Civil Engineering Degree Programme

1. 137 GPA credits* and 14 Non-GPA credits.
2. Total of 151 credits
3.  Students are encouraged to take a minimum of 12 credits from elective courses in Semesters 7 and 8.

*A credit reflects 15 hrs of lectures or 45 hrs of laboratory, tutorial or field work

Department of Civil Engineering also allow the students an opportunity to obtain skills in Entrepreneurship either by taking a minor in Entrepreneurship or by gaining skills by taking few recommended optional subjects related to Entrepreneurship. Those who take the minor in Entrepreneurship will have to gain extra six credits by following optional or elective subjects recommended while gaining a total of 13 credits needed for the minor from the specified subjects.  Hence, a student opting for a minor in Entrepreneurship will have to take a total of 156 credits to obtain B.Sc. in Civil Engineering along with a minor.

• A degree programme that covers the basics of the entire field of Civil Engineering, while allowing students to specialise in a narrower sub-discipline if they so wish;
• A curriculum that enables students to acquire knowledge, understanding and transferable skills (both intellectual and practical);
• A flexibility in the programme that allows students to make their own choices and become responsible for their customised curricula and also familiar with state of the art tools and practices
• An environment that prepares students for the world of work, self-learning and life-long learning
• Close interaction between students and academic staff
• Assessment schemes that seek to achieve the Programme Outcomes while ensuring the gaining of desirable graduate attributes

It is expected that Civil Engineers on graduation should have acquired the knowledge, skills and attitudes to carry out a range of activities, required of them in the modern world.

In line with the International Engineering Alliance Graduate Attribute profile required for Washington Accord accreditation, a Civil Engineering graduate of University of Moratuwa is expected to have the following attribute profile:

1. Engineering Knowledge - Be able to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals and an engineering specialization to the solution of complex civil engineering problems
2. Problem Analysis - Identify, formulate, research literature and analyse complex civil engineering problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering sciences.
3. Design and development of solutions - Design solutions for complex civil engineering problems and design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate consideration for public health and safety, cultural, societal, and environmental considerations.
4. Investigation - Conduct investigations of complex problems using research-based knowledge and research methods including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data and synthesis of information to provide valid conclusions.
5. Modern Tool Usage - Create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering and IT tools, including prediction and modeling, to complex civil engineering activities with an understanding of the limitations.
6. The Engineer in Society - Apply reasoning informed by contextual knowledge to assess societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to professional engineering practice.
7. Environment and Sustainability - Understand the impact of professional civil engineering solutions in societal and environmental contexts and demonstrate knowledge of and need for sustainable development.
8. Ethics - Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and norms of civil engineering practice.
9. Individual and Team work - Function effectively as an individual and as a member or leader in diverse teams and in multi-disciplinary settings.
10. Communication - Communicate effectively on complex civil engineering activities with the engineering community and with society at large, such as being able to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations and give and receive clear instructions.
11. Project Management and Finance - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering and management principles and apply these to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team, to manage projects and in multidisciplinary environments.
12. Lifelong Learning - Recognize the need for, and have the preparation and ability to engage in independent and lifelong learning in the broadest context of technological change.

The Civil Engineering programme at the University of Moratuwa has been developed so that these desired graduate attributes could be achieved through the learning outcomes of the curriculum. The present curriculum has been revised to conform to the accreditation requirements of Civil Engineering Graduates as specified by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, Washington Accord and the Joint Board of Moderators (including the Institution of Civil Engineers) Engineering Council, U.K.

Thus, recently graduated Civil Engineers must be technically competent and be able to solve problems having first identified and formulated the problem. They must be able to apply the knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering and use systems approaches to design and operational performance. They must be able to work as individuals as well as team members. They should be capable of effective communication. They must understand the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer. They must be aware of the need for sustainable development and also understand the principles of sustainable design and development. They must understand their professional and ethical responsibilities and the commitment to them. They are also expected to continue their professional development by cultivating lifelong learning skills.

Pre Academic Term and One Semester – Focuses on mathematics and mechanics, and also on acquiring a broad engineering base, inclusive of IT and Computer Science. The importance of communication skills is also stressed.

