Courses After Civil Engineering

Last Updated on July 30, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Are you a Civil Engineer? Have you just completed B.E. or B.Tech. in Civil Engineering? Do you want to pursue a job oriented PG course/technical course after civil engineering? If yes, this post will be of help to you. Here, I’ve listed down some of the best courses to do after completing B.E. or B.Tech. in Civil Engineering.

Civil engineering is a popular choice among Indian students. It is not uncommon to see them going after civil engineering programs such as – Diploma in Civil Engineering, B.E. Civil Engineering, B.Tech. Civil Engineering, PG Diploma programs etc.

 

Before heading to the meat of the matter – list of courses to do after completing civil engineering – let us take a look at this branch of engineering. What is civil engineering all about? What is it like to specialize in this field? What’s the status of civil engineering education in India like? You will find answers to these questions in the next section. Let us start –

 

What is Civil Engineering all about?

It is one of the oldest branches of engineering! In other words, it is a core branch of engineering!

 

What is civil engineering all about, you may ask. Here is everything you need to know about this domain –

 

In simple terms, it is an engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction and maintenance of physical and naturally built environment.

 

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind while talking about civil engineering? Huge buildings? Neatly built houses? Well, civil engineering is not just limited to the design, construction and maintenance of buildings and houses! It also deals with the design, construction and maintenance of public works such as – roads, bridges, dams, canals, airports, sewerage systems, pipelines, railways, stadiums, tunnels etc.

 

Civil engineering forms an integral part of engineering studies. Different forms of built environment we have access to – our home, college, school, hospital, roads, stadiums – is a result of civil engineering!

 

Civil engineering is a broad field. It consists of multiple sub-disciplines. Some of the notable sub-disciplines include – construction engineering, coastal engineering, earthquake engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, structural engineering, urban engineering, water resources engineering etc.

 

Let us take a quick look at the present status of civil engineering education in India –

 

Present status of civil engineering education

In India, there exists different types of civil engineering programs. These programs can be classified into different types on the basis of factors such as – academic level and course format.

 

Based on the academic level, these courses can be broadly classified into the following levels – UG, PG and Doctoral Degree. UG stands for undergraduate level, PG stands for postgraduate level and Doctoral Degree courses are research-oriented programs.

 

Based on the format of the course, civil engineering courses can be classified into the following types – Diploma in Engineering, B.E. or B.Tech., M.E. or M.Tech., PG Diploma, PG Certification and PhD programs.

 

Let us move to the meat of the matter now – best courses to do after completing B.E. or B.Tech. in Civil Engineering. Which are the best career options after getting civil engineering degree? How can I give a boost to my CV after completing civil engineering? Which are some good courses to do after completing B.E. or B.Tech. in Civil Engineering?

 

I’ve been getting a lot of such queries from civil engineering graduates. Some of them want to acquire advanced knowledge/skills. Some just want to give their career prospects a boost! This list has been compiled keeping the needs of such graduates in mind.

 

Let us check out the list of job oriented courses to do after civil engineering now. Here it is –

 

Job oriented courses to do after B.E. or B.Tech. in Civil Engineering

Here are some popular PG courses to do after completing civil engineering education –

 

1 M.E. or M.Tech. programs

M.E. or M.Tech. is the most popular choice among B.E. or B.Tech. Civil Engineering graduates in India! It is a Master’s Degree course. Looking from academic level’s point of view, it is a PG level course. PG stands for postgraduate level.

 

M.E. stands for Master of Engineering. M.Tech. stands for Master of Technology. The course duration is 2 years.

 

As I mentioned before, civil engineering is a broad field. This branch of engineering consists of different sub-disciplines. M.E. or M.Tech. program will help you specialize in such sub-disciplines of civil engineering. A typical M.E. or M.Tech. program revolves around a sub-branch of civil engineering!

