Civil Engineering
Hi, I want to know if anyone can give me some advise. I want to do a civil engineering degree but after having taken an unplanned gap year due to a wrong decision in course the first time round I'm afraid I'm going to make the same mistake again. If someone out there could give me a description of what being a civil engineering student is like on a day to day basis and the aspects of your course it would be a big help?? Also I understand it's an intense course which I don't mind but if anyone could give me an idea of how the studying and social sides worked together that would also be a big help?? Thanks
If you've already attempted a course and dropped out, I wouldn't bother starting an engineering degree.
I say go for it.. maybe the first course you did wasn't suited to you. But for civil, make sure you REALLY like maths, and as long as you work hard I don't think you should have many problems 
Original post by enj29
Thank! The course wasn't suited to me and the lack of maths was a major impact in the reason I withdrew and I really don't mind hard work. Are you doing civil engineering??
Nah I will be doing Chemical Engineering, but I ave many relatives who do civil so I know a little bit about it
Thak you and yeah they said it's really fun, many things you could go into so you should be fine, engineering degrees are really good for job security also
and yeah they said it's really fun, many things you could go into so you should be fine, engineering degrees are really good for job security also 
Original post by enj29
Hi, I want to know if anyone can give me some advise. I want to do a civil engineering degree but after having taken an unplanned gap year due to a wrong decision in course the first time round I'm afraid I'm going to make the same mistake again. If someone out there could give me a description of what being a civil engineering student is like on a day to day basis and the aspects of your course it would be a big help?? Also I understand it's an intense course which I don't mind but if anyone could give me an idea of how the studying and social sides worked together that would also be a big help?? Thanks
Civil is a mixture of work. You'll have plenty of work going on and you'll need to juggle coursework and revision.
Maybe 20 contact hours a week.
You get maths and the application of maths such as with fluids, soils, structures. So it'll feel like A level maths and A level physics but going into more knowledge and detail, from principles.
You'll also start modelling using software and begin to learn programming, so computing is quite involved as well.
Field trips perhaps where you learn to survey and the techniques and methods involved with that.
If you have anymore questions just give a shout!
Original post by TheGrinningSkull
Civil is a mixture of work. You'll have plenty of work going on and you'll need to juggle coursework and revision.
Maybe 20 contact hours a week.
You get maths and the application of maths such as with fluids, soils, structures. So it'll feel like A level maths and A level physics but going into more knowledge and detail, from principles.
You'll also start modelling using software and begin to learn programming, so computing is quite involved as well.
Field trips perhaps where you learn to survey and the techniques and methods involved with that.
If you have anymore questions just give a shout!
Maybe 20 contact hours a week.
You get maths and the application of maths such as with fluids, soils, structures. So it'll feel like A level maths and A level physics but going into more knowledge and detail, from principles.
You'll also start modelling using software and begin to learn programming, so computing is quite involved as well.
Field trips perhaps where you learn to survey and the techniques and methods involved with that.
If you have anymore questions just give a shout!
Do you meet a lot of people/friends since there's a lot of group work? 0: and what's the usual male to female ratio?
Original post by eggfriedrice
Do you meet a lot of people/friends since there's a lot of group work? 0: and what's the usual male to female ratio?
Yes you do! I also believe every year, (I know my year has), creates a facebook page for the whole year group consisting of upto 150 members, where you can ask questions, share papers etc.
You'll have lab group work, get to know people there, as well as a week out on a field trip working in the day, then chilling come the evening be it outside if it's sunny, going to town or nearby pub. We even had a FIFA tournament going in one of the evenings (Prize money included!).
So it's pretty great.
The ratio, for civil I would say is near 70:30. Pretty close to that.
(I'm speaking for Cardiff uni by the way! Although other accredited courses should have similar structure).
(edited 10 years ago)
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