Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering Curriculum (L-7)

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering- programme overview

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Civil Engineering aims to train civil engineers capable of covering technical functions in the field of civil engineering projects, collaborating with the preparatory activities and documentation, working as a team in the executive phases of worksite organisation, and collaborating in ordinary or extraordinary maintenance activities on facilities and infrastructures.

Curriculum Structures

The main objective of the study programme in Civil Engineering (Curriculum Structures) is to train a first- level engineer with basic knowledge in the field of Civil Engineering who is able to operate and collaborate to the design of facilities and infrastructures, to building, managing and controlling civil works, construction, transport and detection systems.

The Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering is organised so as to permit students to acquire the necessary cognitive elements which are necessary to know and understand the methodological-operational aspects of mathematical analysis, physics, statistics, geometry and chemistry. In addition to the core modules, further modules related to the field of Civil Engineering are also envisaged. Students gain the ability to develop analytical skills and learn the methodological procedures of the sciences founding Civil Engineering through modules as: theory and technique of constructions, geotechnics and hydraulics, transportation engineering, topography.

These training activities are carried out through exercises and design projects, which allow the development of the necessary abilities to design medium-complexity works. The contents of the related activities are aimed at completing the training, by focusing on specific topics of science, technology, materials and technical physics.

Additionally, the curricular internship completes the academic path and allows students to approach the labour market. It is indeed aimed at preparing trainees to understand the practical and applicative implications of the knowledge acquired during the course of study. The level of skills achieved at the end of the training course allows graduates to enter and operate functionally within the labour market. Another fundamental task of the Bachelor’s degree course is that of preparing students for the Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, which provides a more complete and in-depth knowledge on the central topics of Civil Engineering.

Online degree – Curriculum Structures

The online Bachelor’s degree course in Civil Engineering is designed for those who are unable to attend traditional education programmes due to distance or professional commitments. Through the Unicusano online degree, classes will adapt to your schedule. Lectures and assignments can be watched and completed at  whatever time it is most convenient for students, while exams can be taken at the nearest local exam centre. Thanks to the quality of our teaching and the broad number of authorised exam centres spread across Italy, Unicusano is today the best choice for students willing to pursue an online degree in Civil Engineering.

Job profiles
Entry level in Engineer with basic knowledge in Civil Engineering in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering Curriculum)

Graduates in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering Curriculum) will be capable to cover technical functions in the structural design of civil works, to collaborate in the preparation of documents, to work in teams during the executive phases of organisation of the site, to collaborate in ordinary or extraordinary maintenance activities on facilities and infrastructures.

As civil engineers, graduates will play a key role in planning and constructing civil works of medium complexity (buildings, transport systems, roofing and ect.).

Work activities can include:

• modeling structural data using correct calculation schemes;
• performing load analysis and calculating internal actions of members;
• dimensioning structural elements and their connections, realising graphic models and calculation reports;
• collaborating to design structures as a whole, as well as controlling the execution of the structure (works supervisors).

Acquired competences

The Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering trains students to carry out the above-mentioned activities. The course requires basic knowledge and skills of mechanical structures, combined with knowledge of the technical implementation processes of Civil Engineering.
Specifically, Structural Civil engineers:

• know principles of Science, Theory of construction Technique and Geotechnics and are able to apply them to simple and recurrent cases of steel structures and reinforced concrete;
• know the mechanical behavior of the main building materials;
• design and realise connections and construction details, being aware of their constructional importance;
• know the Technical Norms for Construction, which regulate the design and the verification of structures;
• possess intermediate skills in terms of technical design for the preparation of graphic models;
• know how to calculate pressure pipes and free-air channels;
• know the technical language that allow them to interact with specialists and identify aspects and problems to be explored.

Career opportunities

Typical employers of civil engineers include:

• Local authorities and public bodies;
• Construction companies;
• Building materials and/or building systems companies;
• Professionals firms.

The technical role of the Civil Engineer in public bodies and administrations mainly consists in addressing the design, management and control of civil construction, hydraulic works, infrastructures, transport systems and interventions on the territory at a medium level complexity.

Site engineers offer to construction companies advices for planning and coordinating the technical aspects of construction projects. This role also includes further responsibilities, such as solving technical issues, managing and preparing reports.

Graduates may pursue their profession in a self-employed capacity, on condition of their successful passing the State examination. Afterwards, they may also apply to be registered as a professional engineer in the Engineers Registration Board. Engineers thus will be able to sign simple works projects based on recurring patterns, as well as to collaborate in designing more complex projects. They will also be able to follow the execution of civil constructions, hydraulic works, infrastructures and covering the role of construction manager.

As self-employed professionals, graduates in civil engineer could carry out the above-mentioned activities as external collaborator for organisations, administrations and companies, as well as by exercising their work directly for private customers.

The Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering prepares students to the following careers (ISTAT DATA):

1. Civil construction technician and similar professions (3.1.3.5.0);
2. Water networks and other fluids distribution technicians  (3.1.4.2.2);
3. Construction management technician  (3.1.5.2.0).

Entry requirements
In order to be eligible for the Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, students are required to possess a high school diploma or international equivalent. The knowledge of principles of mathematics and physics, usually developed in high school courses, is also mandatory.

