Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Civil Engineering

Summary

Engineers design the future. They provide innovative solutions to meet the needs of our modern world. From buildings and bridges, to apps and smart devices, to pharmaceuticals and renewable energy, engineering feats are everywhere.

The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours is a four-year professional degree. The degree is accredited by Engineering New Zealand, allowing our graduates to work as professionally qualified engineers all over the world.

Civil engineers are:

• planners, designers, constructors, and operators of the built environment — the spaces where people live, and the infrastructure we depend on like buildings, bridges, transportation, drinking water and wastewater systems
• kaitiaki (stewards of our natural environment)
• innovators and integrators of ideas, people, and technology
• managers of risk and uncertainty

Civil engineers work in interdisciplinary teams and with communities, including mana whenua, to come up with cutting-edge and creative approaches to solve the complex and large-scale challenges we face.

How do I plan my degree?

The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours requires a minimum of 480 points:

• 75 points of compulsory courses (plus two 0-point compulsory courses)
• 45 points of first-year engineering courses
• 360 points of engineering discipline courses.

The first year of the degree comprises nine courses (120 points), made up of six compulsory courses and three first-year courses, which vary depending on which Engineering discipline you want to specialise in. Find guidance online to structuring your first year to keep your options open if you are undecided on which discipline you wish to pursue.

The first year is followed by three years of study in one of the Engineering disciplines. Some disciplines also offer the opportunity to include a minor subject. Possible to the second year of the degree is limited and based on your performance in the first year.

All students must also complete 800 hours (approximately 100 days) of practical work placement.

Career opportunities

Civil engineers have extensive career opportunities, with a strong demand for graduates in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

Most new graduates are employed by consultants (who design and manage), contractors (who build and maintain), or central, regional, and local government (who develop policy and manage the infrastructure of countries, cities, and communities). These jobs often involve flexible work, challenging problems, and attractive salaries, along with many international opportunities in a diverse range of fields.

Many civil engineers become experts in specialised fields to tackle the demand for climate-resilient infrastructure and support a future global population of 9 billion people. Expert areas include structural, water, geotechnical, transportation, fire, and environmental engineering; and construction management.