GENERAL AIMS

The general aim of the new Degree in Civil Engineering is to give its graduates a general, European-standard education in the theories, techniques and technologies corresponding to the Public Works, Transport and Hydrology sectors, within a framework of continuous improvement and transmission of learning.

In response to Additional Provision Nine of Royal Decree 1393/2007 of 29 October regulating official university programmes, the Department for Education and Science passed Ministerial Order CIN/307/2009 of 9 February (Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) of 18 February 2009), which regulates official university degrees qualifying holders to work as Public Works Technical Engineers, and establishes the skills to be acquired by students: 
Scientific-technical training for the profession of Public Works Technical Engineer; skills in consultancy, analysis, planning, design, calculation, projects, management, construction, maintenance, preservation and operation in the field of Civil Engineering.

An understanding of the many technical and legal conditions arising in the construction of public works and the capacity to employ proven methods and technologies to ensure greater efficiency in construction, on a basis of respect for the environment and protection of the health and safety of workers and the users of public works.

Conversance with and the capacity to observe applicable legislation while acting as a Public Works Technical Engineer.

The capacity to plan, project, inspect, manage and operate Civil Engineering works and services: road, rail, maritime, waterway and tube transport infrastructures; ports, maritime structures and coastal and beach defence and reclamation structures; hydraulic and industrial water production infrastructures and hydroelectric and sanitary engineering facilities; and urban and environmental services.

The capacity to maintain and preserve hydraulic and energy resources, within the scope of Civil Engineering. The capacity to plan and manage surface, underground and non-conventional hydraulic resources.

The capacity to undertake land planning and environmental studies as related to infrastructures, within the scope of Civil Engineering. The capacity to draw up plans, standards, studies and projects with regard to development and land-planning.

The capacity to manage, maintain, preserve and operate infrastructures, within the scope of Civil Engineering.

The capacity to study and design surface or underground water catchments, within the scope of Civil Engineering.

Conversance with and the capacity to apply employment legislation and business management techniques.

A knowledge of the history of Civil Engineering and the capacity to analyse and assess constructions in general and public works in particular.

• Credit structure of the degree course
• Distribution of credits per subject type
• General description of the course programme
• Optional subjects and study blocks
  

CREDIT STRUCTURE OF THE DEGREE COURSE

Subjects in the Degree in Civil Engineering, worth 6, 7.5 and 9 European ECTS credits each, are organized into semesters.  Students must take 30 credits each semester in order to complete 60 credits per academic year and a total of 240 credits over the four academic years.

In order to make the course compatible with other activities, students are permitted to take a part-time course consisting of 30 credits per academic year.

DISTRIBUTION OF CREDITS PER SUBJECT TYPE

Ministerial Order CIN/307/2009 of the 9th February stipulates three study blocks for Civil Engineering, which are incorporated into the course programme as follows:

The Degree in Civil Engineering course programme comprises 186 common core credits, whilst optional courses comprise the remaining 29% of the future graduate’s education.

All Core subjects are related to the disciplines of Engineering and Architecture, with the exception of Geology, which forms part of the discipline of the Sciences.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE PROGRAMME

The subject matter has been grouped into three areas.

Firstly, and in compliance with Royal Decree 1393/2007, the first half of the course programme addresses core subjects, worth a total of 60 ECTS and forming part of the disciplines of Engineering and Architecture.

Secondly, compulsory subjects comprise a total of 102 ECTS, leading to the acquisition of skills common to the degree, whilst the compulsory Final Project, undertaken in the final year and aimed at assessing the skills corresponding to the degree, comprises 12 ECTS.  Prior to evaluation for the final project, the student must provide evidence of ability in a foreign language.  Among other possible qualifications, at the University of Alicante the minimum necessary requirement is to have attained level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages, and this requirement may be raised in the future. Thirdly, optional study blocks comprise 48 ECTS, in accordance with Ministerial Order CIN/307/2009, of the 9^th February, which defines the blocks as Public Works, Hydrology and Urban Transport and Services.  Finally, the student must take optional subjects worth a further 18 ECTS from among those offered in the degree course programme.

