School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

MPhil Civil Engineering

Duration

Full time: 1-3 years
Part time: 2-6 years
Course type

Full-time, part-time route available

Study location Plymouth
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The degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is awarded for a research study, which makes a significant contribution to knowledge. Candidates must demonstrate that they have made an original personal contribution to the understanding of a problem in a specific field, the advancement of knowledge, or the generation of new ideas.

Key features
Use of unrivalled facilities:
Membership of active research groups comprising other research students and staff

Course details

  • Overview

  • This full time or part time programme is suitable for people who have a particular research question or topic in mind, and wish to explore this through independent study in order to produce an original contribution to the subject. If you aspire to a research career this is the most appropriate research degree to undertake.
    You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies.
    You will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts.
    Your MPhil will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (approximately 80,000 words), and a viva voce (an oral examination).
    For full details of what doing an MPhil entails at the University of Plymouth, please visit our postgraduate research degrees pages.

Entry requirements
Applicants are expected to have completed a masters level qualification to a high standard (e.g. at 'merit' or 'distinction' level) as well as either a good 2:1 or first class honours undergraduate degree in an area of study appropriate to your project proposal. We are happy to consider equivalent qualifications.
If you do not have a masters level qualification, we recommend you consider applying for our  MSc Civil Engineering , MSc Coastal Engineering or MSc Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering programme.
You will also need to provide evidence that you are ready to pursue the project you propose in your application. This will take the form of a sample of critical writing, and if relevant, documentation of relevant creative or professional practice.
If English is not your first language, you must have proficiency in written and spoken English (normally a minimum test score of 6.5 for IELTS, or equivalent). Given the nature of the programme, you’ll be expected to read and engage with complex theoretical texts and debates for which fluency in English is essential.
For more general guidelines and application requirements, please visit the research degrees applicants page.

Fees, costs and funding
Please visit our fees and costs of studying page for information about fees. MPhil/PhD Civil Engineering is in Band 2 for fees purposes.
If you are a full time student, you will pay full time fees for three years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional one year writing up period.
If you are a part time student, you will pay part time fees for four years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional 'writing up' period of up to two years.
You are responsible for meeting all of the costs related to your own research project, beyond the resources available in the department. On application, please ensure that you have appropriate funding in place to support yourself; you will need to cover both fees and living costs.
Please visit our funding for postgraduate research students page to find out more about issues related to fees, funding, loans and paying for your programme of study.

How to apply

Apply online

In addition to completing the online application form (which includes space for a personal statement), you must also upload a research project proposal. Your research proposal should outline your research topic, your key aims and the research question/problem you are addressing, a brief literature review, your proposed methodology, and an explanation of why this topic is significant or important.
Your personal statement should briefly explain why you have chosen to apply to our programme and what you feel you can offer our research community.
Submitting your application
Complete your application and upload supporting documents to the Doctoral College by completing our online application form.
Questions on the application process?
We're here to help. Please contact the Doctoral College and we'll be happy to assist you.
More information and advice for applicants can be referenced in our admissions policy which can be found on the student regulations, policies and procedures page. Prospective students are advised to read the policy before making an application to the University.

Facilities spotlight

Heavy Structures and Geotechnics Laboratory
Heavy Structures and Geotechnics Laboratory
COAST Lab - 1231312
Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) laboratory
Materials Analysis and Characterisation Laboratory equipment
Materials Analysis and Characterisation Laboratory

Academic staff

Meet our school technical staff

Our technical staff are integral to the delivery of all our programmes and bring a diverse range of expertise and skills to support students in laboratories and workshops.

Research groups

Bridge courtesy of Getty Images
MAterials and STructures (MAST) Research Group
COAST Engineering research group
COAST Engineering Research Group

Examples of past research degree titles

  • Error Propagation Analysis for Remotely Sensed Aboveground Biomass
  • Developing a practice of contract management on construction fields in Saudi Arabia
  • Development of a new concrete for marine environment using high volume of industrial by-products
  • Fire performance assessment of concrete materials with supplemental cementitious materials
  • Prediction of the impact of bio-fouling on efficiency and survivability of marine renewable devices
  • Development of compact WEC arrays through laboratory tests and numerical modelling
  • Fatigue mechanism of floating concrete support structures for offshore wind/wave turbines
  • Numerical modelling of extreme hydrodynamic loads on offshore renewable energy concepts
  • An analysis of the Iranian post-earthquake management and building assessment system
  • Assessments of Wave-Structure Interactions for an Oscillating Wave Surge Converter using CFD
  • HR Radar date and laboratory experiments for wave energy converters
  • Buckling behaviour of perforated cold-form steel channel-section beams with circular holes in web
  • Interaction between a wave farm and the ocean through laboratory tests and numerical modelling
  • A Field and Laboratory Study on the Dynamic Response of the Eddystone Lighthouse to Wave Loading
  • Analysis and Design of Castellated Beams
  • Micro-Scale Study of Multi-Component Ionic Transport in Concrete
  • Combined wind and wave loading of floating offshore wind turbine structures
  • Improving the Representation of the Fragility of Coastal Structures
  • EXCESS (EXtreme responses in Coastal Engineering using NewWave on Steep Structures)
  • Tsunami generation by combined fault rupture and landsliding
  • Coastal defence through wave farms: advanced design tools based on laboratory tests and numerical modelling
  • Numerical modelling of extreme waves: The role of nonlinear wave-wave interactions
  • Structural and performance optimisation of wave energy device arrays
Waves breaking on rocks.

Postgraduate research studentships 

Do you need funding for a research degree? 
If you cannot fund your own PhD research project then please look at the advertised studentships as they become available throughout the year. Please check the advert carefully to ensure you are eligible and what funding and support are available.
Postgraduate students
Coastal Processes Research Group Perranporth beach
Postgraduate research students listening to a talk