Civil Engineering, Master of Science (Technology)

Description

TheMaster's Programme in Civil Engineering deals with the design, construction, use, and maintenance of civil engineering structures, such as buildings and bridges. Since civil engineering plays a central role in creating safe and sustainable living spaces, working in the field gives you a real chance to help the society in solving environmental issues and shape the future for the better. Knowing how to build durable structures, utilise sustainable materials, improve energy efficiency, and reuse structures and materials to advance the circular economy – these are some of the essential competences today’s experts need.

This programme educates future professionals and leaders who seamlessly merge science as well as environmentally responsible and human-centric design to help the transition towards a smarter built environment. As a young university, Aalto offers students a more modern and refreshing approach to study civil engineering. The teaching in this programme is highly research-based – students get insights into ongoing research projects. Additionally, international research findings are quickly integrated into our teaching.

Upon graduating from the Civil Engineering Master’s Programme, you are able to: 

• Design safe and sustainable civil engineering structures. Graduates comprehend the fundamental theories and concepts of structural mechanics, structural engineering, and building physics. They also know how to use and reuse environmentally friendly materials in construction.
• Identify physical phenomena as well as use experimental, theoretical, and computational methods to examine and model them.
• Assess the structures and indoor environments with respect to their performance regarding the context-specific loads and physical phenomena.
• Use appropriate experimental methods to analyse mineral-based materials.
• Identify alternative management methods and apply them to planning and controlling both design and construction processes.

During their studies, students will also develop their working life skills, such as analytical and critical thinking, multidisciplinary collaboration, and communication.

Language of instruction

The language of instruction is English. More information and guidelines on the languages of the degree and instruction available in the university's website here.

Tuition fees and scholarships

The tuition fee for this programme is 17 000 euros per academic year. Citizens of European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland do not pay tuition fees. Citizens of other countries must pay tuition fees.

Aalto University offers a small number of scholarships in the form of tuition fee waivers to fee-paying students. Scholarships can be awarded to the highest-achieving applicants based on the programme's evaluation criteria. Applicants are ranked according to the criteria outlined on the programme's webpage.

More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.

Structure of studies

The two-year Civil Engineering Master's Programme comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits:

• Common and advanced studies (60 ECTS)
• Elective studies (30 ECTS)
• Master’s thesis (30 ECTS)
   

The common and advanced courses are intended to be completed before the Master’s thesis. In parallel, you can choose from practically any combination of elective courses – from Aalto as well as other universities in Finland and abroad – that supports your studies and suits your interests.

The main teaching methods include lectures, exercises, and project-based assignments. The programme also cooperates with the industry.

More information about the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide. Please note that the English name of the program will change to Civil Engineering as of August 1, 2026. The link leads to the page for the Master’s Programme in Building Technology, which will be the name of the program until July 31, 2026. However, no significant content changes are expected.

Specialisations

Students are encouraged to plan their study path primarily on the basis of their own interests and goals. However, to support the students, ready-made study paths that are designed to meet certain professional qualifications are also available. These paths include:

• Structural engineering. This specialisation consists of varying themes from concrete, steel, and timber structures to material modelling.
• Building performance. Students learn about topics like indoor environment and air quality as well as fire simulation.
• Construction management. In this path, the focus is on design process, operations, and strategic management in construction.
• Mineral-based materials. Students are introduced to concrete as a building material, different production technologies of concrete structures, and testing of concrete.
• Structural and computational mechanics and engineering. Students learn to develop and apply the fundamental tools of civil engineering: structural and material models of mechanics, numerical methods of engineering, and simulation software skills.

Internationalisation

Aalto University is known for its international study and research environment. Every year, Aalto welcomes thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad. Additionally, many of our professors and researchers have international backgrounds and experience, bringing their global networks close to students.

At Aalto, students can improve their global competence by, for example:

• Completing part of the degree, e.g., a minor, abroad in one of the international partner universities as an exchange student.
• Choosing courses with an intercultural approach, learning foreign languages and/or becoming a student tutor for international students.
• Conducting practical training or the Master’s thesis outside Finland.
• Taking summer courses abroad.

Further study opportunities

Civil Engineering Master's Programme is considered a great foundation for doctoral studies.

Read more about applying for doctoral studies at Aalto University:

https://www.aalto.fi/en/doctoral-education/how-to-apply-for-doctoral-studies

Career opportunities

Civil engineers are needed for a multitude of tasks in designing, engineering, building, and maintaining structures. Completing the programme gives you the knowledge and skills for a career in industry, research, education, or governmental bodies. The majority of our students already have a permanent position upon graduation.

If not self-employed, our graduates’ career paths typically lead to expert or management positions in the private sector. A civil engineer may find employment in Finnish and international construction businesses, engineering offices, and building materials industries. In the public sector, civil engineers work in public administration as well as at environmental organisations and even institutions such as the United Nations.

Fresh graduates typically work in design, construction, project management, or research. As you progress in your career, your duties may shift to those of an advisor, administrator, or senior researcher.

Research focus

At the Department of Civil Engineering, research is directed at the following themes:

1. Structures – Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Computation 

The aim of this research area is to create new, research-based knowledge in fields ranging from structural design and engineering to the safe use, maintenance, and deconstruction of structures. The covered topics include, for example:

• Concrete, steel, and timber structures
• Structural engineering
• Structural mechanics
• Computational engineering
• Bridge construction

2. Performance in Building Design and Construction

The aim of this multidisciplinary group is to pursue transformative change in the construction industry and to investigate multiple performance criteria together. The group includes disciplines related to various aspects of performance of buildings and processes in the design and construction phase.

3. Mineral-based Materials and Mechanics

In this research area, the goal is to ensure the strength, durability, and sustainability of engineering structures in the built environment by combining geo- and material sciences with mechanics and engineering. The area encompasses the following disciplines:

• Geotechnical engineering
• Highway engineering
• Tunnelling and mining
• Technology of concrete
• Pavements
• Aggregate materials

 
You can read more about the research at the Department of Civil Engineering here.

Co-operation with other parties

Aalto University is well-known for bridging different disciplines – students may choose their elective study modules so that their degree is a combination of science, technology, business, and arts. They can supplement their studies with courses from other Aalto schools and programmes as well as courses offered by other universities, including international. This multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.

In the Civil Engineering Master’s Programme, many courses are carried out in collaboration with companies and other programmes – such as Architecture and Mechanical Engineering. Many industry collaborators also give lectures in various courses and students visit construction sites. Additionally, about two-thirds of the program’s Master’s theses are written for external parties, mainly for companies.

Contact information

Athanasios Markou

Programme director

athanasios.markou@aalto.fi

Minna Marin

Planning officer (content and studies of the programme)

masterstudies-eng@aalto.fi

Aalto University, Admission Services

For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services at

admissions@aalto.fi