Engineering, Construction: Where to Study in Your Specialty, Best Universities, Requirements

An engineer is one of the most in-demand professions. Civil engineering is the cornerstone of modern society and is responsible for almost every existing structure, water system, road, and bridge. This oldest engineering discipline has several strands of career options that are most sought after in the global job market. A fundamental familiarity with the profession of civil engineering allows students to choose the most promising and well-paid specializations in this field that best suit their interests and long-term goals.

What is Civil Engineering? It is a sector of industry that is centered around the creation, construction, and maintenance of man-made or naturally constructed structures and the environment. Industry professionals are responsible for the construction of most public and private construction projects: bridges, roads, buildings and structures, airports and waterways.

Civil engineering is a component of a large number of industries, it is broken down into several separate interdisciplinary areas in engineering. The most popular include:

• Civil engineering – concerned with the design, management, and construction of government and residential construction projects (including skyscrapers, business buildings, homes, and industrial warehouses).
• Construction Machinery – Specialists in this field specialize in the design of houses, buildings and monuments. Civil engineers are engaged in the internal filling of structures, guaranteeing their durability, wear resistance, and safety for the environment.
• Earthquake Technique – Aims to minimize the damage caused by earthquakes by developing and building strategies to strengthen infrastructure in high-risk areas.
• Water Resources Engineering – Graduates study various water supply systems around the world, work on wetland restoration, and design and build sewer systems.
• Fire protection engineering is a specialty aimed at ensuring and improving the safety of people in the event of a fire. Design engineers draw up plans and strategies to reduce the risk of fires in buildings and structures, and work in construction companies.
• Transportation engineering is responsible for all aspects of various transportation systems: air, rail, and road. The work of engineers focuses on current transportation systems, on trends that affect the future of transportation – engineers use this knowledge to maintain and improve various aspects of modern transportation.
• Environmental engineering is responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of land, water, and air by implementing an environmentally friendly approach. Environmental engineers develop and implement solutions that minimize pollution and waste, oversee projects in state parks and other facilities.
• Geotechnical Engineering – focuses on incorporating geology practices into engineering projects. Geotechnical engineers analyze and study rocks, soil quality, and other geological factors that affect the foundation of the structure being erected. Specialists most often find application of their knowledge in the mining and oil industry.
• Mining Engineering – Focuses entirely on the extraction of minerals, coal, and other related components. Mining engineers analyze, plan, and design mining sites and supervise the crews that will extract them.

Advantages of studying in the specialty "Engineering" and "Construction"

• Demand for the profession – Civil engineers are in high demand in all branches of civil engineering. By continuing their education in Master's degree programs in Civil and Civil Engineering, students will discover a number of development opportunities that will allow them to climb higher on the engineering ladder. Specialists have economic, political and legal knowledge, which allows them to manage projects and teams of professionals, to open their own business in the future.
• A wide range of narrow specialties, which allows you to choose a field of activity based on personal preferences.
• Guaranteed employment, high wages. The construction industry is one of the most stable options for earning good salaries due to the high demand for civil engineers. After gaining valuable experience and perfecting their skills in the industry, professionals become a valuable asset with regular salary increases.
• New opportunities and horizons. With the development of the world, there are areas that require knowledge in the field of renewable energy sources, maintenance and repair, modernization of obsolete buildings and structures.
• Kudos, promotion to a managerial position. Civil engineering offers many career opportunities as this major is applicable to a variety of industries. This will allow specialists to participate in the planning of construction projects, introduce them to practical and theoretical methods of project management.
• Vast experience and a set of skills that will improve all aspects of the life of specialists (leadership, communication, creative, problem-solving, universal).
• Openness of the sector to the professional realization of women engineers.
• Changing the environment for the better. Construction plays an important role in the existence of humanity. Every year, the industry evolves in search of solutions to the problems associated with climate change. There is a growing need for highly skilled, innovative professionals with environmental and social awareness to make the world a better place, as society needs safe homes, reliable road systems, hospitals, and educational institutions.

