Masters in Civil Engineering  | Top 10 universities!

From Burj Khalifa and Eiffel Tower to the Golden Gate Bridge and Beijing National Stadium, civil engineers play a major role in the creation of every structure we see around us. Throughout history, they’ve built us shelters, channeled water supply, and planned entire cities. If that sounds exciting (and if you’re good at maths and physics), Civil Engineering is just the course for you! Universities from around the world offer extensive programs for masters in civil engineering. This blog will tell you everything you need to know about the syllabus, tuition fees, application process, and eligibility requirements for these programs.

MIT, United States

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT offers a 9-month program for civil engineering aspirants. You can either choose to specialize in Environmental Engineering Science or in Structural Mechanics and Design.
For students interested in the Environment Engineering Science track, the subjects will include environmental chemistry, ecology, and hydrology. But if you pick Structural Mechanics and Design, you will learn engineering mechanics, computational design, and architecture!

Duration: 9 months

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree, GRE (above 80 percentile), TOEFL (100) or IELTS (7.5)

Tuition: $26,725

Scholarships: Mostly self-funded

Since there are only 16 students in the class, the faculty personalizes the subjects according to students’ needs. This helps them when they’re working on their thesis. Moreover, a small class means that everyone gets support from their fellow classmates as well!
A huge benefit of the program is that the teachers have strong connections in the industry. So, the students are prepared to be leaders in the emerging fields of today’s job market. 

Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

TU Delft offers the most diverse program for masters in civil engineering. Students can specialize in 8 different tracks, including Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, and even Geoscience & Remote Sensing!
Depending on their choice, civil engineering subjects include architectural design, microbiology, geotechnics, ocean topography, or coastal engineering.

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree comparable to a bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands, 75% CGPA, TOEFL iBT (21 in each section and 90 overall) or IELTS (6.0 for each section and 6.5 overall)

Tuition: 32.810 euros

Scholarships: TU Delft Excellence Scholarships – full tuition fees waived

MSc in Civil Engineering at Delft is a full-time, 24-month program that trains students to solve complex problems in a creative way. Students get access to excellent laboratory facilities, a huge library, and a world-class faculty.
Upon graduation, students can easily assume leading roles in organizations, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

At the University of Cambridge, you can either do your masters in Construction Engineering or in Sustainable Development. While the course in Construction is a two-year, part-time research degree, the course in Sustainable Development can be finished within a year.
Students have the opportunity to work in prominent research areas, including smart infrastructure, construction technology, and climate change. Here, you can learn about anything – from scaling the DNA structure to designing models that will go into outer space!

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: 5 years of work experience, UK 2.1 honors degree or an overseas equivalent, TOEFL iBT (25 in each section and 110 overall) or IELTS (7.0 for each section and 7.5 overall)

Tuition: #27,260

Scholarships: Chevening, Commonwealth, and Marshall Scholarships

The faculty at the University of Cambridge ensures that students are taught according to the industry standards, be it policy, planning, construction, or maintenance.
What’s more, the program’s curriculum encourages students to change the way they plan and manage infrastructure.

University of California, Berkeley, United States

The second-best university for MS in civil engineering in USA, the University of California has 9 tracks for students to choose from. These programs include transportation engineering, project management, energy and climate, geosystems engineering, and more!
The subjects taught cover energy efficiency, city planning, earth sciences, nano-seismology, and smart cities, among others.

Duration: 2 semesters

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, Minimum GPA of 3, GRE, TOEFL iBT (90 out of 120)

Tuition: $22,257

Scholarships: Beavers, Chevron, Theodore Olsen, Tsuneo Sekine Fund, John C. Shimmick Scholarship, and Ulchi and Yoshiko Sunada Scholarship

The faculty of the Civil and Environment Engineering department has strong ties in the industry. So, students get to work on real-life projects for public, private, and government organizations. Students also have access to the latest equipment and facilities at the Structures Lab.
With so much support from teachers and access to great facilities, it’s easy to pick up the technical skills required to thrive in the civil engineering industry of today.

Imperial College, London, United Kingdom

If you’re looking for a variety of options to choose from and want to complete your masters within a year, Imperial College is the perfect place for you. It offers specializations in eleven different tracks, including Earthquake Engineering, Soil Mechanics, Resources Management, and more.
All of these programs are also available in part-time mode. But regardless of the program time, students have to meet the competency standards expected of them during their education.

Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: A good first or upper second class degree result, Relevant industrial experience, TOEFL iBT (22 in each section and 100 overall) or IELTS (6.5 for each section and 7 overall)

Tuition: #32,500.00

Scholarships: Geotechnics MSc Industrial Bursaries, Rees Jeffreys Road Fund Bursaries, and Brian Large Bursary 

The department conducts innovative research in the emerging fields of geotechnics, structures and materials, fluid mechanics, and transports and systems.
Teachers encourage students to develop not only their intellectual and practical skills but also their transferable skills. This makes them highly attractive to employers all over the world.

ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland

One of the most thorough courses for masters in civil engineering is taught at ETH Zurich. The university offers six different subjects for students to choose from, including Construction, Geotechnical, Transport, Mechanics, and more.
Once you’ve selected two out of these six subjects, you can pick from a range of electives and design your own course.

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree from an internationally recognized university (minimum 3 years of education), Good academic record, TOEFL iBT (100 out of 120) or IELTS (7.0 out of 9.0)

Tuition: CHF 660 per semester

Scholarships: Excellence Scholarship, D-BAUG Pegoraro, D-CHAB Oskar Jeger, and D-CHAB H. Gunthard Masters Scholarships.