 

Some of the notable M.E. or M.Tech. programs available in India are –

• M.E. or M.Tech. in Transportation Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Earthquake Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Environmental Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Structural Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Urban Planning and Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Water Resource Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Coastal Engineering
• M.E. or M.Tech. in Construction Technology

 

The above list is by no means an exhaustive one. You will find more relevant M.Tech. or M.E. programs in India. If you want to pursue M.E. or M.Tech. program from a reputed college, you must crack GATE exam. This exam is conducted to facilitate merit based (M.E./M.Tech./M.Sc.) admission process and PSU recruitment.

 

2 PG Diploma (Technical) programs

Like M.E. or M.Tech., civil engineering graduates also have access to technical PG Diploma programs. These programs usually revolve around various aspects of civil engineering! Usually, such PG Diploma (Technical) programs last for a period of 6-12 months. These programs revolve around topics such as – construction technology, structural engineering, urban engineering, water resource management, coastal engineering, transportation engineering etc.

 

A technical PG Diploma program too can help you specialize in specific sub-discipline of civil engineering! Engineering and technical training colleges/institutes are known to offer such PG Diploma programs. In order to secure admission into a good college, you must crack relevant entrance exam/selection test/interview.

 

3 M.S. programs

These programs are also known as M.Sc. programs. It stands for Master of Science. It is a Master’s Degree course. This academic program belongs to PG academic level. PG stands for postgraduate level.

 

It is not uncommon to see B.E. or B.Tech. graduates go abroad to pursue relevant M.S. programs. Like M.E., M.Tech. and PGD programs, M.S. program too will help you specialize in specific sub-discipline of civil engineering!

 

Some of the notable M.S. programs are –

• M.S. Civil Engineering
• M.S. Transportation Engineering
• M.S. Urban Engineering
• M.S. Project Management
• M.S. Structural Engineering
• M.S. Construction Technology
• M.S. Coastal Engineering

 

Generally, MS programs last for a period of 2-3 years.

 

4 Management programs

In this age of cut-throat competition, employers are looking for versatile and skillful candidates. When it comes to job interviews and job hunting (in general), possessing an additional set of skills will prove to be highly beneficial! Let me give you an example –

 

Many employers prefer to recruit civil engineering graduates who possess management skills. Yes, they are keen on recruiting engineers who are knowledgeable about management techniques!

 

This is where management courses come handy! B.E. or B.Tech. Civil Engineering graduates have access to different types of management programs. Some of the notable management education programs are –

 

4(A) MBA

It stands for Master of Business Administration. It is a management education program. Civil engineering graduates may go for general MBA program or specialization programs (related to the field of civil engineering). Some such notable programs are –

• MBA (General)
• MBA (Construction Management)
• MBA (Real Estate and Infrastructure Management)

 

MBA program lasts for a period of two years. This program is available in different modes (such as – online, regular, part-time, executive etc).

 

4(B) MMS

MMS stands for Master of Management Studies. It is a Master’s Degree management education program. The course duration is 2 years long.

 

4(C) PGDM programs

PGDM stands for Postgraduate Diploma in Management. It is a PG Diploma level management education program. The course duration is generally 6-12 months. This program is available in two main formats – general management and specialization course.

 

4(D) Project management programs

Project management forms an integral part of civil engineering. As I mentioned before, civil engineering involves aspects such as – design, construction and maintenance of built environment and structures.

 

Depending upon the scale of work, managing a construction project can prove to be a cumbersome task. For example – constructing a dam involves aspects such as – in-depth surveying and pre-construction studies, soil testing, design process, large amount of raw materials, large number of workers, deadlines, huge amount of money, Govt agencies and laws etc.

 

At times, these things can quickly get out of our hands and overwhelm us! This is where project management comes handy! This discipline deals with applying the principles of project management to solve challenges and difficulties arising in work.

 

Civil engineering graduates may go for PG Diploma, Certificate or Master’s Degree courses related to the field of project management. It will help you boost your career prospects.

 

5 Piping engineering

Piping engineering is a popular choice among B.E. or B.Tech. Civil Engineering graduates. This discipline deals with piping systems.

 

A piping system comprises of pipes, valves and supporting structures. The pipes are laid out in a systematic manner. A piping system is generally used to convey fluids from one place to another.

