Curious about studying Civil Engineering with Foundation Year - BEng (Hons)at Bucks New University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Engineering (with Honours) - BEng (Hons)
High Wycombe Campus
Full Time
Sep 2027
4 Year
Civil engineering, and engineering itself, is a dynamic field with endless opportunities for growth and specialisation. Whether you're interested in transportation, environmental engineering, or structural design, our program provides a solid foundation for pursuing your passion.
Study optionsThis programme runs as both a full-time and part-time course, with part-time structured across a six-year span, so you can fit it around your other commitments outside of study. As well as this we offer the full-time course with an additional placement year in your third year. This four year option allows you to get hands-on within the industry, before you complete your studies.We also offer this course as a four-year Foundation Year programme. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.
FacilitiesDuring your time with us you’ll have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including:
Mechanical/Structural Labto include different Structural Test kits that will measure Deflection of Beams & Cantilevers, Bending Stress and Bending Moments etc.
Materials and Manufacturing Labto include 3D Metal Printer, Hardness Tester, Universal Tensile Testing, Impact Tester, Milling and Drill machines
Fluids and Hydraulics Labto include Digital Hydraulic Bench, Axial Flow Pump, Recirculating Flume, Hydro-electric Turbine and Surface Tension Balance.
Process and Energy Labto include HVAC unit, Air Conditioning Trainer, Process Trainer and Photovoltaic Cells
Concrete & Geotechnical Testing Labto include Slump Test, Concrete Density, Porosity, Flexural and Compression Testing, Soil Shear, Grading and Moisture Tests.
Electrical and Electronics Labto include Power and Energy Electronics, Modern Electrical Machine Systems, Three Phase Power Systems
Automation Labto include Dobot Smart Industry 4.0 Workstation, pneumatic, electro-pneumatic, PLC systems
Immersive Virtual RealityCAD LabWhat will I learn?
The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.Civil engineers play a crucial role in shaping the world around us. They design, construct, and maintain essential infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and water supply systems, which in turn contribute to the development and improvement of society. On the BEng Civil Engineering course, you’ll delve into core topics such as structural analysis and design, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, and hydraulic engineering. We also ensure that sustainability and innovation is at the core of our curriculum and modules.During your time on the course you’ll contribute your own innovative solutions to a range of questions and challenges such as climate change adaptation, renewable energy integration, and smart infrastructure development. Throughout the course, you will engage in design projects and laboratory exercises that simulate real-world engineering challenges. These hands-on experiences allow you to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems, develop critical thinking skills, and gain valuable experience in project management and teamwork. These skills are essential for success in the workplace and are cultivated through group projects, presentations, and other collaborative activities. Employability is also embedded throughout the course through various professional development initiatives. This may include workshops on resume writing and interview skills, guest lectures from industry professionals, and opportunities for networking and internships.
Foundation Year
Brush up on the maths you’ll need for your course. This module covers the essentials, from mathematical terminology and basic algebra to calculus, geometry and trigonometry. Whether you’re revisiting topics you’ve studied before or meeting some of them for the first time, you’ll establish the mathematical foundations needed to progress confidently through your degree.
Foundation Year
This module introduces you to the principles and practices behind engineering design. You’ll gain the skills to approach difficult tasks, think critically about different solutions and communicate your ideas clearly. You’ll begin to understand how ideas become workable solutions.
Foundation Year
Get to grips with the science behind engineering. This module introduces the core concepts that underpin engineering and the built environment. From mechanical and electrical engineering to design and civil engineering, this module gives you a starting point to discover where your interests could take you.
Foundation Year
What makes one material right for a job and another completely wrong? This module gets into the science behind the materials and structures engineers rely on, from understanding how materials behave to figuring out how structures handle different forces. You’ll identify and select materials for different needs, while improving your knowledge of basic structural principles and analysis.
Foundation Year
This module unites design and scientific principles. You’ll work through challenges, assess different approaches and decide how to move a solution forward. The way you’ll work is structured to reflect a professional environment, giving you a clearer idea of how engineers approach tasks, make decisions and work with others when there isn’t always one obvious answer.
Foundation Year
This module introduces you to the techniques engineers use to test ideas, gather evidence and make informed decisions. Through laboratory and workshop activities, you’ll carry out experiments, collect and analyse data, and use computing tools to interpret your findings.
This module introduces the scientific principles behind the structures, machines and systems engineers create. From forces and motions to the physical laws that shape how systems work, you’ll use these principles to work out what will happen, why it happens and what could be done differently.
