Civil & Environmental EngineeringPostgraduate FAQs
For our PhD and MRes Degrees, we accept applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds.
These MSc courses are also offered to students from all disciplinary backgrounds, including social sciences, arts, agriculture, marketing, IT, accounting and business, law, sciences and engineering:
- MSc Environmental Entrepreneurship
- MSc Sustainability & Environmental Studies
These MSc courses require a specific life science, environmental science, earth science or engineering background but many different backgrounds are accepted:
- MSc Civil Engineering
- MSc Environmental Engineering
- MSc Hydrogeology
- MRes Geo-Environmental Engineering
- MRes Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control (IPPC)
- MRes Climate Change Adaptation
Applications for postgraduate study are made online via the Pegasus system. There is no fee to pay.
MSc Programme Application
You’ll find the online application button on your chosen course web page.
You’ll be asked to input your contact details and then you’ll receive an email. You’ll then receive an email from Registry with your username and password to log into your application – please keep it in a safe place.
You’ll also need to check your online application in Pegasus for details of any offer that’s been made, approximately seven days after your application has been submitted.
Your application is only fully complete once you click on the submit button and the status changes to ‘application submitted’.
Research degrees (MRes, MPhil or PhD applications)
Application for research degrees will be made on the individual course pages.
What is required?
When completing your application form, please upload copies of supporting documentation including:
Supporting documentation
When completing the online application form, please upload copies of supporting documentation, including:
- Bachelor and any previous Masters degree transcripts showing all grades and subjects (if awaiting final result, please upload all current degree transcripts)
- Bachelor and any previous Masters degree certificates showing final award and classification
- IELTS minimum score 6.5 total (with no individual section score lower than 5.5). Applicants from West African countries may be able to provide evidence of WAEC Grade C5 or above in English, if dated within the past 10 years. Candidates will be informed if they are eligible for any exceptions.
- Those with IELTS 6.0 may be able to improve their level to meet the UKBA requirements by first undertaking and passing a Pre-Sessional English Language course at University of Strathclyde from June to September (separate fees apply).
- A copy of your CV if you have relevant work experience and a Supporting Statement outlining your motivation for the course.
- Two official references (at least one of which should be an academic reference; the other can be an employer if the field is relevant to your chosen area of study). You can either upload official reference letters to your application as an attachment, or you should provide the referees’ email addresses in the online form, so that we can contact them on your behalf.
- [FOR PHD/MRES ONLY]: A research statement, outlining your research interests and your future career aspirations.
International students
Additional requirements (may be submitted at a later stage):
- Copy of your main passport page showing valid passport number and photo
- Provide a £2,000 deposit towards fees, OR official evidence of full sponsorship from a recognised institution (the deposit is refundable in the case of a visa not being issued by the UK visa authorities).This should be provided by June at the latest to ensure sufficient time to apply for a visa. Please initially provide as much of the above as possible - once all the above documentation has been provided and approved as suitable, an unconditional CAS offer document will be provided. Conditional offer letters can be made in the meantime, if you are still awaiting documentation.
International Applicants
For September entry, due to visa processing time, we advise that applications with all supporting documentation are submitted before June, to allow sufficient time to apply for your International Student visa.
The £2,000 deposit must be paid before you can apply for your visa, and applicants will also need to provide the visa authorities with evidence of the full balance of funding (including living expenses). Overseas applicants who have evidence of full sponsorship may be able to apply by the end of July, if all paperwork is provided & complete.
Home Applicants
For September entry, we advise applications are submitted as soon as possible. When submitting your application, please upload full copies of degree transcripts, CV, a supporting statement and academic reference letters if available.
If you're awaiting final undergraduate degree results, copies of all current degree transcripts, CV, Supporting Statement and two academic references will be required to assess your suitability for the programme in the meantime.
Note for January Intake students, and it is advised applications are submitted before end November for international students, or end December for home/EU applicants.
Supporting documentation should be uploaded as individual attachments via the Pegasus online application system.
If you have any difficulties with uploading your documents, you can contact a member of the Department's admissions team by clicking on the Messaging Service link within the online application system.
Funding for Home students is now available for all our Department's MSc courses. This is in the form of a universal student loan entitlement of up to £10,000 for all eligible one year full-time taught postgraduate students. This comprises a fee loan up to £5,500 and a non-income assessed living cost loan of £4,500.
Part-time MSc students studying over two years can apply for fee loan of up to £5,500 pro rata.
Further details are available via Student Awards Agency Scotland website.
Further information can be found within:
Select 'Civil & Environmental Engineering' and 'postgraduate study' within the drop-down boxes at the top of the University scholarships & funding page.
Due to the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering being unable to make an applicant multiple offers for different MSc courses, it is advisable to submit one MSc application only, for your preferred first choice course.
You're welcome to make a note on your application form/personal statement if you have a second choice course, and in the event your preferred course application is unsuccessful, we would consider you for an alternative if you meet the entry requirements.
Having been given an offer for a specific course, students can later change their mind and swap the course if they wish, provided it complies with entry requirements.
