Teaching method

Strong points of the pedagogical approach

Features intended to favour interdisciplinarity :

The Master of Civil Engineering is of its nature interdisciplinary. It has the advantage of having an integrated project in civil engineering, shared options with the Master in Architecture (conceptualization and architecture), and some in common with the Master’s courses in Physical Engineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, and courses in urban and environmental planning. In addition, students who wish can broaden their training in non-technical areas with electives.

Variety of teaching methods

The pedagody used in the Master of Civil Engineering programme continues that of the Bachelor’s programme in engineering: active learning, a balanced mix of group and individual work, an important place devoted to developing non-technical skills.

By means of a teaching approach that encourages intergrated project work, the program aims to develop critical thinking, enabling the students to design, model and analyse behaviour in the laboratory.

A major feature of the program is the involvement of the students in the research groups of the teachers (in teaching sessions, case studies, projects and theses) which initiates the students into the subject matter and methods of the discipline concerned, and enables them to learn by questioning.

The thesis represents half of the workload of the final year, it offers the possibility to go more deeply into a certain area and, by its extent and the context in which it takes place, is an excellent preparation for the real work of being a civil engineer.

Diversity of learning situations

Students will be confronted with a variety of pedagogical approaches adapted to the various disciplines: lectures, projects, exercises, assignments and projects, problem-solving sessions, case studies, experimental laboratory work, computer simulations, educational software programmes, industrial or research placements, building site visits, factory visits, excursions, group work, individual work, courses or seminars given by visiting professors ...) In certain areas, e-learning will enable students to learn at their own ryhthm and perform virtual experiments.

This variety of situations enables the students to build up their knowledge in an iterative and  progressive manner, developing their autonomy, their sense of organisation, their management of time, their capacity to communicate in various ways. The latest IT resources (material, programs, networks) are available for the students in their work.