Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil Engineering), Bachelor of Business

This is a five-year double degree that puts an accredited civil engineering qualification together with a business degree. You graduate with two awards: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Business. The engineering side is the technical core. You study structural analysis, materials, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics and water systems, transport and road design, surveying, and construction management. The honours component means you finish with a research or design thesis in your final year rather than stopping at coursework. The business side covers accounting, economics, management, marketing and finance, so you understand how projects are costed, funded, staffed and delivered.

How the degree is structured

Five years of full-time study, usually delivered across semesters or trimesters depending on campus and intake. You accumulate units of study, each carrying credit points, and you need to pass the required total to graduate. Expect a mix of lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions, field trips and design studios. Civil engineering is a field where work-integrated learning matters, so the degree includes industry experience or professional placement, and you may spend time on site or in a design office before you finish. The final year is where the two halves meet: a capstone engineering project, often with a business or project-management dimension, plus the honours thesis.

Skills you build

You learn to design and analyse structures, roads, bridges, water and drainage systems, and to read and produce engineering drawings and models. You learn to run a site, manage contractors, estimate costs and schedule work. On the business side you learn to read a balance sheet, build a budget, assess risk and pitch a project to a client or council. The combination is deliberate. Civil engineers spend a lot of their working lives dealing with budgets, tenders, stakeholders and regulation, not just calculations. Graduates who can do both tend to move into project management and consulting earlier.

Who it suits

This suits school leavers and mature-age students who want to build things that last, and who are equally comfortable with maths and with people. If you like the idea of working on roads, bridges, water infrastructure, buildings or mine sites, and you also want to understand the business behind the project, this is a sensible fit. It also suits people already working in construction or engineering support roles who want to formalise their experience and move into management. The engineering degree is the pathway to registration as a professional engineer in Australia, which is why the honours and accreditation matter. Check the official Southern Cross University page and the CRICOS register for current details on units, credit points, placement requirements and English proficiency, including the Student visa English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs.

• Civil engineer, design and delivery roles with engineering consultancies, contractors and government agencies working on roads, bridges, drainage and structures.
• Structural engineer, building and infrastructure design, often with specialist consultancies.
• Geotechnical engineer, ground investigation, foundations, slope stability and earthworks, common in mining and civil infrastructure.
• Transport engineer, road and rail planning, traffic modelling and transport strategy for state road authorities and councils.
• Water engineer, water supply, sewerage, stormwater and flood management with water utilities and local government.
• Project engineer, site-based coordination of construction projects, tracking cost, time and quality.
• Project manager, running civil and building projects for contractors, developers or government.
• Contract administrator, managing tenders, contracts and variations on construction projects.
• Construction manager, planning and supervising site operations, labour and subcontractors.
• Asset manager, maintaining and renewing public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and water networks for councils and utilities.
• Business analyst or consultant, roles in infrastructure advisory, engineering consultancies and government where technical and commercial skills overlap.
• Estimator, preparing cost estimates and bids for civil contractors.

Australian industries that hire these graduates include civil and structural engineering consultancies, building and civil contractors, local councils and state road and water authorities, mining and resources companies, utilities, property developers, and infrastructure advisory firms. The engineering qualification supports the pathway to registration as a professional engineer in Australia. International graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, and while studying, a Student visa generally allows work of up to 48 hours per fortnight.