The three optional study blocks offered comprise discrete blocks of eight subjects each, each block being worth 48 credits in total.  The remaining 18 optional credits are chosen by the student from among the corresponding optional subjects offered.  These subjects are taken in the sixth, seventh and eighth semesters in the course programme, enabling the student to choose their own curricular direction.

The possibility of undertaking work experience in a company is included within the scope of optional subjects.

In accordance with the regulation approved by Council of Government for the academic recognition of cultural university activities, sportive, of representation estudiantil, solidarias and of cooperation of the University of Alicante, the student will have to have guaranteeed the possibility to obtain academic recognition of until a maximum of six credits optativos of the total of the plan of studies cursado, by the participation in cultural university activities, sportive, of representation estudiantil, solidarias and of cooperation. Before the beginning of each academic course, the Council of Government will define the nature of the activities that will have this academic recognition.

Likewise, the application of recognition of labour experience/professional by credits will require to accredit a minimum time of labour and professional experience of three years (to complete day or equivalent period in partial day) or 2000 hours, with a maximum of 15% of the total of the credits of which states the Plan of Studies and with a ratio of 6 ECTS that will be able to be recognised in the time stipulated. For this, will request a Report of Labour Life accompanied of a Certificate of the Companies in which it have realised his professional work, with quotation expresses of the functions that the applicant have realised, so as to that can accredit the inherent competitions to the credits to recognise. In any case, the recognition of credits will not realise of automatic form, but studying each application of isolated form, as it produces in the actuality in the Commission of Recognition and Transfer of Credits of the Upper Polytechnical School.

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS AND STUDY BLOCKS

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT (IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Students who study an undergraduate degree at the University of Alicante must confirm a minimum level of B1 in a foreign language (a B2 is recommended) in order to obtain the diploma.  

The required language level is in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 

The language accreditation requirement can be obtained previously or at any time during university studies. However, the language requirement will be necessary in order to be able to assess the final year project.

The different forms of obtaining such language requirement can be consulted in the additional information in this section.  

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LANGUAGE TEACHING COMPETENCE CERTIFICATE

Students who want to have a career in non-university teaching when they finish their studies are recommended to obtain the teaching competence certificate (Valencian and/or foreign languages).

This certificate can be obtained by taking specific itineraries in your university studies or by taking the UA teaching competence course in Valencian, German, French and English.

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FINAL YEAR PROJECT (TFG)

All the official undergraduate degrees must be completed by preparing and defending a final year project, which must be done in the final phase of the studies and be aimed at the assessment of competences associated to the degree.

The final year project must be an original, independent and personal work. The elaboration of it may by individual or coordinated. Each student will prepare this project under the supervision of a tutor, allowing students to show the received training content in an integrated many, as well as the acquired competences associated to the undergraduate degree.

In order to register in the final year project, students must comply with the requirements established in the “Regulations for continuation studies for students registered in undergraduate degrees at the University of Alicante”. Among the requirements established to be able to register in the final year project, a minimum of 168 credits must be passed in undergraduate degrees with a total of 240 credits, and a minimum of 228 credits in undergraduate degrees with a total of 300 credits or more.

In order for the final year project to be assessed, a B1 level of a foreign language (B2 is recommended) must be confirmed.

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• Access routes
• Procedure for applying for admission
• Recommended applicant profile
• Number of places and pass marks

ACCESS ROUTES

Admission to this degree course is open to any applicant who meets one of the following entrance requirements:

1.     SPANISH BACCALAUREATE (LOMCE) UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Although students can access university by means of any Baccalaureate specialization, the recommended one is Sciences.

Admission scores for this degree can be improved by taking the specific modules of the University Entrance Exam (PAU) as indicated in the table below with their respective weightings.

