Civil Engineering B.Sc.

 

Civil engineers accompany the construction process from planning to completion, maintenance, and renovation. Typical projects include all types of the buildings and their technical features, tunnels, bridges, streets, and waterways.

Civil engineers also create the foundations for an innovative, urban infrastructure – including consideration of climate change and demographic changes. This is how, for example, infrastructure solutions for the supply and waste management of cities and mobility adaptations are optimized. They focus their attention on sustainability, energy efficiency, and resource conservation.

The course of study at RWTH takes into account the broad spectrum of topics that fall under civil engineering. The curriculum contains the foundations of mathematics, physics, and engineering and civil engineering-specific sciences.

Furthermore the curriculum also takes ecological, economic, and legal framework conditions into consideration.

After this intensive and challenging core curriculum students acquire advanced knowledge in two of four concentrations:

• Civil Engineering teaches a basic understanding of load-bearing behavior, design, design and assessment of load-bearing structures, and the selection of the correct building materials taking technical and economic aspects into consideration. Possible fields of application include design, calculations, construction, execution of construction work, and research and development.
• Construction Management and Geotechnical Engineering focuses on economically optimized and energy efficient construction – for example with regards to the active control of planning and building processes for complex large projects. A further focus is elaborate construction and design methods in geotechnical engineering such as in tunnel, dam, and dam wall construction and in rock mechanics and construction.
• Water Sciences provides a foundation for the planning, construction, and operation of hydraulic structures such as levees, barrages, water supply institutions, and waste management facility plants. Functional aspects are considered as well as stability. They are supplemented with perspectives from environmental and water management sustainability.
• Transport and Spatial Planning focuses on questions related to the construction and operation of transport infrastructures, mobility, and transport. Fields of application include spatial, regional, and urban planning as well as the construction and operation of streets, rail connections, and airports.

 

Degree Content

Curriculum

Semester	Mathematical- Natural Science Fundamentals	Engineering and Civil-Engineering Specific Fundamentals
1st to 3rd	Mathematics I & II Mechanics I & II Hydromechanics I Applied Statistics	Building Materials Science, Construction Physics, Civil Engineering Informatics, Statical Calculation, Project Management, Geotechnics I, Planning Methodology, Introduction to Civil Engineering and Engineering and Society
4th to 6th	Mandatory Component: Dynamics, Hydromechanics II, Solid Construction, Residential Water Management, Construction Process Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, Building Contract Law, Preparation and Implementation of Construction Projects in the Life Cycle
	Elective: Modules from two specializations of student's choosing Institute internship
	Bachelor's Thesis

The detailed course of study layout is regularly published as addendum of the respective current exam regulations. You can find the link to the exam regulations at the bottom of this website.

Internships

During their studies students complete an internship in their selected specialization at a RWTH institute. During the internship they get a look into independent scientific work and research and application-oriented methods.

Programs Abroad

Engineers, who received their training in Germany, have always been in demand on the world job market. International experiences for budding civil engineers are becoming more important and often play a decisive role for one's later career path. Studies or internships abroad offer not only a deeper understanding of the subject but also of the culture and communication skills. The Faculty of Civil Engineering offers partnership programs with outstanding European and non-European universities to students even in their Bachelor's studies. Study opportunities are offered worldwide in addition to the EU mobility program ERASMUS+. The Faculty's membership in various research associations makes it possible to complete course components, final projects, and parts of the industry institute in one of many international programs.

RWTH students profit not only from the Faculty's exchange programs but also from the University's strategic partnerships with international universities. They can, for example, complete short stays at one of the IDEA League universities while completing a term paper. The UROP Abroad program, the only one of its kind in Germay, offers the possibility to participate in research projects at international universities during Bachelor studies. These stays abroad are partially funded by RWTH-specific funding.

All of RWTH's collaborative programs are listed on the webpages about studying abroad. Subject-specific details are dealt with by the International Office at the Faculty of Civil Engineering.

