Geotechnical Engineering MSc (Eng)

There is an international shortage of geotechnical engineers yet the ground is the greatest area of technical risk in construction.

Our Geotechnical Engineering Masters degree covers the practical application of geotechnical engineering to reduce construction risk and optimise the design of geotechnical structures to ensure that they are safe, sustainable and resilient.

Understanding this risk is the underlying philosophy of our Geotechnical Engineering Masters degree. It brings together expertise to ensure that you’ll have the understanding and skills to address a range of geotechnical problems including shallow and deep foundations, soil structure interaction, ground as a source of energy, environmental geotechnics, and slope and ground stabilisation.

Geotechnical engineers integrate the skills of investigation, characterisation, analysis and design to deal with uncertainty and risk within a business context. These skills are developed in six core modules: geotechnical investigation and characterisation; groundwater pollution and contaminated land; geotechnical engineering; foundation engineering; energy geotechnics; and constitutive models and numerical analysis and Transport Infrastructure Strategy.

You will also undertake a research project and an integrated design project related to transport infrastructure, which give you the opportunity to address complex problems encountered in practice.

You’ll gain in-depth knowledge of geotechnical topics and be trained in relevant field and laboratory techniques for the practice of geotechnical engineering. You’ll develop the skills required to use modern analytical and numerical approaches to solve geotechnical problems such as the design of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, and underground space.

You’ll look at topics such as the properties and behaviour of materials; mathematical and computer models relevant to geotechnical engineering; and advanced design techniques.

Over the summer months you’ll work with your supervisor to complete your independent research project – a chance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and perhaps specialise in an area that relates to your career ambitions.

The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.

Fieldwork

We hope to run our fieldwork activities as planned for the 21/22 academic year, but it might not be possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are continually reviewing the situation and will communicate any decisions to applicants and offer holders at the earliest possible opportunity.

Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Geotechnical Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Geotechnical Engineering MSc (Eng) Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Geotechnical Engineering MSc (Eng) Part Time in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our ground-breaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff, who are at the forefront of their disciplines, through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.

Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in civil engineering or a related engineering, science or mathematical discipline where relevant subject areas to geotechnical engineering have been studied. We would expect applicants to demonstrate strong engineering and maths knowledge.

A bachelor degree with a 2:2 (hons) will be considered for candidates with at least one years’ relevant experience.

Applications from professionally qualified and experienced candidates will also be considered.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Civil Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Civil Engineering  (10 weeks).

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

31 July 2021 – International applicants

10 September 2021 – UK applicants

Apply (Full time)

Apply (Part time)

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Policy 2021

Fees

• UK: £11,250 (total)
• International: £24,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are available.

There is an international shortage of geotechnical engineers. The most significant risk for any construction project is the ground. Geotechnical engineers bring together the underpinning geological science and the practical engineering aspects of the ground to deal with uncertainty. These three facts mean that anyone with advanced knowledge of geotechnical engineering will have a rewarding career across a broad sector of design and construction since all civil and geotechnical engineering projects require geotechnical expertise.

Geotechnical engineers work for client organisations including major asset owners, international consultants, main contractors and specialist consultants and contractors. The range of knowledge and skills that geotechnical engineers acquire means that they can develop either as technical experts or managers.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

You’ll have access to the wide range of careers resources and support from your Careers Service. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations, book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops and webinars.

Our annual STEM Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

Find out more about the range of services we offer on the Careers Service website and visit MyCareer.leeds.ac.uk once you have registered as a student to access one to one support, events and job vacancies.

The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.