TABLE 1

2.     PREVIOUS BACCALAUREATES WITH OR WITHOUT A PASS IN THE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Students who have completed their Baccalaureate under previous education systems and have passed the PAU will be able to use the mark obtained in their application.

However, students can take specific exam modules during the voluntary PAU exam period in order to improve their admission score as shown in table 1. They can also sit for the obligatory PAU exams, in which case they will have to take all the exams scheduled during this period.

3.     VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: Vocational educational qualifications such as senior technician, senior technician of plastic arts and design, or senior technician in sports is the preferred professional area although access to this degree may be through any professional field.

Admission scores can be improved by taking the PAU exam in up to 4 of the modules in table 1.

4.     STUDENTS FROM EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR OTHER STATES WITH WHICH SPAIN HAS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT: Accreditation is required and issued by Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

Students can sit for exams in subjects included in the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE), organised by the UNED, in order to improve their admission score up to 14 points as indicated in the weightings in Table 1.

5.     STUDENTS FROM FOREIGN EDUCATION SYSTEMS: Prior to applying for the validation of their foreign Baccalaureate, students may sit for up to 4 exams in subjects offered by the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE) organised by UNED (at least one subject from the core subjects).

The weightings indicated in table 1 will be applied to core and/or optional subjects.

6.     OTHER: University degrees and other similar qualifications. University entrance exam for students over 25 (preferential option: Engineering and architecture). Access on the basis of professional experience (applicants over 40 years of age). Access to applicants aged 45 years or more by means of an exam.

Weightings of the subjects of the specific phase of the Proof of Access to the University (PAU) in the previous years

High School Diploma Subjects

Academic Years 2010-11 2011-12

0.1

0.2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Academic Years  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

0.1

x

x

x

x

0.2

x

x

x

x

x

x

PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR ADMISSION: PRE-ENROLMENT AND REGISTRATION

• Anticipated number of places offered during the first pre-enrolment session:240
  

• In order to apply for a place, the procedure and pre-enrolment periods established each year must be observed. Information concerning the application procedure  (Pre-enrolment).

• Applicants admitted to a course must formally register within the timescale established annually in the enrolment calendar. Registration Information.

RECOMMENDED APPLICANT PROFILE

As regards the recommended educational background for this course, new students should possess a capacity for work (perseverance, method and rigour), a capacity for reasoning and critical analysis, the ability to work individually or as part of a team, the capacity to obtain, interpret and apply knowledge, problem-solving skills, a capacity for synthesis and abstraction and good communication skills.

NUMBER OF PLACES AND PASS MARKS

• "Pass marks" indicated correspond to the results of the first adjudication of June.
  
• The definitive marks can be inferior to the here collected.

Professions for which the degree qualifies graduates:

The degree qualifies graduates to work as a Public Works Technical Engineer (Order CIN/307/2009 of 9 February, Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) 18 February 2009). The professional attributes of the course are regulated by Law.

Graduates may also enrol on professional Master’s Degree courses, research courses and other post-graduate courses, in accordance with current regulations.

IMPLEMENTATION

The course programme for the University of Alicante Degree in Civil Engineering will be implemented on a year-by-year basis.

CREDIT EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN THE DEGREE IN PUBLIC WORKS TECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND THE DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

In addition to the adaptation table for subjects in the proposed programme and subjects in the Public Works Technical Engineering programme being phased out, the terms and regulations at Alicante University must be respected:

Second Transitional Provision: "Students who do not wish to take the new degree course subjects are entitled to sit four examinations at the end of the following two academic years. Any students wishing to continue their studies after sitting and failing these examinations will be required to follow the new plan, according to the adaptation system established in the new programme. A one-to-one equivalence will be applied to LRU and ECTS credits, although overall limits will be established for the credit validation system".