 

Decision Aids

Those who wish to work in construction, infrastructure, and process management have alternatives aside from civil engineering studies. Building and urban planning are also components of architecture studies for example. The difference is that civil engineering focuses on the more technical and functional side of building, while architecture focuses on the design and artistic side. Infrastructure and process and resource management are also handled in geosciences – however from a natural scientific perspective. In geography, things are looked at from an economic and social science perspective. Transportation concepts are also a topic in the Transport Engineering and Mobility course of study. There the focus is on the interdependence of the vehicle and road way, for example rails and rail vehicle, street and car. Those particularly interested in the economic aspects of building and tranportation measures should also consder the course of study Industrial Engineering: Civil Engineering Specialization. Environmental sustainability and ecological issues are topics in environmental engineering. Engineering subjects are also more intensively combined with basic natural science subjects in this program. Attending lectures before beginning studies may be helpful. You can also gather your own insight at the Schüleruni, during the Orientation Experience, or in the Sample Studies for Girls.

 

Media Library

Do you want more insight and impressions? Use the diverse information available! You can find our recommendations in the media library.

 

Prerequisites

Personal Prerequisites

Civil engineering studies requires interest in mathematics and physical relationships. Mechanics, statics, and statistics work with mathematical formulas and develop the relationships and legitimacy of computing methods. You can refresh and expand your existing math skills in a bridge course.

Enthusiasm for technical thinking is desired, as well as general interest in the building process. Prospective students may also want to already have experience in one of the diverse fields of civil engineers. The mandatory pre-internship also helps prospective students get to know building operations.

Enrollment Prerequisite

1. Pre-internship

The pre-internship consists of a four week building practice activity in a building firm. Interns should play an active hands on roll and learn to understand building processes. We recommend looking into the building practices, beyond the required duration, in order to also evaluate your choice of a course of study. Legal guidelines for the pre-internship can be found in the appendix of the exam regulations. The Faculty's Internship Office can answer any questions.

2. Self Assessment

Proof of participation in a RWTH "Civil Engineering" Self Assessment must be submitted at the time of enrollment but not when applying.

 

Career Prospects

Civil engineers are involved in planning, calculations, assessments, the conduction of projects, and coordination. With their skills profile they are hired in various fields of application such as structural engineering, industrial construction and bridge construction; planning, construction, and operation of traffic routes; state, regional, and urban planning; water engineering, water management, and urban water management; foundation engineering, rock operations, and underground construction; environmental protection; and building construction and construction management

Engineers trained in Germany are sought after all over the world – skills often sought in the areas of transportation, water, tunnel, and bridge construction. Due to the multiperspectivity engineers educated at RWTH possess, they are not only experts for the classical disciplines of civil engineering but also for interdisciplinary work in the context of economic, legal, infrastructural, and environmentally-relevant problems.

 

Master's Degree Prospects

In the civil engineering Master's program students choose from among eight concentrations: construction production systems and construction process management, constructive structural engineering, constructive engineering, constructive hydraulic engineering, tunnel engineering and geotechnics, transport, and water management.

Each concentration offers diverse possibilities to create one's own profile. An extraordinarily comprehensive spectrum of elective modules allows students to combine subjects that correspond to their personal interests and career prospects.

Furthermore graduates – when necessary with adjustments during Bachelor's studies and extra requirements in Master's studies – can also be admitted to the Faculty's other Master's courses of study: Environmental Engineering, Transport Engineering and Mobility, and Industrial Engineering: Civil Engineering.

 

Module Handbook and Examination Regulations

The module handbook provides a description of all modules of a degree program and offers a comprehensive insight into the program contents.

The examination regulations are comprised of legally binding provisions on learning objectives, prerequisites for study, the course structure and processes, and examination procedures.

Regulations that generally apply to all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, including information on language proficiency requirements, can be found in RWTH's General Examination Regulations. These general regulations are further specified and complemented by the subject-specific examination regulations.

If two examination regulations are valid for a degree program during a transition phase, the most current version shall apply to students enrolling in the program for the first time.

Please note that only the German examination regulations are legally binding.

Module Handbook
Subject Specific Examination Regulations
RWTH's General Examination Regulations

 

Faculty

The Bachelor course of study in Civil Engineering is offered by the Faculty of Civil Engineering.

The Faculty represents outstanding diversity in research focuses and scientific collaborations. It offers not only classic civil engineering courses of study but also interdisciplinary study programs such as Environmental Engineering and Transport Engineering and Mobility.