Engineering, Construction: Details and Types of Programs

Undergraduate civil engineering is divided into various areas and specialties:

• Construction Machinery (Engineering Structures). Students learn to design large structures that guarantee their functionality during high winds and natural disasters, develop the gravitational properties of the structure to determine the maximum weight they can support, as this step allows them to create support mechanisms through beams and columns. Students in this field take courses on many physics topics: kinetics, shock waves, airflow. After graduating from the program, graduates have access to additional specialization in construction, bridge design, and aircraft construction. Ongoing projects: foundation development, reconstruction of bridges, houses and skyscrapers, vehicles.
• Civil Engineering and Management. Students learn the principles of design, construction, building code rules, and the stages of project operation. Course topics include resource management, project equipment, and the construction of safe and functional buildings. The organization of all stages of the construction process is also studied: scheduling, maintaining an inventory of materials, preparing a budget. Typically, the program includes Building Information Modeling (BIM), which serves as an information technology tool for many civil engineers in their work. Ongoing projects: water treatment plants, bridges and roads, residential and commercial facilities, location of schools, hospitals.
• Geotechnical Engineering. Specialization includes the study of rocks, soil, various synthetic materials required for projects. Graduates coordinate the construction of underground mining facilities, so they need knowledge about the chemical properties of natural materials and types of rocks, the interaction of water and soil, which allows them to design pavement structures and predict whether, for example, a natural slope can withstand additional weight. Ongoing projects: natural embankments, soil sampling and testing, roads and sidewalks, restoration of historic sites, sewerage systems and water tanks.
• Environmental Engineering. Students consider how to reduce the overall impact of synthetic materials on the global ecosystem and manage natural resources for a construction project. Courses explore the chemical properties of water, soil, and air to develop ways to reduce the problem of environmental pollution. Ongoing projects of graduates of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering: water treatment, drainage systems, processing systems, crop irrigation, solid waste management.
• Transport Engineering. Students learn how to design railways, subways, airways and sea routes, and learn how to design infrastructure for safe and efficient movement between points. The course includes methods of modifying the natural environment for the planning of transport systems (artificial canals), the study of physical properties: applied force, lateral force, which affect the stability and durability of the structure when they are affected by earthquakes or storms. Ongoing projects: development of bicycle zones, pedestrian bridges and roads, traffic monitoring, reconstruction of airports, automation of public transport.
• Water Resources Engineering – involves the development of infrastructure for safe drinking water in cities. The program studies the hydrological cycle — the ability of water to move between the atmosphere and the Earth over time. Students use knowledge of natural systems to design water supply facilities and artificial reservoirs. This specialization also deals with hydraulics—the movement of water through pipes and channels through natural forces in physical science. Ongoing projects: waterways, flood protection, irrigation systems, fishing facilities, water distribution centers.
• Materials Science is a specialization that looks at all the elements and components needed for construction: wood, steel, concrete, stones, soil, plastic, fabrics, and others. The chemical properties of materials are studied to determine the best adjustments for application. Projects such as welding, cement mixing, development of cosmetic and biodegradable products, clothing design, spacecraft design are carried out.

The duration of study in the bachelor's program is 3-4 years; Upon completion, students take exams in the basics of engineering, then intern in an operating company in the field of civil engineering. Several years of practical experience (on average 4 years, depending on the country) allow you to study the profession and obtain permission for further activities after passing the engineering exam. In addition, specialists in the field of engineering construction regularly undergo training to confirm the qualification obtained, which is certified by certificates of conformity.

The next stage is obtaining a master's degree, which takes 1-2 years. A master's degree allows you to deepen your existing knowledge and skills, increase your chances of career advancement, and increase your earnings. 

Obtaining a doctorate (PhD) takes 1 to 2 years.

