Overview

Infrastructure shapes how we live, work and connect. Develop the engineering and environmental expertise to help your organisation design and deliver infrastructure that responds to environmental challenges.

Our BSc (Hons) Graduate Apprenticeship in Environmental Civil Engineering course combines civil engineering principles with environmental science and sustainability. You’ll work towards an honours degree while remaining in paid employment, applying what you learn directly within your workplace.

Develop the knowledge and practical skills to design and manage engineering projects while considering their environmental impact.

Your studies will explore areas including:

sustainable design and construction
climate resilience
resource efficiency
digital engineering
Water Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Structural Engineering.

Practical learning is central to the degree. You’ll connect academic theory with work-based learning and projects, allowing you to develop your engineering skills through challenges relevant to professional practice and your workplace.

Learn from experienced academics and researchers, with your studies informed by GCU’s applied research in sustainable construction, climate resilience, water engineering, geotechnics and digital engineering. As the University for the Common Good, we’ll encourage you to consider the wider impact of infrastructure and how engineering can support communities, environmental responsibility and economic development.

The course supports your professional development towards engineering registration. After successfully completing the degree, you’ll be eligible to apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration through the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM).

By graduation, you’ll have combined academic knowledge with several years of workplace experience. You’ll be equipped to take on greater responsibility, contribute to sustainable engineering projects within your organisation and continue developing your professional engineering career.

What is a Graduate Apprenticeship?

A Graduate Apprenticeship combines university study with paid employment, allowing you to work towards a degree while continuing to develop in your role.

Graduate Apprenticeships are fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council, so there are no tuition fees for you or your employer. You’ll continue earning your salary while working towards your degree.

To take a Graduate Apprenticeship, you must live and work in Scotland in a role related to your course.

If you’re already working in a suitable role, you can apply with the support of your employer.

If you’re not currently in a relevant role, you can search and apply for Graduate Apprenticeship job opportunities through Apprenticeships Scotland. Once you secure a suitable role, you can apply for the degree with your employer’s support.

Find out more about how the Graduate Apprenticeship works in the Additional Information section below.

Employer benefits

Supporting a Graduate Apprentice allows you to develop engineering and environmental capability within your organisation while investing in an existing employee.

Your employee will apply their learning throughout the degree, developing knowledge and skills across areas including sustainable infrastructure, climate resilience, resource efficiency, water engineering, geotechnics and digital engineering. They can bring this learning directly into their role and apply it to relevant projects and challenges within your organisation.

As their technical knowledge and workplace experience develop, they’ll be equipped to take on greater responsibility and contribute to the design, delivery and management of safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible infrastructure.

Why study Graduate Apprenticeship Civil Engineering (Environmental Civil Engineering) at GCU?

Earn while you learn on a fully funded Graduate Apprenticeship. Work towards an honours degree while continuing in paid employment and developing your skills with the support of your employer.
Apply your learning directly in the workplace. Connect engineering theory with work-based projects and develop practical skills that support your development and contribute to your organisation.
Help shape a more sustainable and resilient future. Explore sustainable design and construction, climate resilience, resource efficiency, water engineering, geotechnics and digital engineering, and develop the skills to create infrastructure that responds to environmental challenges.
Study a course co-designed by GCU and industry partners, helping connect your academic and workplace learning with current engineering practice and industry needs.
Build towards professional recognition. Successful completion of the degree makes you eligible to apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration through the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM).

What you will study

We aim to display the most up-to-date information possible.

The modules listed on this page and the Programme Specification are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course. Please note that course content, modules, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at GCU. This might be because we are required to do so by law, by a governmental authority, regulator or accrediting body. We may also make changes for quality assurance reasons, or to enhance the course.

Year 1

Professional Orientation and Practice

Construction Materials

Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics

Structural Mechanics (Statics and Dynamics)

Applied Mathematics 1

Work Based Learning 1

Year 2

Structural Design and Analysis

Digital Construction (GA)

Geotechnics

Design of Structures

Structural Engineering

Work Based Learning 2

Year 3

Hydraulics

Geotechnical Design

Public Health, Water and Wastewater Treatment

Construction Contracts 2

The Engineer in Business

Year 4

Dissertation

Transportation

Water Resource Management

Advanced Structural Engineering

Waste Management and Contaminated Land

Understanding core and optional modules

The core modules shown are based on the standard full-time route for students entering Year 1 of the course. If you study full time from Year 1, you will normally study the outlined core modules for each year of the course.

