Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Are you interested in contributing to the construction of the largest lock project in the world? In determining how high and how strong dikes should be to ensure flooding does not take place? Or would you like to make sure that people and animals can continue to live safely near coasts and rivers despite climate change? If your answer is ‘yes’ to the questions above, the Civil Engineering programme at HZ may be the right choice for you!

It is expected that by 2050 80% of the world's population will live in delta areas. In these areas, where rivers meet the sea, there are increasing challenges due to climate change. With your expertise as a civil engineer, you will tackle problems such as coastal safety and urban flooding and contribute to safety in deltas around the world. During your study, you learn everything about the design and building of large constructions and managing huge international projects. Examples include the Panama locks in the Panama Canal; the Channel tunnel that connects the United Kingdom with France; and the magnificent Palm Islands in Dubai, a design that could have been yours if you were already a civil engineer!

Doing Civil Engineering at HZ means you are studying in the middle of a delta area: when walking out of the University of applied sciences, you will encounter your field of work all around you. Did you know that the Dutch Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier is one of the seven modern wonders of the world and that this construction can be found 30 minutes from HZ?

Employers are lining up for you as a graduate because at HZ you are not only trained theoretically, but also practically. Right from the start of your study, you will be applying the theory of your future work field in the actual practice. During the lectures you will work on (international) assignments from the professional field, you do two internships with organisations in the Netherlands or abroad and you choose a minor: a half-year programme whereby you further specialise yourself in a company of your choice. In this way, you already gain ample work experience during your studies, and you will be optimally prepared for your career.

Once graduated, you can construct dikes, and build bridges and canals, ports, and large-scale infrastructure. The different types of jobs of a civil engineer can be divided into the main phases of a civil project: the (initial) feasibility phase, the design phase, the construction phase, and the operational and maintenance phase. Your work covers a very wide range of specialism, ranging from Coastal and Marine, Environmental, Water, and Public health to Roads, Rails, Geotechnical and Structural fields.

Year 1

You acquaint yourself with the different aspects of the civil engineering field. You act both in the role of researcher and of designer and analyse an existing civil engineering infrastructure, such as a bridge or a quay. You learn how civil engineering constructions are built, how they work, and how they can continue to function in the next thirty years. You also learn the impact of hydraulics and hydrology on the built environment.

In the second part of the first year, you acquaint yourself with the concept of sustainability and circularity in civil engineering. How you can continue to live, work and recreate despite climate change? You act in the role of an advisor, and you advise clients on how cities and constructions can be designed sustainably and used with as little energy as possible, thus making them less strain on the environment.

Year 2

In the first half of the year, you will study inland infrastructures and systems. Think about roads, ports, and airports. How can they be designed to maximum efficiency? How can they be sustainable and fit for future challenges in the built environment? To tackle these challenges you will need knowledge of structural engineering, geotechnics, water management, environmental engineering, and more. You will act as a researcher, designer, and advisor and you will develop an innovative design for a new infrastructure.

In the second half of the second year, you get to work on constructions that protect the coast from flooding. You learn how to investigate whether a dike will be strong enough to protect the land behind it, and how to design new dikes that are both long-lasting and environmentally friendly. You also work with dredging techniques: constructing islands near a coastline. You discover how to mine and move sand while keeping nature in mind, and how to manage this process from a project manager's perspective.

Year 3

In the third year of the programme, you carry out an internship, in the Netherlands or abroad. During your internship, you acquaint yourself with working as a civil engineer in a company or organization, and you act professionally according to your role and responsibilities.

Furthermore, you complete a six-month minor. Through this minor, you enhance the depth or breadth of your knowledge and skills. You can carry out your minor at one of the water-related research groups at HZ, at another HZ study programme, or at another university, in the Netherlands or abroad.

Year 4

In the first semester, you focus on the management of existing structures and infrastructures and you act as an advisor for hydraulics and underground structures. In the same semester, through a project, you develop solutions for coastal challenges by working in cooperation with students from architecture and water management.

During the final semester of your study, you carry out a graduation assignment with a Dutch or foreign company of your choice.

Accredited study programme

In the Netherlands, the standard of higher education is maintained through an accreditation system that ensures legal regulation and quality assurance. All programmes at HZ University of Applied Sciences are examined and approved by the accreditor, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). This means that they meet the quality requirements for accredited higher education set by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, ensuring that you are always choosing a programme of high standard.