Learning outcomes - Master in Civil Engineering

Civil engineers are expected to design and construct basic infrastructure for our everyday lives while at the same time respecting and improving the environment.

This Master’s degree programme aims to train experts in the field of civil and environmental engineering who will be able to take into account sustainable development, as well as the unique prototype scale of the projects and the complex natural world in which these projects take place.

The future civil engineer will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to become:

a professional engineer capable of integrating multiple fields of civil and environmental engineering
a practical engineer who can use his/her knowledge for solving real-world problems and use appropriate civil engineering tools and techniques, either on construction sites or in design offices
a specialist in cutting edge methods used in civil and environmental engineering: construction, hydraulics, geotechnology, structures, materials and environment
a manager capable of supervising projects alone or contributing as part of a team

The multidisciplinary training offered by the Louvain School of Engineering (EPL) emphasises a combination of theory and practice as well as analysis, design, manufacturing, production, research and development and innovation while never losing sight of issues related to ethics and sustainable development.

On successful completion of this programme, each student is able to :

1.Demonstrate mastery of a solid body of knowledge and skills in basic and engineering science that allows them to solve relevant problems

1.1 Identify and use biomedical engineering concepts, laws and reasoning to solve problems related to civil and environmental engineering:

Structures: design and calculation (cement, metal, wood, composite materials)
Geotechnology: soil mechanics, foundations, subterranean drainage
Hydraulic loads and open channel flow
Infrastructure projects (bridges, dams, roads, tunnels)

1.2 Identify and use the modelling and calculation tools necessary to solve problems in the fields mentioned above

1.3 Validate problem solving results

2.Organise and carry out an engineering procedure in order to meet a specific need or solve a particular problem

2.1 Analyse all aspects of a problem, sort through available information, identify limits (rules, technical, security, budgetary, human, environmental, etc.) linked to the completion of a civil engineering project in order to write a specifications note

2.2 Model a problem and design one or more original technical solutions with the specifications note in mind.

2.3 Evaluate and classify solutions with regard to the criteria in the specifications note (efficiency, feasibility, quality, ergonomics, security) as well as the limits (workforce, materials, construction site security and accessibility, budget, etc.)

2.4 Test a solution as a blueprint, prototype and/or model scaled down for laboratory testing or numerical modelling.

2.5 Come up with recommendations to improve the operational nature of the solution under study.

3.Organise and carry out a research project to understand a physical phenomenon or new problem pertaining to civil engineering

3.1 Document and summarize the existing body of knowledge.

3.2 Suggest a model and/or an experimental device allowing for the simulation and testing of hypotheses related to the phenomenon being studied.

3.3 Write a summary report in such a way as the results are usable later on by other people; explain any potential theoretical and/or technical innovations resulting from the research

4.Participate in a group project

4.1 Frame and explain the project’s objectives while taking into account its issues and constraints (deadlines, quality, resources, budget)

4.2 Collaborate on a work schedule, deadlines and roles to be played

4.3 Work in a multidisciplinary environment with peers holding different points of view; manage any resulting disagreement or conflicts.

4.4 Make team decisions and assume the consequences of these decisions (whether they are about technical solutions or the division of labour to complete a project).

4.5 Communicate effectively through reports, blueprints, presentations or other documents tailored to your interlocutor/contact person

5.Communicate effectively through reports, blueprints, presentations or other documents tailored to your interlocutor/contact person

5.1 Identify the needs of the clients or users (who often come from public or private entities): question, listen and understand all aspects of their request and not just the technical aspects.

5.2 Present your arguments convincingly to your interlocutors (technicians, colleagues, clients, superiors).

5.3 Communicate through graphics and diagrams: interpret a diagram, present results, structure information.

5.4 Read and analyse different technical documents (rules, blueprints, specification notes).

5.5 Draft documents that take into account contextual requirements and social conventions.

5.6 Make a convincing oral presentation (in French or English) using modern communication techniques.

6.Behave with professionalism and rigor as well as with a sense of ethics when doing your job

6.1 Rigorously apply the standards of your field (terms, units of measure, quality standards and security).

6.2 Find solutions that go beyond strictly technical issues by considering sustainable development and the ethical aspects of a project.

6.3 Demonstrate critical awareness of a technical solution in order to verify its robustness and minimize the risks that may occur during implementation.

6.4 Evaluate oneself and independently develop necessary skills to stay up-to-date in one’s field.