Apart from this, every student has to work on a Master’s Thesis for 16 weeks during their two-year course.
The only catch is this – the program will be taught in German. So the masters in civil engineering requirements at ETH also include a minimum score of C1 in CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) before you apply.

Politecnico di Milano, Italy

In the 2-year program for masters in civil engineering at Politecnico di Milano in Italy prepares students for careers in design, planning, and management of infrastructures. Throughout the course, students specialize in their chosen track, while also designing their own study plans.
The different tracks offered are Earthquake Engineering, Geotechnics, Hydraulics, Structures, and Transportation Infrastructures.

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field, A GPA of 3.3 out of 4, 3 out of 5, 70 out of 100, and 7.5 out of 10, GRE, TOEFL iBT (78 out of 120) or IELTS (6.0 out of 9.0)

Tuition: 895,20 ⚬ to 3898,20 ⚬ per year

Scholarships: Fulbright Scholarships, Platinum, Gold, and Silver Scholarships, University Aid

While earthquake engineering, geotechnics, and structures are taught in English, the other tracks consist of subjects that are mostly taught in Italian. Depending on what they choose, students have to score a B1 level in the Common European Framework exam before applying for this program.
At the end of the course, however, the students are prepared so well that they can start their own firms in the civil industry of today!

EPFL, Switzerland

The Masters in Civil Engineering program at EPFL teaches students to design, build, and manage complex infrastructure projects. It even encourages students to consider the socio-economical and environmental factors related to their work.
Students go through a two-year program while focusing on one of the four specializations – geotechnical, transportation, structural, and hydraulic engineering.

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree from a university in a related field, An average grade of 4.50, An excellent grade in a French Language course offered by the university

Tuition: Information available on request

Scholarships: Cantonal, Charles Rapin Foundation, Swiss Study Foundation, Bono Pro association, and more

Apart from these tracks, students also have to study Social Sciences, work on a Practical Project, and write their Master’s Thesis.
By the time the course ends, students are prepared enough for a career in an engineering consulting firm, a construction company, or a government agency. Students can also open their own civil engineering consultant firm if they wish to!

National University of Singapore, Singapore

The MSc CE program at NUS helps students prepare for the challenges in urbanization, climate change, resource management, and sustainability. It is tailored according to the civil engineering career plans of each student.
Applicants can choose to major in one of the five specializations offered. These include Structural, Geotechnical, Hydraulic, Transportation, and Project Management.

Duration: 1 to 2 years, depending on your speed

Eligibility: A good honors degree or equivalent, TOEFL iBT or IELTS, At least 2 years of work experience

Tuition: S$18,575 per semester

Scholarships: SD Iyer Scholarship

Students learn how to analyze and interpret data, and make the right decisions while solving complex engineering problems.
The best part? The program allows students to design their own course! So, you can finish it within a year, or study for 2 years, depending on how you structure your course.

Tsinghua University, Mainland China

The Department of Civil Engineering at Tsinghua offers 5 graduate programs to prospective students. These include Structure Engineering, Disaster Prevention, Hylology, Geodesy, and Municipal Engineering.
As you can see, these courses are novel. Students are trained with an outstanding academic background, professional skills, enterprising spirit, and strong leadership in the field of civil engineering.

Duration: 2 to 3 years depending on your speed

Eligibility: Information available on request

Tuition: 40,000 RMB per year

Scholarships: Chinese Government, Siemens China, and Tuition Scholarships

The department even conducts research in materials, disaster prevention, numerical analysis, green engineering, and sustainable development.
The faculty at Tsinghua University helps students combine their skills in technology with management. As they graduate, they are prepared to be leading professionals in their future careers.

Although this list covers a lot of details, it talks about only a handful of civil engineering universities. There are hundreds of courses and specializations offered by other top universities from around the world. Each college has different tracks to offer, unique ways of teaching, and a minded faculty of its own. It’s your job to figure out which college works best for your profile. So, once you know what your academics, test scores, and projects look like, it becomes easy to shortlist universities. And in case you get stuck, you can always reach out to our counselors for help!

Key takeaways 

• Civil engineering is the professional practice of designing and developing infrastructure projects. 
• Choosing a program from the above-listed universities for your masters in civil engineering can help you gain the technical and practical skills required in the field.
• Your masters in civil engineering will take anywhere from 1-2 years, depending on your university and area of specialization. 
• Tuition fees vary across institutions, with scholarship and financial aid opportunities available for deserving candidates in the above mentioned universities.

FAQs

Q1) What factors should I consider when choosing a university for my masters in civil engineering?

Answer: Choosing the right university involves careful consideration of several factors to ensure a fulfilling educational experience. Program specializations, curriculum flexibility allowing you to tailor your studies to your preferred area of specialization, research opportunities, and collaboration with industry experts are some of the main factors to consider when choosing the right university for your masters in civil engineering.

Q2) How do these universities support career development for civil engineering graduates?

Answer: Industry exposure and practical skills enhance graduates’ employability. Universities gain industry partnerships, offer internships and co-op programs, research opportunities, their alumni network, and career services to ensure their graduates are prepared for the field. 

Q) What career opportunities can I expect after completing my masters?

Answer: A masters in civil engineering opens doors to diverse career paths, such as structural engineering, construction management, environmental consulting, urban planning, and research.