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.

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.

Course highlights

• Our courses are shaped by our world-leading research in areas such as energy geotechnics, numerical analysis of coupled flow and adapting geotechnical structures to climate change.

• You’ll be taught by internationally renowned academics working at the forefront of their fields, who are passionate about the subjects they teach with strong industrial links.

• Project work enables you to develop skills as a researcher, asking and answering important questions about the way our world works.

• Being able to work in multi-disciplinary teams is essential skill for geotechnical engineers. You will be working with other students on the programme and with students from other programmes on a number of laboratory and multi-disciplinary design exercises

• Throughout your studies you’ll benefit from a structured support system, with a personal tutor who will offer help and advice about your approach to studying and how to become adept at independent learning.

Programme team

The Programme Leader, Professor Barry Clarke, is a Professor in Geotechnical Engineering, whose research interests include the role of engineering in society, the education of engineers, characterisation of ground, application of electrokinetics in ground works, ground as a source of energy, engineering in complex soils and the application of artificial intelligence in construction practice.

Active research environment

You will be taught by a team of academics and researchers who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research and part of the Materials and Structures and Cities, Infrastructure and Energy research groups.

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.

During the first half of the year, you will cover a range of modules that will develop your skills in geotechnical design and analysis, which will prepare you for the second semester where you will apply those skills to more advanced topics such as energy and geotechnical structures, transport infrastructure and contaminated land.

You’ll look at topics such as the properties and behaviour of the ground; 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.

Project work

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.
All our modules include design projects which are based on real-life case studies.

Example projects for Geotechnical Engineering MSc students have included:

• Dealing with the effects of climate change on transport infrastructure

• Using industrial waste products as a resource in geotechnical engineering

• Analysing underground space for storing carbon and nuclear waste

• Improving geotechnical design by including value as a design parameter

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.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

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

A range of coursework, practical and dissertation contribute to your final assessment. There is a range of activities including individual and group work, presentations, technical reports, design exercises, laboratory work, in class tests and exams. We use formative assessment to help you develop your knowledge and understanding and improve your performance.

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).

We are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

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.

29 July 2022 - international applicants

9 September 2022 - 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

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023

Fees

• UK: £11,500 (total)
• International: £25,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

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.

A degree from Leeds and the experience you'll gain here will give you the edge to find the career you want. Your course will give you the experience and knowledge that employers are looking for to help you secure a job.

The University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2022 report.

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.

Read profiles of our alumni to find out more about where some of our graduates are working.

Careers support

At Leeds we help you to prepare for your future from day one. Our Leeds for Life initiative is designed to help you develop and demonstrate the skills and experience you need for when you graduate. We will help you to access opportunities across the University and record your key achievements so you are able to articulate them clearly and confidently.

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 careers fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

You will also have full access to the University’s Careers Centre, which is one of the largest in the country.

There are also plenty of exciting ways you can volunteer during your time at Leeds. Find out more at the Leeds University Union website.