Engineering needs more than a good idea. It needs the maths to back it up. This module covers the mathematical principles and methods that sit behind engineering, from mathematical techniques and statistics to computational maths. You’ll use this knowledge to analyse problems, work with data and find solutions.
This module introduces you to the full Computer Aided Design (CAD) process, from creating initial concepts to producing detailed digital models. You’ll work with CAD software used across engineering, including ECAD and MCAD, and learn how to create models that can be refined further in engineering design and manufacturing.
This module introduces you to the planning, organisation and decision-making involved in managing a project. You’ll consider the impact engineering has on society and what it means to work as a responsible professional. You’ll also look at the standards, responsibilities and behaviours expected of engineers.
Power up your skills as you get to grips with the electrical and electronic systems behind modern engineering. You’ll cover everything from basic circuits and electromagnetism to electrical machines, transformers, semiconductor devices and digital systems. You’ll analyse circuits and systems and understand how different components work together, establishing a solid foundation you can use across commercial and industrial engineering.
Systems rarely work in isolation. You’ll see how different types of engineering systems work together, from electrical and mechanical to fluid and thermal systems. You’ll produce mathematical models of electromechanical systems and use simulation software such as MATLAB Simulink to see how they behave in different conditions.
You’ll learn what it takes to manage a construction project, from planning and organisation to the day-to-day realities of working on site. You’ll learn how management approaches are used on construction sites, including how teams plan work and maintain health and safety. You’ll also get to grips with software used for planning, design, communication and analysis, giving you the tools to manage projects more effectively.
Soil might not sound like the most exciting topic, but it’s what sits underneath almost everything you build. In this module, you’ll uncover where earth materials come from, how they’re classified and how their properties affect the way they’re used. You’ll test soil performance through laboratory work and consider how earthworks can be designed and specified more sustainably. You’ll also learn to identify potential hazards and understand how they can affect safety on site.
From pipes to drainage systems, understanding fluid flow is essential to civil engineering. In this module, you’ll look at the basic principles of fluid mechanics, looking at how fluids behave in pipes and open channels. You’ll bring together hydrostatic and hydrodynamic theory with practical applications in drainage design and water conveyance. By the end, you’ll have gained an in-depth insight into how fluid behaviour influences engineering decisions and the design of effective water systems.
Good surveying starts with getting the details right. In this module, you’ll learn the essential principles and procedures used in site surveying, from taking accurate measurements to recording and presenting your findings. You’ll combine taught theory with practical fieldwork, putting traditional surveying techniques into practice and seeing how they connect to modern applications.
How do you design a structure that is safe, cost-effective and ready for a changing climate? In this module, you’ll discuss the principles behind structural analysis and design, using key theories, procedures and Eurocodes to understand how decisions are made. You’ll strengthen your ability to assess structural solutions and consider how they can be designed more ethically. You’ll also look at how these principles are applied in practice, balancing safety, performance, cost and environmental impact when developing resilient structures.
How we get from A to B is changing – and civil engineers are helping shape the journey. In this module, you’ll delve into highway and railway systems, looking at how they’re designed, built and adapted for a greener future. You’ll consider everything from material selection, health and safety to the environmental and ethical impact of new projects. You’ll use statistical modelling to explore future trends and consider how wider social, political and financial factors can shape transport projects.
Every successful structure starts with a solid understanding of the ground beneath it. In this module, you’ll examine geological materials and soil mechanics, investigating how different soil properties and behaviours affect projects. In the lab, you’ll investigate everything from permeability and consolidation to shear strength, before using your findings to produce geotechnical reports and tackle practical engineering problems.
As our towns and cities face increasing pressure from extreme weather, managing water is more important than ever. You’ll analyse how water behaves in pipes, open channels and natural environments, strengthening your understanding of hydraulics and hydrology. You’ll then apply these principles to sustainable urban drainage design, producing solutions that help towns and cities manage rainfall and reduce flood risk.
Engineering isn’t a solo job. Through case studies, you’ll examine different approaches to team leadership and management, considering what good decision-making, accountability and autonomy look like when you’re working in an engineering environment.
What makes a structure work? You’ll get to know the principles, procedures and industry codes behind structural analysis and design, taking what you’ve already learnt a step further. You’ll use analytical techniques to investigate how structures behave, applying them to projects and large buildings.
This module looks at what is required to take a project from initial planning through to completion, combining analysis and innovation with clear communication and organisation. You’ll use a range of planning and research tools to shape your project, manage your time and make informed decisions along the way.
4.4Bucks New University (BNU) is a student-focused university based in High Wycombe, with over 130 years of educational his...
