MSc Road Management and Engineering University of Birmingham - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Our Road Management and Engineering Masters programme will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need for the planning, appraisal, design construction and maintenance of road networks.

At Birmingham, you will learn to originate innovative research, transfer current thinking into practice and respond effectively to the road industry needs. The programme is relevant to conditions found in both developed and developing countries and is suitable for road engineers and civil engineering graduates who want to pursue a career in road management.

Our Road Management and Engineering Masters/MSc/Diploma course has been devised to meet the demands of both the UK and overseas road industry. It offers advanced training to engineers aspiring to higher or middle management in public and private sector road management. Course content is geared towards conditions found in developed and developing countries, and the course is suitable for road engineers and civil engineering graduates seeking to take their careers in road management.

Management-focused modules complement the range of subjects taught in the engineering-oriented modules and include state-of-the-art principles and practices associated with road asset management, economics and financing, HDM-4 (the World Bank’s de facto standard for road investment appraisal) and planning.

• Modules are delivered via a variety of lectures, tutorials, team exercises, projects and site visits.
• Those taking the MSc programme to undertake a research project which accounts for 60 credits (one-third of the overall programme).
• An important feature is the flexibility of delivery, allowing primarily UK-based practising road engineers to attend on a part-time basis.
  • Master of Science degree, MSc (12 months full time, 24-36 months part-time)
  • Diploma (10 months full-time, 24-36 months part-time)

Why study Road Management and Engineering Masters at Birmingham?

• Study in our new state-of-the-art School of Engineering building which includes a 179-capacity Design Centre and 160 drop-in study spaces throughout the building providing flexible learning.
• Postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham is a chance to learn from world leaders in their fields. This guarantees you a first-class learning experience, leading to a qualification that is respected the world over, making you an attractive prospect in a very competitive job market. We offer a stimulating, thriving research environment, and offer a warm welcome to postgraduate students seeking to contribute to our work.
• Discover how civil engineering, in all its aspects, is a cornerstone of both the development and sustainability of civilisations.
• Benefit from our broad range of academic staff and research skills, giving you the opportunity to study subjects that lie between the traditional disciplines or which focus in-depth on a particular field.
• Research at Birmingham places a strong emphasis on tackling the problems faced by society today, and many of our projects have already made a significant impact on society.
• We have a long tradition of distinguished research that benefits from being funded by industry, charities and research councils, encouraging innovative thinking and creating internationally recognised results.
• Alumni from our MSc programmes are found in nearly every country around the world, and we are held in high regard by the engineering community.

Accredited degree
The course is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (Institution of Structural Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers, Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation, Institute of Highway Engineers).

Modules

This course consists of 180 credits. This comprises a 60-credit individual research project plus 120 credits in taught learning.

Your development is through a combination of lectures, tutorials, site visits and major and minor projects. Student-centred, computer-based and flexible learning are important elements. Coursework and oral presentations are required for many projects.

The programme is also designed with part-time students in mind and is formulated specifically to facilitate the career development of individuals working in the roads sector and meet the demands of both the UK and overseas road industry. Part-time students take the same modules as full-time students but can opt to take the programme over a two or three-year period.

• Advanced Project - 60 credits

• Pavement Engineering - 10 credits

• Road Asset Management - 20 credits

• Road Design and Planning - 20 credits

• Road Economics and Financing - 20 credits

• Road Safety - 20 credits

• Rural Roads - 10 credits

• Sustainable Construction - 20 credits

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Graduates have been held in high regard and many of today’s senior executives in road authorities throughout the world are graduates of the programme.

Our excellent links with industry ensure that the vast majority of graduates find rewarding employment and amongst our recent graduates are those who have joined the World Bank, government road agencies, local authorities, international arms of consulting engineers, niche asset management specialists and road contractors as well as those who have gone on to PhD study.

Your MSc counts towards achieving Chartered Engineer accreditation.

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team sources exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.