Yes, it is possible to study some of our MSc courses via distance learning. Our Distance Learning courses enable you to complete an MSc without studying at our Glasgow campus, enabling you to balance study with existing work and family commitments.
Modules are taught using online material (e.g. by video, podcasts, webinars and presentations) as well as providing access to online forums, live web chats and dedicated staff support.
The courses currently available via Distance Learning are:
For further information, visit our Flexible learning pages.
Home Students - yes, part-time study is possible for all MSc courses. Apply through the part-time 'option' on the individual course page.
Overseas students - no, unfortunately, it isn't possible to study any of the postgraduate courses part-time at Strathclyde campus, due to Tier 4 Student visa regulations.
However there are alternative distance learning options.
Part-time study involves attendance at classes, completing one third of course (60 taught credits) in Year 1, another third of course (60 taught credits) in Year 2 and the project/dissertation in Year 3. Note that it is possible for the project/dissertation to be done in Year 2.
Often, students who are working, do a project/dissertation of interest to their employer.
Depending on the timetable and option classes chosen, part-time study may require just one or two days work release per week for the 22 weeks of the taught terms. View current timetables.
Please visit the University Fees page for more details on Postgraduate fees for home, international and RUK students.
Fees may be subject to an annual increase. There is no application fee payable.
Early payment 3% discount
The University normally offers a 3% discount to full-time students who pay their fees in full by end August, provided students are full-time, fully self-funded and are receiving no other discounts or scholarships.
Yes, a 3-payment instalment plan is offered by the University.
An MSc is 67% Taught (120 credits of taught classes), 33% Project (worth 60 credits).
An MRes is 33% Taught (60 credits of taught classes), 67% Project (worth 120 credits).
A PhD is 100% Research.
Yes, subject to satisfactory progress this can be done in two ways:
- You can do the MRes first (one year full time) and then do the PhD (three years full time).
- You can do the MRes first (one year full time) but then do not graduate with an MRes. Instead the MRes year becomes equivalent to the first year of the PhD. A further two years of full time study completes the PhD programme.
Currently, three of our MSc programmes are available via fully Distance Learning delivery, which enable you to study flexibly, around your existing employment or other commitments. You can choose to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in one year, a Postgraduate Diploma in 2 years, or complete the full MSc Programme in 3 years.
Visit our Flexible learning pages for further information.
In UK universities, undergraduate honours degrees are classified as follows:
- First Class Honours = 70% or above
- Upper Second Class Honours = 60% - 69%
Our entry requirements accept International qualifications which are of an equivalent standard to a First or Upper Second-Class honours degree from a UK university.
We consult with the UK National Qualifications Agency NARIC on international qualification equivalencies. Please be aware that in other countries, the equivalent classification to a UK First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree may require a higher overall average mark, such as a minimum of 80%.
Although normally at least 2:1 is required, lower degree classifications may be considered if there is strength elsewhere (e.g. substantial relevant work experience, excellent final project/dissertation).
Our MSc Civil Engineering, MSc Environmental Engineering and MSc Hydrogeology courses are accredited by the:-
- Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
- Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
- Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)
- Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE)
- Permanent Way Institution (PWI)
on behalf of the Engineering Council as: meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree.*
*It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited IEng degree or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.
Our MSc Sustainability & Environmental Studies and MSc Environmental Entrepreneurship courses are accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired an Accredited CEng (Partial) BEng (Hons) undergraduate first degree.
See JBM website for further information.
The success rate of graduates from our Department is excellent, with most finding permanent course-related employment within six months of completing their degree.
Additionally, many of the MRes students (and some of the MSc students) progress to a PhD. You can find out more by reading the careers section within each MSc/MRes course page. You can also read the student/graduate recommendations within each MSc/MRes course page, to discover the type of jobs students get as a result of their postgraduate degree.
Please visit the University's Career Opportunities web page to find out more regarding opportunities in the engineering, environmental and sustainability sectors.
We normally hold a Postgraduate Open Evening around April each year.
The Faculty of Engineering also holds regular Virtual Postgraduate Open Day sessions throughout the year (to include all our Department's MSc programmes) - Postgraduate Open Day Events
For those who are unable to attend the Open Evening, we are happy for prospective students to visit the Department and make an appointment to speak with the relevant Course staff. We also hold an online web chat in February and May each year, with the opportunity to ask our staff questions about the courses.
Please visit our page containing information page for incoming students (including useful advice for international students).
This page also includes forthcoming key University calendar dates.
Host City of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and named European City of the Year 2011, Glasgow is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city which offers a welcoming student experience.
All our MSc programmes provide an option to undertake projects and dissertations on behalf of an industrial partner in the class 'Independent Study in Collaboration with Industry'.
Over 100 local and international industrial projects have been provided to give students an opportunity to gain real-life experience working with an industry. The international nature of many projects have historically involved remote working across multiple time zones, so this class has remained pandemic-proof.
Further, independent study projects often become dissertation projects, and technical reports have been examined by higher management. It represents an excellent opportunity for transferable skill training, an accomplishment to be listed on the CV, and experience to work in a UK-wide or global setting.
For more information on the difference between a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and an MSc, please visit the Prospects Page