Civil engineering focuses on the planning, design, construction and management of civil facilities of all types, such as traffic, buildings, roads, bridges, airfields, water supply and storage, waste treatment facilities, offshore platforms, wind farms and landfills. A degree in civil engineering will provide you with professional engineering design, construction, and management skills, as well as an opportunity to focus on the interaction between civil engineering and other disciplines. 

At UNSW Canberra, our Bachelor of Civil Engineering will equip you with the skills to begin your ADF career and take a lead role in designing and transforming our world.

ATAR indicative

85.00

Degree type

Undergraduate

Duration

4 years full-time

Commencing terms

Semester 1

Program code

4473

Delivery mode

On campus

Study at UNSW Canberra

A UNSW Canberra Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) is a four-year full-time degree with an in-built Honours research project. You'll study subjects such as engineering mechanics, computational problem solving, mathematics, physics, structural analysis, geotechnical design, transportation and traffic engineering, hydrology, hydraulic engineering and environmental engineering practice. You'll spend at least 60 days gaining practical engineering experience in the workplace during your degree. In your final year you'll undertake your own capstone research project, and work in a team to complete an integrated design project. 

World-class teaching & facilities

As a civil engineering student at UNSW Canberra, you’ll have access to purpose-built workshops and facilities and benefit from the best university teacher-to-student ratio in Australia. Working with experienced engineers and client representatives on industry-focused design and research projects, you’ll gain the hands-on experience required to meet the global challenges of the future. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to apply the theories that you study in class and have the strong support of your peers and academic lecturers to help you succeed. 

Build your defence career

Your degree will be accredited with Engineers Australia, which means that you will be qualified to begin working as an engineer in Australia and many parts of the world as soon as you graduate.  

Civil engineers plan, design, construct and manage essential infrastructure as part of ADF projects and military activities around the world. At UNSW Canberra, our Bachelor of Civil Engineering will equip you with the skills to begin your ADF career and take a lead role in designing and transforming our world. 

Trainee Officers studying civil engineering have career opportunities in the Army or Air Force. 

Army  

As an Army Trainee Officer graduate, you’ll be able to join the Royal Australian Engineers Corps, where you will work on infrastructure projects in Australia and overseas. You could find yourself travelling the world to develop or restore clean water supplies, accommodation and airfields.

Air Force 

As an Air Force Trainee Officer graduate, you’ll play a major role in managing the infrastructure within the Air Force. You will be responsible for the management of whole facilities or specialised projects including aircraft pavements, hangars and hospitals.  

Chief of the Defence Force Program

The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) programs offer the opportunity for students entering UNSW Canberra with a high Entrance Rank, and who maintain a high level of performance in their studies, to undertake research in a range of disciplines that will develop their critical thinking and independent research skills beyond that available in the standard bachelor degree programs.

The range of CDF programs is characterised by the inclusion of specialist courses in critical analysis and/or research methods appropriate to the area of study. All programs also include discipline-specific research projects. The research projects will be supervised by academic staff from the relevant discipline. With the approval of the Head of School, multi- or cross-disciplinary projects may be undertaken. Students in the research courses may work independently or as part of a team, depending on the nature of the project undertaken, though all students will submit an individual assessment. The final assessment will be based on a written paper or report and oral presentations. 

Throughout the program, students will be engaged in cohort activities so as to develop and maintain their interest and continuing involvement in the program via invited lectures, seminars, general reading and social events.

Key contacts

Student Enquiries

E: sascanberra@unsw.edu.au
T: (02) 5114 5000 

Available to
ADFA Trainee Officers
ADF Current Serving Members

Assumed knowledge
Mathematics, physics

Additional selection criteria
Defence Force Recruiting process