 

A piping engineering program will train you in areas such as – piping design, layout, piping materials, valves, support structures, installation and maintenance. Civil engineering graduates have access to different types of piping engineering programs such as – M.E. or M.Tech. in Piping Engineering/Technology, PG Diploma programs, PG Certificate programs and Skill-Development programs.

 

6 Law

Civil engineering deals with the design, construction and maintenance of different types of physical structures and built environment. Constructing a structure (such as an apartment) involves legal aspects such as – obtaining permissions (from municipality and relevant wing of the Govt), creating agreement and clauses, drafting labor and contract agreement, registration, obtaining clearance from relevant authorities etc.

 

Looking at these aspects, it makes sense for construction professionals to possess basic knowledge about law and legal aspects of construction technology. If you are planning to start your own construction firm/consultancy, you may pursue a law program such as – LL.B.

 

7 STAAD.Pro Training

STAAD or STAAD.Pro is a structural analysis and design software application. It is a very popular software among civil engineers.

 

This software can be used to make different types of analysis (traditional static analysis, p-delta analysis, geometric non-linear analysis, pushover analysis, buckling analysis etc). Another salient feature of STAAD is its interoperability. This software is interoperable with applications such as – RAM Connection, AutoPIPE, SACS etc.

 

STAAD is very useful to structural engineers. It can be used for activities such as – analytical modeling, physical modeling, building planning, drafting, concrete design, slab design etc. A skilled user can use this software to design slabs, models, estimate cost and material usage etc.

 

Being skilled at using STAAD can work wonders for a civil engineers career. Recruiters operating in construction sector value such candidates. You may enrol for STAAD training and certification course right after completing B.E. or B.Tech. Civil Engineering/while working/while in the final year of engineering program.

 

8 TEKLA

TEKLA is a software product family. It consists of multiple software related to the field of civil engineering and project management. This software product can be used to carry out activities such as – analysis, design, detailing, project communication etc.

 

The software family consists of modules such as – Tekla structures, Tekla structural designer, Tekla Tedds, Tekla BIMsight etc. These modules are used for different purposes such as – 3D building modeling, analysis and design of buildings, automating repetitive calculations etc.

 

Tekla training from a good institute can work wonders for your career. This training program’s curriculum can be classified into three broad areas – Basic, advanced and expert.

 

The above mentioned list consists of the following types of courses/training programs –

• Master’s Degree courses
• PG Diploma courses
• Certification courses
• Software training courses

 

Why go for PG courses after completing Civil Engineering?

Why should I go for an advanced course after completing civil engineering education, you may ask. There are many benefits associated with pursuing advanced courses. I’m listing some of them down here –

 

1 It helps you specialize in attractive sub-disciplines

As I mentioned before, civil engineering is a broad field. It consists of different sub-disciplines and sub-branches. Some such sub-disciplines have huge scope and potential. These sectors offer high paying jobs and an attractive lifestyle!

 

Pursuing relevant M.E./M.Tech./PG Diploma program can help you take a step towards your dream career and area of specialization.

 

2 It helps you acquire advanced knowledge and skills

PG courses will provide you with additional knowledge related to the field of civil engineering. By pursuing a PG course, one may develop advanced set of skills and knowledge. These skills and knowledge can help give a boost to your career.

 

3 It helps you keep up-to-date with the latest technology and practices

Technology has had a huge influence on the field of civil engineering. Old drafting techniques have given way to CAD software. Now we rely on software such as STAAD and TEKLA for design, analysis and 3D modeling.

 

What I’m trying to say is that – technology plays a huge role in this sector. One must keep himself/herself up-to-date with the latest developments, techniques and practices. Pursuing relevant software training programs can help you catch-up with the latest developments in this field.

 

You may also check – Courses after electrical engineering

 

4 Ideal for getting a better job/promotion at work

Climbing up the career ladder is not an easy task. Acquiring advanced Degree, skills or knowledge can make this process much easier! This is one of the main reasons why civil engineering graduates apply for PG admission.