The Master of Professional Engineering (Civil)* is a flexible degree that will allow you to fast-track your career in civil engineering. You will develop the strategic and technical skills required to tackle ‘wicked problems’, applying design thinking and systems engineering principles to develop solutions that are both innovative and ethical.

^{* This program has been granted provisional accreditation through Engineers Australia.}

Advance Your Engineering Career: 1-year Accelerated MPE

If you are already a professionally recognised engineer, the 1-year accelerated MPE will allow you to gain a highly relevant postgraduate qualification to help advance your career.

As well as deepening your technical knowledge with advanced courses in your area of specialisation, you will also diversify your skills in an area outside of engineering, such as business, management, entrepreneurship and innovation, health and safety or disaster risk reduction.

Get Professional Recognition in Australia: 2-year Accelerated MPE

If you already have an engineering degree from an overseas university but are seeking professional recognition, this 2-year accelerated MPE will give you an advanced, accredited qualification, preparing you for practice in Australia and around the world.

You will deepen your technical knowledge in your area of specialisation, learn about engineering practice in the Australian context and develop professional skills in project management and complex problem solving.

Make a Career Change to Engineering: 3-year MPE

Are you seeking to make a career change into engineering? If you have a background in a related area, such as science or mathematics, the 3-year MPE provides an opportunity for you to gain a professionally recognised qualification in engineering.

You will build on your fundamental knowledge through foundational engineering courses, gain expert technical knowledge in your area of specialisation, and develop professional practice skills in project management and complex problem solving.

^{NOTE: The 3-year program is only available in the disciplines of Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Software engineering.}

Why study with us?

Designed around you: choose up to four courses in an area outside of engineering. Diversify your skills in areas such as business, design, or entrepreneurship.
Relevant in the real world: connect with business through industry-based projects, guest lectures, mentorship and case studies.[2]
Ready for your future, ready for the world: our professional practice and leadership courses will help you develop skills in project management, complex problem solving, innovation and communications. Choose a major project that’s linked to industry or focused on research.
Recognised by industry and globally: take your career anywhere in the world with international recognition through Engineers Australia and the Washington Accord.[3] The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranks UON in the Top 300 for Civil Engineering.[4]
Powerful learning: our smaller student cohort means you’ll have greater access to teaching staff and be part of a close-knit student community.

Limits apply depending on the background of the individual and the discipline they now wish to specialise in
Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching www.qilt.edu.au
This program has been granted provisional accreditation through Engineers Australia.
http://www.shanghairanking.com

UON graduate Mark Arkinstall in front of the blue 'Watercube' in Beijing

Imagine if ‘work’ meant engineering a megastructure! UON civil engineering grad Mark Arkinstall worked on the Beijing’s Watercube.

Call 1800 882 121
Outside Australia
call +61 2 4921 8856

Enquire

Call +61 2 4913 8300
Inside Australia
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What you will study

You can choose to deepen your skills through advanced civil engineering courses in areas such as hydrology, land surface process and management, or geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering, or broaden your skill base with complimentary management courses in natural disasters, business and the environment as well as project planning, entrepreneurship and innovation. You will also complete a year-long advanced civil engineering project (design-based or theoretical – the choice is yours), which can potentially be linked to industry.

Core courses

1-year students

MPE Thesis A
MPE Thesis B
Engineering Complexity

2-year students

Managing Engineering Projects
Reinforced Concrete Design
Steel Design
Theory of Structures 2
Advanced Analysis for Design
Geomechanics 2
Hydrology
Water Engineering
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
MPE Thesis A
MPE Thesis B
Engineering Complexity
Core Design 1
Core Design 2

3-year students

Numerical Methods
Engineering Probabilities
Theory of Structures 1
Civil Engineering Materials
Introduction to Geomechanics
Fluid Mechanics
Transportation Engineering and Design
Managing Engineering Projects
Reinforced Concrete Design
Steel Design
Theory of Structures 2
Advanced Analysis for Design
Geomechanics 2
Hydrology
Water Engineering
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
MPE Thesis A
MPE Thesis B
Engineering Complexity
Core Design 1
Core Design 2

Directed courses

From a list of directed courses, all students choose a minimum of five courses. Examples include:

Infrastructure Development
Sustainable Development
Advanced Structural Analysis
Computational Mechanics
Geotechnical Risk Analysis

Elective specialisation courses

3-year students choose one elective. This can be a course from the directed courses list, but can also be chosen from other areas.

Program structure

1-year program: You will take advanced engineering courses and choose electives to broaden your skill base and enhance your employability. By gaining a highly relevant postgraduate degree you will accelerate your career, opening up opportunities to work at a more senior level.

