Studies & Degrees in Structural Engineering
Structural Engineering Study Programs
Structural engineering deals with the parts of a construction that carry loads: the frame of a building, the deck and piers of a bridge, a dam, a tower, the hull of a ship or the wing of an aircraft. The University of California San Diego, which has a department devoted to the field, defines it as the branch of engineering concerned with the design, analysis, optimization and monitoring of civil, mechanical, aerospace, geotechnical, maritime and offshore structures. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes structural engineers as the civil engineers who design and assess major projects, such as buildings, bridges and dams, to ensure their strength and durability.
The subject is traditionally taught inside civil engineering. Most students therefore meet it as a group of modules in a civil engineering degree and specialise later, usually with a master's degree.
What students learn
The basis is mathematics, physics, mechanics and the behaviour of materials. On top of that come structural analysis, the design of concrete, steel and timber elements, foundations and soil mechanics, and computer modelling. Typical module names at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) are engineering structure analysis, mechanics of materials, geotechnical engineering and design of structural elements.
At master's level the content becomes more specialised. The master's degree in Structural and Construction Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, for example, covers the resistance mechanisms of structures, construction materials and processes, durability, project management, safety and sustainability.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. A separate bachelor's degree in structural engineering is unusual. UC San Diego offers a BS in structural engineering accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. In Ireland, the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering of TU Dublin is a level 8 degree that takes four years, including a general entry year in engineering. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, and structures are part of the degrees in civil engineering and building.
- Master's degree. This is the usual level for specialising. The MSc in Civil and Structural Engineering of The University of Sheffield takes one year full-time. The UPC master's degree has 90 ECTS credits over one and a half academic years, starts in September and February and is an official degree recorded by the Spanish ministry. Trinity College Dublin has a Structural and Geotechnical Engineering strand in its MSc in Engineering, full-time or part-time.
- Doctorate. A PhD leads to research, for instance in earthquake engineering, new materials or the monitoring of existing structures.
Admission
Master's programmes expect an engineering background. Sheffield asks for a minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in an engineering or science subject with modules in mechanics or structures, and IELTS 6.5 with 6 in each component from students whose first language is not English. UPC requires prior training in basic sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, drawing) and in subjects related to civil engineering, structures and construction.
Where to study structural engineering
SpainExchange lists 10 active schools for this subject: three in the United Kingdom, two in the United States, two in Ireland and one each in Germany, Switzerland and Venezuela. They include The University of Sheffield, Newcastle University and The University of Edinburgh; the University of California San Diego and the University of Colorado at Denver; Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin; Hochschule Luzern in Switzerland; and the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas. Teaching is in English at the British, Irish and US universities; check the language of each programme elsewhere.
Careers and professional registration
Graduates work in engineering consultancies, construction companies, public works departments, infrastructure operators and research centres. UPC lists structural analysis, the design and technology of structures, works management and public bodies among the options for its master's graduates.
The title that allows an engineer to sign off designs depends on the country. In the United Kingdom, the Sheffield MSc is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators, which includes the Institution of Structural Engineers, as meeting the academic requirement for further learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). In the United States, a licence is not required for entry-level civil engineers, but a Professional Engineer (PE) licence generally requires a degree from an accredited programme, the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, several years of work experience and the PE exam. Students who plan to work in another country should ask whether the degree is accepted there.
BLS has no separate figures for structural engineers. For civil engineers as a whole in the United States it projects employment growth of 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 22,700 openings a year.
Frequently asked questions
Is structural engineering the same as civil engineering?
It is traditionally a branch of civil engineering that concentrates on load-bearing structures. Some departments, such as the one at UC San Diego, also apply it to aerospace, marine and mechanical structures.
Do I need a master's degree to become a structural engineer?
In many countries the specialisation takes place at master's level, after a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. In the United Kingdom an accredited master's degree is one way to meet the academic requirement for Chartered Engineer registration.
How long does a master's degree in structural engineering take?
Between one and two years. The MSc at The University of Sheffield takes one year; the UPC master's degree in Barcelona has 90 ECTS credits and takes one and a half academic years.