Study MS in Civil Engineering at Top Schools

The importance of Civil Engineers is growing with time as they play in an instrumental role in planning, constructing and maintaining the physical environment. This includes building and maintaining of man-made products and constructions, including roads, bridges, canals, dams, buildings and more.

Being one of the oldest branches, Civil Engineering is further divided into numerous other sub-disciplines:\ -

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Transportation Engineering
• Urban Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Coastal Engineering
• Construction Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering
• Geoinformatics
• Engineering Geosciences

Being one of the diverse professions, Civil Engineers go on to become involved in everything from planning and designing transport systems to enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings.

Here some of the top reasons to study Civil Engineering -

• If you are fascinated about building new and complex structures, Civil Engineering would be the right choice for you.
• If you are interested in problem-solving series of subjects like Mathematics and Physics, Civil Engineering would be the right career path for you.
• Work in an exciting environment.
• Job stability is another attraction in this field as there is a huge demand for Civil Engineers in various areas.
• If you are interested in Community Service, Civil Engineering would be the right career path for you as civil engineers during emergencies such as droughts or natural disasters.
• Civil Engineers have excellent pay potential as engineering is an above average employment sector.

There are a few skills that a Civil Engineer should possess to build a successful career in this field.

Here are some of the essential skills that can aid a Civil Engineer in his domain -

• Technical Training
• Oral Communication Skills
• Mathematical Skills
• Written Communication Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Problem-Solving skills
• Decision-making skills
• Management skills
• Analytical Thinking
• Time management skills

Even though Mechanical engineers and Civil engineers rely on many similar skills, their work environments and projects are entirely different. Mechanical Engineers take responsibility for planning and designing tools, machines, engines, and other mechanically functioning equipment.

• Analyzing and evaluating production systems
• Modifying design plans
• Design power-producing machines
• Assessing the performance Unlike Mechanical engineers, Civil engineers are the creative and technical professionals behind infrastructure projects and buildings. They apply their skills to ensure the effective construction of buildings and structures.

• Inspecting structures
• Securing building permits
• Developing a budget for the projects.
• Securing permits for the buildings.

As cities keep expanding, civil engineers are needed more than ever to rebuild aging structures and adapt existing systems. During a master’s degree in Civil Engineering, you will learn how to manage projects, how to follow safety regulations and building regulations.

However, there are particular prerequisites for an MS in Civil Engineering:

• Bachelor’s degree
• To be eligible for admission, you should hold a university degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.0. Even though the minimum requirements vary with different universities, you can improve your chances if you have had some background in Mathematics, Science, or a related field.

English Proficiency

International students must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official TOEFL/IELTS scores with a minimum score of 6.5.

GRE

Even though there is no minimum GRE score required to apply for a master’s, an ideal score to get admitted to a well-reputed college is 169.

To build your career in Civil Engineering, it is crucial to choose the right university which will pave the path for your successful career. Here are some of the best countries to pursue your master’s in Civil Engineering,

• USA
• UK
• Canada
• Germany
• Australia
• France
• Newzealand
• Sweden

Once you choose the country of your choice, the next step is to pick the right university and program.

Here are some of the top universities across the globe for Ms in Civil Engineering -

• Stanford University, USA
• The University of Illinois, USA
• Georgia Institue of Technology, USA
• The University of Texas, USA
• Purdue University, USA
• The Massachusettes University of Technology, USA
• Carnegie Mellon University, USA
• Swansea University, UK
• The University of Greenwich, UK
• The University of East London, UK
• Teesside Univesity, UK
• The Technical University of Munich, Germany
• RWTH Aachen University, Germany
• The Technical University of Berlin, Germany
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
• The University of Stuttgart, Germany
• Monash University, Australia
• The University of Melbourne, Australia
• The University of Sydney, Australia
• The University of Calgary, Canada
• University of Alberta, Canada
• McMaster University, Canada
• McGill University, Canada
• Western University, Canada
• InnoEnergy Master’s School, Sweden
• Lund University, Sweden
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• Jonkoping University, Sweden

The cost of pursuing a master’s from an international university varies depending on the university and country. The average cost of a master’s in the US is between $30,000 to $120,000 whereas the average tuition fees for international students in Canada is about CA$30,742. The average tuition fees for international students in Sweden is around $9,200 to $14,600.

The coursework for most of the master’s programs in Civil Engineering places a heavy emphasis on both theory and practical application.

Given below are some of the course that might appear in the curriculum -

• Statistics of Environmental Monitoring
• Physical Hydrology
• Pipe System Engineering
• Linear Programming
• Engineering decision and support systems

If you’re interested in further studies after completing your MS in Civil Engineering, there are plenty of fields for you to develop specialist knowledge.

Some of the areas are -

• Water Management
• Earthquake Engineering
• Maritime Civil Engineering
• Environmental Engineering

It’s also possible for you to carry out your further studies through MPhil or Ph.D.

Civil engineers have lots of jobs, and it is only expected to grow in the coming years.

Some of the primary industries or specialisms who require Civil Engineers are -

• Airports
• Bridges
• Buildings
• Coastal and marine
• Energy and power
• Environmental
• Geotechnical
• Highways
• Offshore
• Rail
• Tunneling
• Water and Public Health

We have already discussed the broad scope of civil engineering and some of the industries who hire civil engineers. Now let’s talk about the countries which have the best job prospects in this field.

• Switzerland
• USA
• UAE
• Australia
• Japan
• Canada
• Denmark
• Germany
• France
• Norway

Even though Civil Engineering degree prepares you to work in different industries, there are a few jobs which are readily available once you complete your master’s degree.

• Building controller surveyor
• CAD Technician
• Consulting Civil Engineer
• Contracting Civil Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Nuclear Engineer
• Site Engineer
• Structural Engineer
• Water Engineer

With the current pace of development, companies are looking to hire more Civil Engineers to keep up with the demand and the fast-paced expansion. Some of the major companies who hire Civil Engineers are:

• AECOM Technology Corporation
• American Bridge Company
• Arcadis NV
• Balfour Beatty
• Bayside Engineering, Inc.
• Bilfinger
• Brookfield Multiplex
• Carillion
• Chemtech
• Chico
• China Harbour Engineering
• Costain Group
• Creighton Manning Engineering
• Davis Langdon
• Enterprise plc
• Gourlay Brothers
• Halcrow Group

Some of the highest paying countries for civil engineers are Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, and the US. The average salary for a Civil Engineer is around $84,770 as the highest paid engineers make $109,930 and the lowest paid engineers make approximately $66,260. The job opportunities for civil engineers are expected to increase by 8% before 2024 which is good news for all the aspiring Civil Engineers.