2-year program: Your study program is designed to build on your prior studies and develop the core technical competencies to ensure you qualify for professional recognition from Engineers Australia* and the Washington Accord. If you are already a qualified engineer in Australia, this advanced engineering program will broaden your skill base allowing for enhanced specialisation in your field and boost your employability. You will choose to focus on areas such as:

Water Engineering
Steel Design
Geomechanics
Hydrology
Advanced Structural Analysis

3-year program: This program provides the perfect pathway to transfer your prior knowledge in science, physics, mathematics or chemistry into an engineering context. You will gain a highly sought-after professional qualification and benefit from the high salaries and job opportunities that engineers enjoy.

* This program has been granted provisional accreditation through Engineers Australia.

Program plans

Download a program plan for further details on your degree's structure and what courses you will study.

These program plans are applicable to new students. Current students should refer to the program handbook to access the plan relevant to the year they commenced.

2019-2020 Semester 1 & Semester 2 Program Plan - Pathway C 233.2 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019
2019-2020 Semester 1 & Semester 2 Program Plan - Pathway B 209.9 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019
2019-2020 Semester 1 & Semester 2 Program Plan - Pathway A 223.8 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019

View the full course list

Experience

Applying for Master of Professional Engineering (Civil)

Application information for Australian students Application information for International students

Fast facts

Start dates

Semester 1 - 22 Feb 2021
Semester 2 - 19 Jul 2021

Mode of delivery

Face to Face

Fees

Find information about indicative course and program fees.

Duration

3 years full-time or part-time equivalent up to 8 years maximum.

Accelerated options available

Location

Newcastle

Start dates

Semester 1 - 22 Feb 2021
Semester 2 - 19 Jul 2021

Fees

$38,670 (indicative annual fee, 2020)
Indicative annual fees are based on a full year full time load (80 units) Find out more about fees

Duration

3 years full-time.

Accelerated options available

Mode of delivery

Face to Face

English language proficiency

IELTS overall minimum - 6.5
IELTS section minimum - 6.0

Find out more about IELTS.

Before you get started

To ensure that the process goes smoothly for you, you should complete the following steps before applying:

Review the program that you wish to apply for. Note the admission criteria, admission instructions, requirements & structure and any additional information listed.
Review the program fees and costs.
Check whether your postgraduate program has a Semester or a Trimester closing date. Please view the application closing date.
If you are from a non-English-speaking background, you need to satisfy the University's English language requirements and ensure that you can provide evidence of your English proficiency if required.

You will be considered for entry based on criteria such as your undergraduate studies and/or equivalent prior learning and/or relevant work experience.

Postgraduate application process

Other things to consider

Make sure you double check the special entry requirements, assumed knowledge or recommended studies for the degree:

Admission Requirements

Applicants with a non-engineering Bachelor Degree with at least 20 units of study in Mathematics (especially calculus and linear algebra); and Science, as related to civil engineering will, if admitted into the program, be required to complete the 240 unit or 3 year program (Pathway A).

For applicants with a Bachelor Degree in a different engineering discipline area entry and program duration will be assessed by the Faculty on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree equivalent to the Sydney Accord standard in the same engineering discipline area: i.e. Bachelor of Civil Engineering with a UoN determined GPA of 4.5 and above, may be eligible for up to 80 units (1 year) of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Potentially reducing the program duration to 160 unit or 2 years (Pathway B). Exact RPL can only be determined on application.

Applicants with a Bachelor Honours Degree recognised by the Washington Accord in the same engineering discipline area, may be eligible for up to 160 units of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) (2 years). Potentially reducing the program duration to 80 unit or 1 year (Pathway C). Exact RPL can only be determined on application.

University of Newcastle Engineering Graduate Pathways

Graduates of the University of Newcastle Bachelor of Civil (Honours) single and combined programs will automatically be awarded 160 units of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) reducing the program duration to only 80 units or 1 year (Pathway C).

Minimum English Language Proficiency Requirements

All Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the University’s English proficiency requirement. Further information regarding English language proficiency requirements can be found at the English Language Proficiency for Admission Policy here.

Compulsory Program Requirements

Students in Pathway A and Pathway B are required to complete 12 weeks of Industrial Experience as part of the program requirement.

It is anticipated that some commencing students may have met the Industrial Experience requirement, as such they will be deemed to have met this requirement, provided they can submit suitable evidence, such as a statement from the employer.

As students in Pathway C will already hold a Washington Accord qualification they are exempted from this requirement.

You can look at NUprep for options to brush up on knowledge before you start.

Ok, great, let's go!

Applications to study are now open. Submit your application now.

Apply online now

Apply to study in Australia

Both students and education agents can submit applications online. This is our preferred way of application. You can save your application after you have started, and come back to it later.

Apply to study in Australia What you will need

Alternatively you may complete a paper-based application. Find out more

Key dates

View all key dates

Call 1800 882 121
Outside Australia
call +61 2 4921 8856

Enquire

Call +61 2 4913 8300
Inside Australia
call 1800 882 121

Enquire

Master of Professional Engineering (Civil)

Study Professional Civil Engineering

Advance Your Engineering Career: 1-year Accelerated MPE

Get Professional Recognition in Australia: 2-year Accelerated MPE

Make a Career Change to Engineering: 3-year MPE

Why study with us?