Thinking about becoming a Civil or Natural Resources Engineer?
Civil Engineering
Engineering for the everyday needs of society including:
- the supply of clean drinking water
- treating household and industrial wastes
- providing facilities for safe transportation by road, air and rail,
- constructing bridges and buildings which are safe against earthquake, fire, wind, snow and landslides
- design and construction of dams, canals and transmission towers for electrical power
- protecting against flooding by design and construction
Civil engineers have responsibility to manage people, equipment, resources, time and money. They plan, design or manage roads, buildings, airports, ports and harbours, recycling and disposal of wastes and protection of waterways.
Below are a series of videos. Click on them to learn:
Natural Resources Engineering (NRE)
If applied sciences, engineering and the environment interest you, then this programme might interest you. The programme addresses real-world environmental issues and provides insight into technologies available for solving such problems.
The degree is based on many of the same fundamentals as Civil Engineering
but differs in its emphasis on rural systems, water resources and ecological
approaches to engineering. Also emphasised are community-scale systems
applicable in NZ and developing countries, and the holistic design
of energy, water, sanitation and ecologically sensitive systems.
Specialist areas and degree choices
The Department offers a wide range of specialist areas including:
- Earthquake Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Fire Engineering (at a postgraduate level only)
- Fluid Mechanics
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Natural Resources Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
There are also several degrees for you to choose from, including:
- Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) BE(Hons)(Civil)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) BE(Hons)(Nat Res)
- Master's of Engineering - ME(Civil), as well two speciality areas in Fire (MEFE) or Transport (MET)
- PhD
Undergrad Programme
The Undergraduate course of study usually consists of an Intermediate year followed by three Professional years.
Starting your BE(Civil) or BE(NatRes)
Straight from High School
Most students begin straight from high school. Here you can find out what classes you should take during your first (intermediate) year at Canterbury University.
Other Pathways
However, there are other pathways into a BE(Civil) or BE(NatRes). If you hold a BSc(Hons) or a BSc degree or if you hold an NZCE or Diploma, you may be permitted to enrol in the Second Professional year of the course.
International Students
If you are an international student, need more information about which category you fit into, or need to know what to do next, please contact:
Supervisor
of Undergraduate Studies |
Phone: +64-3-364-2250 |
Intermediate and Professional Years Explained
Intermediate Year
At Canterbury this consists of required courses within Mathematics and Physics plus other courses. More information about the structure of the Intermediate Year is available from the College of Engineering website.
First and Second Professional Years
These years consist of compulsory courses which provide a wide, basic knowledge for both the civil and natural resources engineering professional. This includes courses on fluid mechanics, geology, surveying, materials, management, soil mechanics, structural design, transportation and water quality.
Each course consists mainly of lectures, but, laboratory, drawing office and field classes are also included. Laboratories allow you hands-on practical application in manipulating and controlling real systems; skill development in measurement, observation and evaluation; and provide the opportunity to study problems that are not amenable to theory. Additionally the written laboratory reports enable you to develop your ability to express yourself and to communicate with others. Abilities that are increasingly important to engineers in this modern society.
Third Professional Year
This year offers a great deal of flexibility. You can take courses from the pool of elective 3rd Pro courses, from courses outside the Department, or from advanced postgraduate courses.
You can specialise or generalise by choosing either a narrow or a wide range of subjects. In the final undergraduate year, often project and field work replace the formal laboratory periods so you continue a more independent investigation into a topic. Here you learn to identify and define a problem and research existing relevant knowledge. Finally, after creating a suitable investigation programme, you present your project results orally to the other students and submit a written report.