Best Universities for Civil Engineering in Canada. The basic undergraduate education requirement for civil engineers in Canada is four years. After that, students can pursue graduate studies or work as an Engineer in Training for several years before receiving their professional engineering designation in Canada.
Economic growth relies heavily on civil engineers; that’s why thousands of people migrate to Canada every year to follow their dreams and pursue civil engineering jobs. In addition, civil engineers can work almost anywhere in the country, from Toronto, Quebec, and Vancouver to Ontario, due to the high demand for their skills. As a result, entry-level salaries in this sector are among the highest in Canada.
Best Universities for Civil Engineering in Canada
Here are the best universities for Civil Engineering in Canada:
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university located in Vancouver. Students must complete a general engineering course during their first year at the University of British Columbia. The University of British Columbia or another college offers a transfer program before entering the civil engineering program. Students are admitted through a wide-based admission process to the Civil Engineering program at UBC, which is highly competitive.
Once admitted, students can choose between the co-op program that provides students with paid work experience or a dual degree in arts and engineering. British Columbia also offers exchange programs.
University of Alberta
Alberta’s research equipment has attracted over 900 undergraduate and 500 graduate students to pursue their civil engineering careers. As a result, the University of Alberta is among the Top 5 universities in Canada and the Top 100 worldwide.
Admissions are based on a minimum average of 70% on five high school admission subjects required by the program of study. In addition, students can choose between a 4-year bachelor’s or 5-year co-op education program, which adds a year extra to the degree and allows working in the industry for 18 months.
The University of Toronto
University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario. Since 1873, Toronto has grown to offer many research programs and undergraduate specialisations. In addition, the school is located in one of Canada’s largest urban centres, which is convenient for hands-on research.
Students can choose from structural engineering, transportation planning, and geomechanics courses. In addition, students will gain experience through camps and projects in the third year of their studies.
For admission, students must score at least 80% in calculus and physics courses to be considered. The program lasts four years, though many students choose to participate in the Professional Experience Year co-op program, which adds another year.
The University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a public research university in Waterloo, Ontario. Waterloo offers the most extensive civil engineering program in Canada, where students can learn how to design infrastructures such as highways and bridges. In addition, students can participate in six co-op terms where they can test career options.
Waterloo offers students $17,800 per co-op term to help pay tuition fees. Some highlights of the program include access to high-tech labs and the opportunity to build a concrete canoe for the Canadian National Concrete Canoe Competition.
Concordia University
Concordia University is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec. Concordia offers a MASc, an MEng, and a PhD in Civil Engineering. In addition, students can specialise in three options in their third year of studies after studying for a four-year civil engineering degree.
Specialisations include civil infrastructure, environmental engineering, and construction engineering and management. Chemistry, math, and physics are the required courses for admission to the undergraduate program. Students can choose other subjects if they meet the minimum GPA requirement of 2.7. The co-op option is also available.
Queen’s University
Queen’s University is located in Kingston, Ontario. With its civil engineering program, Queen’s University strives to provide students with strong academic foundations in areas of specialisation, such as structural design, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, and hydraulics.
The Kennedy Field Station water facility is one of several high-tech research facilities at Queen’s. Compared to other engineering schools, class sizes are small.
After graduation, an additional Job Network is available to help students find work.
The University of Calgary
University of Calgary is located in Alberta, Canada. There are five courses in the University of Calgary civil engineering program: energy and environment, digital engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and biomedical engineering. First, civil engineering students must apply to the Schulich School of Engineering.
The joint Bachelor of Commerce and engineering degrees are also available to undergraduate students. First-year grades determine acceptance; if there are many applicants and limited spots, acceptance can be competitive.
Western University
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university in London, Ontario. All civil engineering students at Western University are required to complete a fourth-year design project. The project is in partnership with the City of London, and students receive the mentorship of professional consulting engineers during the project.
Students can choose structural, environmental engineering, and development in either structural or environmental engineering. They can also pursue dual degrees in law and civil engineering or business and civil engineering.
McGill University
McGill University is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec. It offers soil mechanics, fluid mechanics, structural engineering, and environmental engineering. Students must have a grade-point average equivalent to 3.0 out of 4.0 in a recognised program.
After finishing their foundational courses, students can specialise in water resources and transportation engineering. They can also combine other complementary courses with engineering for an interdisciplinary set of skills and knowledge. The program has a four-year duration.
Dalhousie University
The Dalhousie University is a large public research university in Nova Scotia that excels in research and education. Students who choose to complete a degree in Civil Engineering will choose one of two areas of focus: infrastructure or earth and environment.
As part of this program, students study transportation, hydro-technical engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, and materials and structural engineering. The program lasts four years; with the co-op option, the program duration will be five years. Students present their project results orally at the end of the program.
