Master of Science
MSc Structural Engineering
Due to high demand for this course, we operate a staged admissions process with multiple selection deadlines throughout the year, to maintain a fair and transparent approach.
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Overview
Course overview
- Study specialist topics, including fire and earthquake engineering, taught by leading researchers in the field
- Graduate from one of the Most Sought-After Universities by Top Graduate Employers (THE Graduate Market, 2024)
- Balance theoretical and practical work with our state-of-the-art facilities, including wave flumes, geotechnics centrifuge, materials testing, 3D laser scanners for surveying - all in our Engineering and Materials Building
- Benefit from our 200 year history of innovation, here at the first English University to offer an Engineering Degree
- Accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators, this MSc course completes your full educational base for Chartered Engineer Status
A study experience that makes a difference
We place social responsibility at the heart of your learning which means you can take advantage of unique ways to make a difference while studying with us, through your course or through extra-curricular activities.
- Complete our Ethical Grand Challenges to learn how you can create a better world and become more socially responsible.
- Work with an external organisation to tackle real-world sustainability problems through our University Living Lab.
- Discover subjects that broaden your horizon with our interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
Explore how you'll make your mark
Every course at Manchester contributes towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, so no matter what you're studying you'll be playing an active role in the protection of people and planet.
You will explore the following goals in your course:
- Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
Open days
Contact details
- Department
- Department of Civil Engineering and Management
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 275 5300
- pg.mae.ce@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.manchester.ac.uk/cem/
- School/Faculty overview
-
The School of Engineering creates a world of possibilities for students pursuing skills and understanding. Through dynamic research and teaching we develop engineering solutions that make a difference to society in an ethical and sustainable way. Science-based engineering is at the heart of what we do, and through collaboration we support the engineers and scientists of tomorrow to become technically strong, analytically innovative and creative. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
The standard academic entry requirement forthis Master's course is a minimum Upper Second Class UK Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline.Please note that we consider grades achieved in key relevant modules in your undergraduate degree as well as the overall degree result.
English language
• IELTS: overall score of 7.0 with no sub-test below 6.5.
• TOEFL iBT: at least 100 overall with no sub-test less than 22. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'. We do not accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition.
• Pearson PTE: at least 76 overall with no sub-test below 70.
• Pre-sessional English run by the University Centre for Academic English
• An acceptable equivalent English Language qualification.
English language test validity
Fees and funding
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £16,300
International, including EU, students (per annum): £38,400
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.
The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Master's Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.
We also welcome the best and brightest international students each year and reward excellence with a number of merit-based scholarships. See our range of master’s scholarships for international students .
And, if you have completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester, or are currently in your final year of an undergraduate degree with us, you may be eligible for a discount of 10% on tuition fees if you choose to study on a taught postgraduate course here. Find out if you're eligible and how to apply .
For more information on master's tuition fees and studying costs, visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website to help you plan your finances.
Application and selection
How to apply
As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please find more information in our Application and Selection section.
Staged admissions
Applications to this course are considered through a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.
Applications for 2026 entry:
Stage 1:
Application received by 12 December 2025; Decision by 13 February 2026.
Stage 2:
Application received by 27 February 2026; Decision by 24 April 2026.
Stage 3:
Application received by 1 May 2026; Decision by 19 June 2026.
Applications received after 1 May 2026 will be considered depending on course availability.
Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date. If this is the case, we will let you know after the deadline date.
Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.
If we make you an offer, you will be given a deadline by which to accept. This is typically 4-6 weeks but may be shorter. Offers that are not accepted by the deadline will be withdrawn.
Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place must provide evidence that they have met all the conditions of their offer by 31 July 2026.
Advice to applicants
- Transcript of your studies to date including credit weighting and grades achieved. If your academic documents are in languages other than English, please provide them in their original version and official translations. 2+2 and 3+1 applicants must provide official transcripts and certificates from both institutions.
- An official document from your university verifying your current weighted average mark (not arithmetic average) if this information is not included in your transcript of study. Please note : where grades are given as a percentage, the weighted average mark must also be recorded as a percentage, not as a GPA grade.
- If still studying, please provide an official list of all the modules you are taking in your final year.
- Degree certificate if you have already graduated.
- A CV if you graduated more than three years ago.
How your application is considered
We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant course units in our final decision making.
If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.
Interview requirements
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
CAS Information
Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.
If you have previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4 visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.
You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.
Your CAS number is only valid for one Tier 4 application.
Deferrals
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
Structural engineering is the foundation of our built environment, and in the age of climate change and urbanisation, innovation in this specialisation has never been more important.
Taught across eight course units, each worth 15 credits, combined with a research dissertation worth 60 credits, you will cover advanced aspects of theory and design - looking at both the static and dynamic behaviour of structures in steel and concrete.
Specialist, topical elements covered include studying the behaviours of structural designs against extreme loading, including both fire and earthquakes - brought to you by internationally leading researchers and engineers. You will also explore an introduction to finate element modelling, experimental work, and research methods.
Within both the discipline of Civil Engineering and the wider School of Engineering, our experts focus in on a broad range of research areas and have a wide spread of professional, real-time experience in industry.
In addition to the world-class teaching, you will be learn in our world-class facilities - the Engineering and Materials Building. This space is the largest dedicated engineering building in the UK, and home to excellent equipment to enable you to supplement your theoretical learning with hands-on work.
Teaching and learning
Traditional lecture and tutorial-based teaching is supported by well-equipped laboratories for demonstrations and for experimental work and all taught units are also supported within a modern e-learning environment. Dissertation research provides our students with training in research by investigating a novel and complex problem under the personal supervision of an academic experienced in supervision for higher research degrees. Our teaching and learning philosophy involves teaching our students advanced techniques and supporting them to apply their knowledge to solve problems both in a research context and in industry when they graduate from The University of Manchester.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
AERO61021 | 15 | Mandatory | |
CIVL60000 | 60 | Mandatory | |
CIVL60012 | 15 | Mandatory | |
CIVL60031 | 15 | Mandatory | |
CIVL60912 | 15 | Mandatory | |
CIVL63052 | 15 | Mandatory | |
CIVL64042 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MECH60041 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MECH60561 | 15 | Mandatory |
Related research
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The University of Manchester has consistently been named one of the most sought-after universities by Top Graduate Employers (THE Graduate Market, 2024), and that is only one many reasons to study with us.
For over 50 years, we have run our ever-evolving programme in Structural Engineering - an area which only continues to grow in demand and opportunity. As our student, you will enjoy our long-enduring links with industry and the potential connections you can make along the way.
Our students go on to work in a rich and varied range of construction areas across the UK and beyond. With names including some of the best multinationals in the world, our graduates have gone on to work at companies including:
- Accenture
- Arcadis
- Balfour Beatty
- EDF
- Mott Macdonald
- Network Rail
- WSP
- And many more!
Examples of graduate roles include:
- Consulting Structural Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Project Manager
- Sustainability Consultant
- Urban Designer
- And many more!
Accrediting organisations
This degree is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council. To hold accredited qualifications for CEng registration, candidates must also hold a Bachelor (Hons) degree that has been accredited as partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.
* It should be noted that candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited Bachelor degree accredited for IEng only or a non-accredited bachelor degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.