The access to the degree of Civil Engineering is subjected to a non-binding test, which all students enrolled have to take. The ways of providing the test are defined by the regulations of the course of study. If the test is unsuccessful, students will be assigned with additional learning requirements (or OFA, from the Italian equivalent) which can be filled by attending bridge classes. In that regard, Math and Physics courses have been predisposed and uploaded on the elearning platform. Both courses envisage an evaluation test; by passing the test, students fill their OFAs in the area.

Educational aims and course plan outline

The main educational aim of the present degree course is to provide students with essential skills, with particular attention paid to basic training and methodological approaches. Furthemore, this degree aims to train students to operate and collaborate in designing structures and infrastructures; additionally, the degree course trains students for the execution, management and control of civil works, construction, and detection systems for new building interventions.

The specific training objectives of the Bachelor’s degree course in Civil Engineering are achieved through the educational path. The first year envisages introductory courses designed to offer a solid background providing the necessary cognitive elements to know and understand the methodological aspects of mathematical analysis, physics, geometry and computer science (45 CFU/ECTs).

In the subsequent courses characterising Civil and Environmental Engineering, students focus on further engineering modules, such as: Science and Techniques of construction, Geotechnics and Hydraulics, Topography,  Architecture & Design and Technical (63 CFU/ECTs). Such modules are defined so as to provide the analytical skills and the methodological procedures of the sciences founding Civil Engineering. Moreover, these training activities are completed through exercises and simple design projects, which allow the development of a suitable ability to operate in the field of the design of medium level complexity works.

The degree course envisages 108 common CFU/ECTs, respectively, 45 in the basic subjects and 63 characterising subjects. The structure of the degree ensures the development of a strong cultural base, followed by two educational pathways of your choice. These educational paths deepen, on the one hand, structural design and, on the other, architectural and building designing.

Moreover, the degree is characterised by specific topics related to the scientific areas of  science and technology of materials, technical physics, architectural composition and history of architecture (18 CFU/ECTs).  Then, a curricular and professional training is envisaged, which allows students to enter in the labour market and to apply the practical implications of the knowledge acquired during the course of study.

At the end of the training course, the achieved skills permit graduates to enter and operate in the labour market. At the same time, the Bachelor’s degree course in Civil Engineering has the fundamental task to prepare students for the Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, which provides a more complete and in-depth knowledge on core topics of Civil Engineering. The educational programme consists of the above mentioned subjects and other training activities, amounting to a total number of 180 CFU/ECTs credits.

Expected learning outcomes

The degree course in Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering Curriculum – is organised so as to allow students to gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of basic scientific subjects. Additionally, students will develop the ability to apply the acquired knowledge to understanding typical concepts of Civil Engineering, with particular attention paid to science and construction techniques, geotechnics, hydraulics and topography. The main objective is that of allowing graduates to interpret, analyse and solve the typical problems of Civil Engineering.

Basic knowledge and understanding skills are achieved through mathematics, general physics and geometry courses, while the typical themes of Civil Engineering will be tackled by specific training activities of Civil Engineering, Environmental and Territory Engineering.

Capability of applying knowledge and comprehension skills

Students will acquire the following skills:

• the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems using established methods;
• ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to analyse design solutions and building systems;
• ability to choose and apply appropriate analytical and modeling methods.

To achieve and establish such knowledge and understanding, a self-test will be provided to students as well as virtual classes and e-tivities.

Making judgements

Additionally, students will acquire the ability to:

• design and carry out appropriate experiments, interpret data and draw conclusions;
• know how to combine theory and practice to solve simple problems of Civil Engineering;
• understand the limits and strengths of techniques and methods applicable for solving problems of Civil Engineering, in order to choose the most appropriate on the basis of the pre-established technical requirements.

Methods and knowledge necessary for the acquisition of the abilities indicated above are organically provided in the framework of all  the teaching activities which constitute the study programme.

Communication skills

Graduates in Civil Engineering are able to operate individually and / or as part of a group, by acquiring the ability to communicate effectively with the actors in the supply chain of the construction sector, both in national and international contexts.

Graduates, therefore, acquire the following communication skills:

• to know how to communicate in the cultural and socio-economic contexts of contemporary society;
• to have relational and decision-making skills;
• to communicate effectively, in written and oral form, in at least one language of the European Union, besides Italian.

Learning skills

The ability to learn is strictly connected to the deductive method of applied sciences, which provides the necessary tools to analyse and be able of interpreting different problems.

The combination of teaching and training activities, including exercises, bibliographic research and elementary design, allows students to read and understand an academic scientific paper, to use reference manuals on specific problems and to consult handbooks for for different types of software and applications.

These skills allows graduates in Civil Engineering to proceed with their professional and cultural growth. The ability to learn is verified through the realisation of the thesis for the final exam and through some test/ assignment.

Final exam

The Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering Curriculum – is obtained after writing and exposing a research dissertation. The dissertation can be a numerical, experimental, non-empirical, or bibliographic analysis research paper .

The modalities of exposing the dissertation in front of a Commission are defined by the University Regulations.