc
Overview
This unique one-year, full-time Master's programme focuses on industry-relevant skills, ensuring you graduate ready to make an immediate impact.
You'll be able to specialise your learning through one of three curated pathways:
- Asset Management and Digital Transformation: specialise in managing civil infrastructure assets and data, utilizing systems-level thinking alongside mathematical and sustainable approaches.
- Composite Materials and Sustainable Design: develop expertise in innovative materials such as fibre-reinforced polymers, discover structural retrofitting, and learn how to integrate sustainability criteria into your design process.
- Earthquake Engineering: specialise in structural reliability, soil-structure interaction and natural disaster risk management making an impact on the efficient design of the built environment, the mitigation of seismic loss and the protection of human life.
These pathways are specifically developed to align with the changing demands on future structural and civil engineers, aligned with recommendations by leading professional bodies such as the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).
Why Choose Our Programme?
The University of Bristol’s Civil Engineering programme is ranked 1st in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2025) and we are the 7th in the UK for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings, 2022).
You'll learn from world-leading experts and benefit from our state-of-the-art research facilities, including:
- The Bristol Composites Institute Lab.
- The Heavy and Light Structures Lab.
- The Soil-Foundation-Structure-Interaction Lab.
This programme welcomes a diverse array of students with different subject backgrounds. Through the core units of the MSc, you'll gain advanced skills in construction materials, analysis, and civil infrastructure design. You'll also benefit from:
- Guest lecturers from industry and prominent academic institutions, offering real-world insights.
- An interesting field trip designed to enhance your understanding of construction procedures and manufacturing workflows.
- A summer design project that simulates real-life conditions within an engineering company, allowing you to collaborate with academic and industrial supervisors and to develop leadership and communication skills essential for your career.
This programme is your gateway to gaining advanced engineering skills and staying at the forefront of developments in the structural engineering field, wherever your career takes you globally.
We welcome a diverse array of students with different subject backgrounds.
Programme structure
Programme structure
This 12-month MSc programme is engineered to provide a postgraduate-level platform of underpinning skills and knowledge for a career in advanced structural engineering.
Highlights
- Core technical competencies: Develop a deep understanding of advanced structural analysis, including finite element methodologies and the effects of dynamic loadings, such as seismic events.
- Select a focused stream of study from one of three specialised technical pathways:
- Composite Materials and Sustainable Design: investigate the application of novel materials and assess design solutions against sustainability criteria.
- Asset Management and Digital Transformation: apply a systems-thinking approach and master digital technologies for infrastructure delivery and health monitoring.
- Earthquake Engineering: investigate the effects of dynamic loads on structures and soil and design for disaster resilient and sustainable development.
- Applied professional experience: participate in a field trip, typically in southeastern Europe, to active construction and manufacturing sites for direct observation of industry practices.
- Industry-standard project delivery: conclude your studies by developing a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Stage 2 design project, demonstrating your ability to work within globally recognised professional frameworks.
- Expert-led technical seminars: engage with distinguished academic and industry experts on the latest technological and methodological advances in the profession.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content.
Entry requirements
You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Applied Physics
- Architectural Engineering
- Building Surveying
- Civil/Structural Engineering
- Engineering Design
- Geology
- Information Engineering
- Mathematics/Applied Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering.
Other Engineering subjects will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.
We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.
If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional qualifications, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé ) when you apply, showing:
- a relevant postgraduate qualification.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level E.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £15,900 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £34,900 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Fees for the field trip are included in the postgraduate-taught fees. Fees are subject to an annual review.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
As a graduate of the MSc in Structural Engineering, you'll be well equipped to tackle challenging engineering problems with a holistic approach and make a difference within the sector.
You could 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 from this programme will be keenly sought after in roles such as
- Structural Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Bridge Engineer
- Site Engineer
- Earthquake Engineer
- Risk Engineer
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.
You’ll be supported by our Careers Service who can provide support with writing applications and finding internships or placements. They also run tailored events for postgraduate students, employer talks and job fairs and they will guide you on how to secure graduate jobs in the UK and overseas.
Our students in action
Contact us
- Contact
- Enquiries Team
- Phone
- +44 (0) 128 394 1649
- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk