Campuses and locations
The University of Newcastle is a multi-campus institution offering programs in a number of locations.
Master of Professional Engineering (Civil)
Postgraduate program
Location
Start dates
- Semester 1 - 24 Feb 2020
- Semester 2 - 20 Jul 2020
Mode of delivery
Face to Face
Duration
3 years full-time or part-time equivalent up to 8 years maximum.
Location
Start dates
- Semester 1 - 24 Feb 2020
- Semester 2 - 20 Jul 2020
Fees
$36,830 (indicative annual fee, 2019)
Indicative annual fees are based on a full year full time load (80 units) Find out more about fees
Duration
3 years full-time.
Mode of delivery
Face to Face
English language proficiency
- IELTS overall minimum - 6.5
- IELTS section minimum - 6.0
Study Professional Civil Engineering
The Master of Professional Engineering (Civil) is a flexible degree that will allow you to fast-track your career in civil engineering. Professionals Australia reports that engineers with postgraduate qualifications attract a 16% wage premium.
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. 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.
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.
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
Imagine if ‘work’ meant engineering a megastructure! UON civil engineering grad Mark Arkinstall worked on the Beijing’s Watercube.
What you will study
Core courses
- MPE Thesis A
- MPE Thesis B
- Engineering Complexity
- Managing Engineering Projects
- Reinforced Concrete Design
- Steel Design
- Geomechanics 2
- Hydrology
- Water Engineering
- MPE Thesis A
- MPE Thesis B
- Engineering Complexity
- Fundamentals of Engineering Mechanics
- Introduction to Engineering Computations
- Numerical Methods
- Theory of Structures 1
- Civil Engineering Materials
- Introduction to Geomechanics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Transportation Engineering and Design
- Managing Engineering Projects
- Reinforced Concrete Design
- Steel Design
- Geomechanics 2
- Hydrology
- Water Engineering
- MPE Thesis A
- MPE Thesis B
- Engineering Complexity
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
2-year students and 3-year students choose four electives and 1-year students choose three. These can include courses from the directed courses list, but can also be chosen from other areas.
Program structure
1-year program: If you are a graduate of a University of Newcastle Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree, or equivalent, you can complete the MPE in just one year. 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: If you are an international student seeking professional recognition from Engineers Australia* and the Washington Accord, or if you wish to extend your engineering and professional expertise in an Australian context, the 2-year MPE is the ideal program. Your study program will be designed to build on your prior studies and develop the core technical competencies to ensure you qualify. These will be chosen in areas such as:
- Water Engineering
- Steel Design
- Geomechanics
- Hydrology
- Advanced Structural Analysis
3-year program: for students whose undergraduate degree is NOT in engineering, but is in a related STEM area. For example, a Science degree in physics, mathematics or chemistry. You will take the necessary courses to qualify as an engineer and be professionally recognised by Engineers Australia. This degree provides the perfect pathway to transfer your prior knowledge 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.
- MPE (Civil) Pathway C 362.1 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019
- MPE (Civil) Pathway B 373.4 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019
- MPE (Civil) Pathway A 416.8 KB Commencing in Semester 1 or Semester 2 2019
Career opportunities
Engineers work on a huge range of tasks in many different environments – industries like electronics, energy, food, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction, environmental health and transportation. Engineering continues to be one of the most in-demand qualifications in the world, with many countries desperate to fill a shortage of professional skills in this field.
A Master of Professional Engineering will open up even more varied career opportunities, empowering you to take on a leadership role, start your own business or manage major engineering projects.
- Salaries: As an engineer you’ll be valued and well rewarded. Starting salaries average around $80,000p.a. In 2015, 85% of our engineers had jobs when they graduated - making the University of Newcastle one of the top 2 universities in NSW for graduate employment rates.
- Flexibility: Some engineers work 9-5 in an office, others fly-in-fly out from a project site. You might prefer hands-on fieldwork, design and development, or managing people and projects.
- Global opportunities: As a qualified engineer you can travel the world and work almost anywhere you choose. Professional recognition through Engineers Australia lets you work in places such as Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, the UK and the USA.