 Credits taken by Degree in Civil Engineering  students not listed in the above table may be validated by means of:

1. Degree course optional credits, up to the maximum number of optional credits established for each degree course.

2. Recognised free-elective credits validated for university, cultural or representational activities will be validated for the degree course, with a maximum of up to 6 academic credits to be validated for various activities, as set out in Art. 12.8 Royal Decree 1393/2007 (participation in cultural, sporting, student representation, charity and cooperation activities).

BRIDGING COURSE FOR PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS WHO WISH TO OBTAIN THE DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

• Envisaged number of students
• Entry and admission of students
• Degree Bridging Course Programme
• Estimated quantitative values
• Bridging course implementation timescale

Envisaged number of students

Given the experience of other schools offering bridging courses this academic year, which have received a high number of applications for places on these courses, and taking into account the teaching resources of the departments involved, 30 places will be offered for Public Works Engineering Technicians. 

Entry and admission of students

The Polytechnic University College at the University of Alicante will offer a Bridging Course intended for holders of the Engineering Technician (Public Works) qualification, in accordance with Royal Decree 1393/2007 and following the directives established by the University of Alicante and in this document. This Bridging Course will qualify these Public Works Engineering Technicians for positions at the same level in Public Administration as graduates.

Where the number of applications exceeds places offered, these will be assigned in accordance with the following priority criteria:

• (50%) Overall academic record. 
• (20%) To be a graduate of the University of Alicante (from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, having completed studies at the delegation from the University of Alicante) in the degree that gives access to the course of adaptation.
• (30%) Teaching collaborations with the School of Engineering.

Holders of the Public Works Engineering Technician qualification from other universities who wish to obtain the Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alicante by taking this bridging course will be required to take the subjects indicated by the Centre’s Commission for Recognition and Transfer of Credits, determined according to the subjects studied previously for the Diploma. Where students would need to study subjects which are not included in the bridging course, these Engineering Technicians will not be admitted to the course.

Degree bridging course programme

The bridging course will consist of the subjects indicated Table IV Bridging Course.  Students will be required to take subjects from Tables I, II or III depending on their area of specialisation.

It is envisaged that teaching hours will be adapted to the particular circumstances of the students for whom this Bridging Course is intended, most of whom may be working.   This timetable will achieve the dual objective of enabling students to attend the course, and avoiding any possible conflict of teaching duties between the Bridging Course and the Degree course, in accordance with the timetable established in the course programme.

Table I Bridging Course - Civil Constructions

Table II Bridging Course - Hydrology

Table III Bridging Course - Transport and Urban Services.

Table IV Bridging Course

Estimated quantitative values for the indicators listed below and rationale for the estimation.

With respect to the bridging course, it is envisaged that the indicators used to evaluate learning outcomes will be better compared to typical values for the Degree, since students will already have ample knowledge of the subject matter.  Therefore, an improvement in indicators is envisaged and in consequence, the following values are proposed:

• Effectiveness rate >80 %.
• Graduation rate >50 %.
• Dropout rate <10 %.

Implementation Timescale for the Bridging Course enabling Public Works Engineering Technicians to obtain a Degree in Civil Engineering

The course of adaptation has registered high levels of demand in previous editions having been more than 200 students each year without the possibility of registration. In view of these data, it is expected that the first academic year in which it is not offered (2013/2014), there will be a high demand for enrollment of new students entering graduate from extinct plans. This would significantly reduce the chances of access to the level of new students from senior high school and vocational training and competing for the same seats.
To resolve this situation, it is proposed that an adaptation period, while demand is sufficient to cover 50% of places offered in this course.

DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING. SYLLABUS SUMMARY

Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC) of the Title

• Structure of the Centre for Quality
  • Comission of Internal Quality Guarantee
  • Other Commissions  
• Handbook SGIC
• Procedures
  • Strategic (PE)
  • Key (PC)
  • Support (PA)
  • Measurement (PM)

• Management of the SGIC (Access to ASTUA)

Follow-up of the Title

• International quality label  
• Self-reports UA
• External reports AVAP 
• Other reports
• Improvement Plans
• Progress and Learning Outcomes