Subjects specific to the field of Civil Engineering such as Structural Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics and Soil Mechanics are included in the next two semesters (2 and 3) while strengthening the mathematics and mechanics base. In addition, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of some subjects that will be learnt at greater depth later in the course, like Project Planning, Cost Estimating, Environmental Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and also Surveying and Geology, which are useful for Civil Engineers. These subjects form the base for all civil engineering applications. Commencing in Semester 3, you will be learning the design principles in most of the major areas of Civil Engineering, especially in the design courses. Towards the end of your programme, you will take courses in Economics and Management, because all engineers are managers of one sort or another. As part of some of these subjects, you will get the opportunity to visit several sites of Civil Engineering interest.

Semester 6 is spent in Industrial Training where you will experience the Civil Engineering world ranging from muddied boots to managers’ board rooms. You will have a taste of your future career. Just prior to the commencement of semester 6, you will participate in a survey camp away from the University environment, where you will carry out projects based on surveying applications using a variety of techniques. You will again experience the ‘real world’ encountering social, environmental, safety, risk and sustainability issues and economic constraints beyond the familiar learning environment.  

Management and design related subjects are strengthened further in the final three semesters (6, 7 and 8). A wide variety of specialized applications are also included as elective subjects. You can choose electives according to your preference. The electives cover virtually all the areas of Civil Engineering, namely Structural, Construction, Hydraulic, Geotechnical, Environmental and Transportation Engineering.

These two semesters also provide you with an exposure to and simulate real world environments through Research Projects and the Comprehensive Design Projects. These activities are aimed at making you a confident professional, who will be able to take up the challenges of the real world you would face at the end of your undergraduate studies, and contribute to the development of the country that nurtured you and the world that all of us live in.

In the Comprehensive Design Project (CDP), you will be given a brief, and requested to prepare the proposal, carry out pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and provide the preliminary designs, detailed designs, tender documents and computer based drawings. In this activity, you will be working in teams of about 10, where you will learn the importance of social, environmental and economic aspects of projects, in addition to the technical aspects. The staff will give you minimum guidance in this, and most of the time your team will work independently finding the necessary information from various sources. In CDP, your individual performance and the performance of the group will be assessed.

Students must also complete a Research Project on an individual basis under the direct supervision of a senior staff member.

The Department of Civil Engineering also provides an opportunity to gain entrepreneurial skills by permitting students to follow a range of subjects relating to Entrepreneurship.

Details of the curriculum and subject modules are described under the section-Description of Modules. All taught subject modules are assessed by continuous assessments and end of semester written examinations. The continuous assessment component ranges from 20% to 100% depending on the subject module. You will be provided a course outline at the beginning of the semester indicating details pertinent to each subject module. A minimum requirement must be achieved in both continuous assessment and written examination in order to successfully complete a subject module.

An innovative feature of the Civil Engineering Programme is the Mentoring Programme that is conducted over a period of about three months. The programme is conducted in two phases. Guest lectures are delivered by specialists on relevant topics during the first phase while in the next phase; a mentor meets with a group of about ten students once a week for seven weeks. Most students meet their mentors away from the University, where they are exposed to a totally different environment, often a private sector office. This opportunity enables you to develop personal confidence and enhance other skills needed to perform in a modern work environment and you will benefit significantly from the programme. The Department has pioneered this feature and is proud of its success. It greatly values the commitment of the mentors who give of their time voluntarily amidst busy schedules to inspire the students and be their role models. At the end of each programme the students themselves organise an event in which they demonstrate their appreciation and gratitude to their mentors.

All subject modules are assessed by continuous assessments based an Outcome Based Education (OBE) philosophy and final examinations. Allocation of marks for final examination and continuous assessment for each subject module will be different, depending on the subject module, and this will be given to students in the course outline at the beginning of the semester. Students should have minimum of 80% attendance to be eligible for the final examination. Students with illness or any other valid reason for their inability to attend lectures should bring a medical certificate from a recognized medical officer or a letter describing the problem they had.  All students should also satisfy the minimum requirement for both continuous assessment and final examination of a particular subject in order pass. All the continuous assessment assignments should be submitted before the set deadlines. Marks will normally be deducted for late submissions.