BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering (Degree Apprenticeship Route)

• 104 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• The applicant’s Level 3 subjects must include mathematics and a science subject; for instance, A-level Mathematics and Physics or BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering or Construction (with units in additional mathematics and analytical subjects such as structural mechanics or environmental science).
• Applicants should have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English, Mathematics and Science. If an applicant has yet to achieve appropriate Level 2 English and Mathematics qualifications, then with their employer's support, they can complete suitable equivalents locally or with assistance from the University before commencing the apprenticeship. Please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for a list of acceptable GCSE equivalents, further information and support.
• An applicant that has completed a Level 3 Apprenticeship in a relevant area (for instance, as a Civil Engineering Technician) will normally be eligible for admission.
• It may be possible for an applicant to transfer from a 4-year programme with a foundation year in a relevant area with passes at 60% in all foundation modules.
• We’re happy to consider applicants with non-traditional entry qualifications provided they can demonstrate relevant experience or a suitable portfolio of work that is deemed a reasonable substitute for the above qualifications. We'll consider such applications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
• Applicants will attend a joint discussion with their employer and the University of Bolton. This combined interview and onboarding discussion fosters trust and sets the tone of the relationship between the applicant, their employer and our tutors. As part of the interview, applicants may be asked to undertake additional assessment(s) or provide a portfolio of appropriate work to determine their suitability for the course.
• Admission to this programme is only available to applicants who meet ESFA eligibility criteria, including the following: 1) They are employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in a role relevant to the apprenticeship. 2) They have the right to live and work in the UK. 3) Their employer is willing to sponsor them to spend a minimum of six hours per week of their time in off-the-job training, including attending the University (times and dates to be determined) for the duration of their course. Please note that an apprentice cannot be self-employed. ESFA eligibility criteria may change so please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for up-to-date information.
• If English isn’t the applicant's first language, they will also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
• To be eligible for tuition fee funding through the Apprenticeship Levy, candidates should not normally have already completed a qualification at the same level as the proposed apprenticeship, unless that qualification was gained in a completely unrelated discipline.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

The BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering (Degree Apprenticeship Route) programme is designed to meet the Civil Engineer degree apprenticeship standard (ST0417). It supports students to achieve the technical knowledge required for a career as a civil, structural, geotechnical, hydraulic, or highway and transportation engineer. Successful apprentices will be well qualified for civil engineering careers and to take on roles in areas such as sustainable construction, structural integrity, geotechnics, materials, tunnelling, marine and coastal engineering, water, waste management, and flood management transportation and power.

In addition to subject-specific knowledge and skills, apprentices will have the opportunity to develop transferable skills that include problem-solving, analytical and research skills, critical thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork and commercial awareness.

What can I do with this qualification?

Graduate apprentices from this programme should be well prepared to progress their career in the construction industry, as well as for roles in the wider business, management and financial sectors. Recent BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering graduates from the University of Bolton have been employed by civil and structural engineering practices, local authorities, government agencies and civil engineering contractors.

This degree apprenticeship aims to support the development of the next generation of civil and structural engineers. On successful completion of the end point assessment, apprentices will be well prepared to take on demanding roles working on buildings of all kinds and transport or communication infrastructures, both in the UK and overseas. This could include bridges, roads, tunnels, canals and other large constructions, as well as projects for the production, storage and distribution of electricity, gas and water.

Graduate apprentices may choose to continue their civil engineering training to achieve the professional standards to become a Chartered Engineer (CEng). They might also choose to study a postgraduate MSc in Civil Engineering to develop their general skills and knowledge further or build specialist knowledge in a particular area, such as water management, earthquake engineering, maritime civil engineering and environmental engineering.

Apprentices will need to be employed by your organisation for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Your organisation will also need to commit to sponsoring apprentices to complete this qualification.

For further information on how your organisation can access funds to support apprentices, please e-mail apprentices@bolton.ac.uk.

Whether you’re an employer, employee or school leaver, please visit our Apprenticeship web page for support and advice regarding apprenticeships.

International applications are not possible for this course

As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.

Useful information

Apprentices will not be expected to pay tuition fees towards this programme. If your organisation has a wage bill of more than £3 million per annum, then it may be able to fund this apprenticeship through its Apprenticeship Levy contributions. If your organisation does not pay the levy, it will be eligible for government support to fund apprenticeships. This support, called co-investment, covers 95% of the apprenticeship's tuition fees, with your organisation funding the remaining 5% of the fees.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

Civil engineering is a diverse and multi-faceted discipline, so we use a wide range of teaching and learning methods. These are designed to fully engage apprentices, helping them develop the skills, knowledge, self-awareness, and behaviours essential to becoming an Incorporated Engineer (IEng), with particular reference to your organisation and their place within it. Learning focuses on your workplace environment and builds the transferable body of knowledge and skills demanded to achieve IEng status and apply this expertise within your organisation. Your apprentices will spend the majority of their time gaining on-the-job knowledge and experience. They will also complete at least six hours per week in off-the-job learning, including studying at the university.

As well as attending timetabled lectures, seminars, workshops, practical sessions and tutorials, apprentices will also be expected to allocate significant time to independent and self-directed studies. For example, background reading, revisiting practical work, attending lectures and technical meetings provided by professional bodies, preparing for seminars, working on assignments and revising for exams will support their timetabled learning and develop good habits for lifelong learning. Our friendly and supportive tutors will be here to guide them and will gladly help them devise an independent study regime focused on their individual development needs. Learning will also be supported by the University's virtual learning environment, Moodle.

Your organisation will need to provide each apprentice with a workplace mentor to support their development. They will also benefit from regular visits from a University tutor. The workplace mentor, University tutor and apprentice will work together to create the individual learning plan required to progress the apprentice’s professional body membership. An individual learner record (ILR) will be completed on a monthly basis.

For the degree element of this programme, we assess each apprentice’s individual performance through a strategic blend of practical work, exams, essays, presentations, laboratory write-ups and other assignments. Some assessments contribute to their final module marks, while others are designed to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, and where they need to seek extra support from course tutors. In addition to the assessments associated with the degree programme, apprentices will undertake the two-stage end point assessment at the end of the apprenticeship period. Stage 1 is a written report, and stage 2 comprises a presentation, interview and written examination.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Digital Technologies and Professional Skills
• Sustainable Construction and Materials 1
• Soil Mechanics and Hydraulics
• Geospatial Surveying
• Mathematical Methods for Civil Engineering
• Structural Analysis and Conceptual Design
• Construction Management and Digital Skills
• Transport Engineering and Materials II
• Structural Analysis and Detailed Design
• Hydrology and Environmental Engineering
• Geotechnics and Geo-Mapping
• Research Methods and Professional Practice
• Advanced Structural Analysis and Design
• Dissertation
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Group Project
• Applied Water Engineering
• Advanced Materials Technology and Practice
• Project and Environmental Managememnt
• Advanced Construction Management and BIM
• Advanced Conceptual Design and Structural Planning
• Work-based Portfolio and PDP 1
• Work-based Portfolio and PDP 2
• Work-Based Portfolio and PDP 3

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.