Optional modules provide opportunities to tailor your studies. You will not normally study every optional module shown and will be asked to select from the available options during your studies. Information about available options and the module selection process will be provided after you enrol. Please note that the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and is subject to factors including student demand, timetabling, staffing and academic requirements.

The module information shown is based on the standard full-time route through the course. If you study through an alternative entry or study route, including part-time study or Advanced Entry, the modules you take in each year and the order in which you study them may vary.

Careers

Civil engineers play an important role in designing, delivering and managing the infrastructure that communities depend on, from transport and water systems to sustainable construction and flood management.

This Graduate Apprenticeship allows you to develop your engineering career while continuing to build experience with your employer. You’ll strengthen your technical and environmental expertise, preparing you to take on greater responsibility as your skills and experience develop.

The degree can support career development in areas such as:

civil and structural engineering
geotechnical engineering
environmental engineering and consultancy
transport and infrastructure
construction and site engineering
flood risk and water systems
project management.

Your knowledge of sustainability, climate resilience and environmental engineering can also support your development as organisations respond to infrastructure renewal and the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

As your experience grows, you can progress towards more advanced technical, project and engineering responsibilities within your organisation.

For employers

The Graduate Apprenticeship provides a structured way to develop existing employees towards greater technical and professional responsibility.

As their knowledge and experience develop, they’ll strengthen their understanding of civil engineering alongside sustainability and environmental priorities. This can help them contribute to increasingly complex projects and support your organisation in designing and delivering safe, resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure.

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
BSc (Hons)	Blended Learning	4 Years	Sep 27	Glasgow	Enquire

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Year 1

Standard entry requirement

For new employees applying directly from school:

All applicants must be working in full-time employment in a role commensurate to the programme of study. Applicants should also have the support of their employer.

UCAS Tariff: 96

Scottish Higher: BBCC or equivalent incl Higher in Maths and a Science or Technology

Foundation Apprenticeships

We accept selected Foundation Apprenticeships, in combination with Qualifications Scotland Highers, for entry to our degree programmes. Your Foundation Apprenticeship will take the place of one Qualifications Scotland Higher qualification for our standard entry requirements and will be treated as equivalent to a B grade at Higher.

Modern Apprenticeships

If you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship at SCQF level 6 in a relevant discipline this would be equivalent to two Highers at B.

Additional requirements

Candidates must be employed in the same field as the course of study and must supply a supporting letter from their employer as part of the admissions process.

You must be living and working in Scotland in the same field as the Graduate Apprenticeship course you are applying to.

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements are for widening access students only. If you are from a group that is not currently well-represented in higher education you may qualify as a widening access student. This includes living in a target postcode area, attending a target school or college, attending SWAP, are care-experienced or provide care for someone else, have refugee status or are an asylum seeker.

About Graduate Apprenticeships

As a Graduate Apprentice, your time will be split between GCU and your workplace, allowing you to combine university study with work-based learning.

Most of your learning will take place face-to-face through your workplace, with only a small number of on-campus teaching days at GCU across the duration of each trimester. Attendance during your work-based project may follow a different pattern.

You’ll apply what you learn at university directly to your job, while your workplace experience will contribute to your learning and development throughout the degree. This allows you to build your practical skills, confidence and professional experience alongside your academic knowledge.

Real-world impact

Your studies are informed by GCU’s applied research in sustainable construction, climate resilience and digital engineering, connecting your learning with current knowledge and challenges facing the built environment.

As the University for the Common Good, we’ll encourage you to consider the wider impact of civil engineering and the role infrastructure can play in creating a more sustainable future.

Throughout the course, you’ll consider how engineering projects can:

improve communities
promote environmental responsibility
support economic development.

Teaching and assessment methods

The course combines workplace learning and a small number of on-campus teaching days at our Glasgow campus in each trimester. Attendance during your work-based project may follow a different pattern.

Your learning will combine:

lectures and seminars
digital learning
work-based projects.

Assessment methods include:

technical reports
design projects
presentations
reflective portfolios
face to face exams
class tests.

You’ll also use GCU Learn, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, to access learning materials and key course information.

You’ll receive feedback directly from your tutors to support your learning and development throughout the course.

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Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus of their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.