Job Prospects

Civil engineers are responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of a variety of structures and public projects: buildings, roads, airports, bridges, waterways, and dams. Graduates work in the private sector and in government organizations. Most civil engineers specialize in their chosen field of civil engineering, which determines the type of further professional activity.

Common Duties That Civil Engineers Perform Are:

• Study surveys, reports and other data for planning public or private projects,
• Preparation of estimates,
• Determination of the quality of materials,
• Infrastructure planning and design,
• Use of software for the design and planning of various structures,
• Supervising various aspects of the construction process from start to finish,
• Presentation of environmental and real estate results to the public,
• Managing construction teams, which may include surveyors, architects, and construction managers,
• Supervision and design of major public construction projects,
• Ensuring the feasibility of projects, assessing budget requirements and design feasibility,
• Inspection of objects and making decisions on planning,
• Communicating with a wide range of clients, finding the best contractor and checking him,
• Solving any problems that arise in the design and development processes,
• Supervising the procurement of necessary equipment and materials,
• Compliance with safety regulations,
• Identification of any risks that affect the implementation of the project,
• Completion of government projects on time and within the established budget,
• Familiarity with modern technologies, rules and methods of construction,
• Design and supervision of structures that are used in the construction of facilities.

The demand for graduates of construction specialties is more than 15% of the total number of vacancies! The modern world needs:

• Programmer
• Electrical engineer
• Chief Engineer,
• Process Engineer,
• Civil engineer
• Chemical Engineer,
• Design engineer
• Biomedical Engineer,
• Aerospace Engineer,
• Production Engineer,
• Green Building Architect,
• Designer of 3D printing in construction,
• Smart Home Infrastructure Designer,
• Specialist in the reconstruction of construction sites.

Construction technical specialties that are in particularly high demand:

• Painter
• Carpenter
• Plasterer
• Concrete
• Mason
• Armature Operator,
• Electric and gas welder,
• Turner-miller,
• A welder is a machine operator,
• Process pipeline installer.

Specialties in the field of civil engineering have different salary indicators, which vary depending on the level of education, work experience, country, and the project being carried out. Average Salary for Civil Engineers and Related Professions:

• Environmental Engineer — from $82,000 per year,
• Geotechnical engineer — from $70,000 per year,
• Hydraulic engineer — from $80,000/year,
• Design Engineer — from $85,000/year,
• Materials Engineer — from $90,000/year,
• Construction Manager — from $77,000/year,
• Water Resources Engineer — from $78,000/year.

Engineering majors are the leaders in employment: in 2022, 20% more graduates were hired than in the previous year.

Entry Requirements

The basic knowledge of applicants for "Engineering" and "Construction" is tested in the following sciences:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry.

Students should possess the following skills:

• Analytical
• Spatial thinking,
• Mathematical. The work uses advanced principles of trigonometry, geometry, calculus, and other mathematical skills in analyzing, designing, and overseeing the completion of their projects. The size and importance of the civil projects for which they are responsible means being able to accurately calculate all the details,
• Leadership. Specialists are fully responsible for the work of the entire team at every stage of the project implementation - from design to completion. Civil engineers interact with a wide variety of professionals – designers, technicians, construction managers, surveyors, leading them to achieve a common goal,
• Problem solving. Specialists use their skills and experience on a daily basis to develop efficient, timely and cost-effective solutions at every stage of design and construction,
• IT skills. All modern projects require the use of a wide range of computer equipment, so graduates of the faculty have a good knowledge of design software and software for, for example, photography,
• Communication. Builders constantly communicate with a large number of people, in written and oral form, know all specialized highly technical terms, and are able to explain the basics of projects in a form that is accessible to most.
• Multitasking skills: these involve working on several branches of the main project at the same time. Specialists know how to prioritize, selectively focus their attention on key aspects, while maintaining great attention to detail, and allow you to complete several projects at the same time.

Top 100 best universities in the world in 2025 QS: Engineering - Civil and Structures