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Civil Engineering: HNC

A group of civil engineering students and a lecturer in high-visibility vests conducting a land surveying exercise on the Stockingfield Bridge, viewed from a lower angle against the structure’s towering white support beam.
Qualification Qualifications Explained
HNC
Study Mode
Full Time
Duration

1 Year - 3 Days p/w
Start date
Aug 2027
Campus
Springburn
Applications open January 27

Course overview

Build the foundations of your future in one of Scotland’s most vital and in-demand industries.

The HNC Civil Engineering at Glasgow Kelvin College provides the technical knowledge and professional skills you need to begin a successful career in civil engineering — from design consultancy and contracting to infrastructure and environmental development.

As Scotland’s largest college provider of Civil Engineering, Glasgow Kelvin delivers qualifications from NC through to HND level, across full-time, part-time and day-release options.

This one-year, full-time course blends classroom theory with practical learning and applied project work. You’ll gain the skills needed to enter employment in civil engineering design, project management or surveying, or to progress to the HND Civil Engineering or university-level study.

This course is ideal if you:

  • Have a strong interest in construction, design, or problem-solving.
  • Want to gain technical and management skills in civil engineering.
  • Are aiming for a career as a technician, designer, or project engineer.
  • Plan to progress to HND level or university.

What you will learn

You’ll study a broad range of civil engineering disciplines that combine theory, technical design and practical fieldwork, including:

  • Civil Engineering Specialisms – introduction to roads, traffic, water and environmental engineering.
  • Contract & Project Management – planning, managing and delivering real-world projects.
  • Materials and Testing – properties, selection and performance of construction materials.
  • Surveying – setting-out skills and measurement techniques.
  • Structural Mechanics & Substructure – analysing loads, forces and construction design.
  • Geotechnics – studying soil and foundation behaviour.
  • Mathematics for Construction – developing essential analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • CAD & Civil Engineering Technology – using industry-standard digital design tools.
  • Graded Unit 1 – project-based assessment applying your learning to a practical scenario.

Optional units may include:

  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Highway Engineering
  • Engineering Maths 4
Craig Fay, Civil Engineering Curriculum Manager at Glasgow Kelvin College, introduces the Civil Engineering course and the practical skills students develop during their studies.

Discover Civil Engineering at Glasgow Kelvin College 🏗️

Meet Craig Fay, Curriculum Manager for Civil Engineering and a qualified civil and structural engineer with seven years of industry experience.

Join Craig and our HNC and HND students as they get hands-on with introductory surveying and discover the range of practical skills involved in studying Civil Engineering at Kelvin.

From surveying and technical drawing to site visits and real-world projects, students develop their knowledge both inside and outside the classroom.

View on YouTube

Entry requirements

Applicants should have one of the following:

✅ Higher Maths or Physics (Grade C or above), OR

✅ Technological Higher (Grade C or above) with National 5 Maths, OR

✅ NQ Engineering or Construction qualification, 

✅ Foundation Apprenticeship in a relevant field.

Equivalent experience or qualifications will also be considered.

ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language

  • If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment  here at the College.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can progress into roles such as:

📏 Civil Engineering Technician

🏗️ Site Engineer or Surveyor

🧱 Structural or Design Technician

🌉 Highways or Transportation Engineer

💧 Water or Environmental Technician

Future prospects

Successful completion of this course offers:

  • Direct entry to Year 2 of the HND Civil Engineering at Glasgow Kelvin College.
  • Advanced entry to Year 2 of degree courses at selected universities (dependent on optional units).
  • Employment opportunities in design consultancies, local authorities or major construction firms.

Other Courses You Might Consider

Find out about our Engineering Department

Staff Video Transcript

Craig Fay: Civil Engineering

Hi there, I'm Craig Fay. I am the Civil Engineering Curriculum Manager at Glasgow Kelvin College.

We're outside today with our new intake of HNC and HND Civil Engineering students, doing a bit of introductory surveying work as part of their studies on the course.

Entry requirements for the HNC and the HND is one higher, hopefully in a maths-based subject like maths or physics.

Today we're doing a little bit of surveying work. Tomorrow we might be in the computer labs doing a little bit of drawing.

My background is I'm a qualified civil and structural engineer. I have seven years experience in the industry. I focused more on the structural calculation side of civil engineering. A lot of my experience was working on old buildings, trying to rejuvenate them and bring them back to a new way of life.

You can really go anywhere with it. Roads, bridges, airports, you can see it, civil engineers have been involved in it.

We try and get the students out for a lot of site visits. We are going to be taking our students on a bridge walk around about Glasgow.

We have partnerships with Scottish Canals, so we're going to be doing a canal walk.

If you think this course is suitable, have a look on the Glasgow Kelvin College website for civil engineering and you'll see if it's of interest to you.

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