Why Study / Key Benefits

The Master of Engineering Practice allows students to build on their existing undergraduate engineering knowledge and develop deeper technical expertise in a selected engineering discipline. Swinburne also provides scope for industry-based research projects, giving students exposure to practical engineering problems and industry practices.

For the Structural Engineering specialisation, students develop knowledge and skills relevant to:

• Designing, analysing and constructing structures.
• Estimating and costing engineering projects.
• Advanced concrete design.
• Bridge design and strengthening.
• Infrastructure deterioration.
• Geotechnical design.
• Structural dynamics and earthquake engineering.
• Finite element methods.
• Sustainability in engineering and construction.
• Industry-engaged engineering projects.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme contains two common core units followed by six Structural Engineering specialisation units.

Core units:

1. Engineering Project Management – CSM80006 – 12.5 credit points
2. Research Paper – CVE80001 – 12.5 credit points

Structural Engineering specialisation units:

1. Estimating and Project Costing – CSM80016 – 12.5 credit points
2. Advanced Concrete Design – CVE80004 – 12.5 credit points
3. Bridge Design and Strengthening – CVE80005 – 12.5 credit points
4. Infrastructure Deterioration Modelling – CVE80006 – 12.5 credit points
5. Geotechnical Design – CVE80007 – 12.5 credit points
6. Principles of Sustainability – CVE80010 – 12.5 credit points
7. Finite Element Methods and Applications – CVE80018 – 12.5 credit points
8. Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering – CVE80019 – 12.5 credit points
9. Bridge Design – CVE80020 – 12.5 credit points
10. Building Design Project – CVE80021 – 25 credit points. 

Disciplines / Specialisations

The Master of Engineering Practice currently provides six specialisation areas:

1. Advanced Manufacturing
2. Civil Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
4. Electronic and Telecommunications
5. Mechanical Engineering
6. Structural Engineering.

Programme Highlights

• One-year full-time master's qualification.
• 100 credit points.
• Structural Engineering specialisation.
• Hawthorn campus in Melbourne.
• CRICOS registered: 103428D.
• Advanced structural engineering content.
• Industry-engaged project opportunities.
• Research component through Research Paper.
• Focus on structural design, analysis and construction.
• Coverage of concrete, bridges, geotechnical engineering, infrastructure deterioration, finite element methods and earthquake engineering.
• Development of critical thinking, problem solving, communication and research skills.

Career Outcomes

The course handbook states that graduates can work as professional engineers in areas including structural engineering, construction, civil engineering project management and other engineering fields.

For a Structural Engineering graduate, relevant career areas can include:

• Structural engineering
• Structural design
• Building design
• Bridge engineering
• Infrastructure engineering
• Geotechnical engineering
• Construction
• Engineering project management
• Infrastructure assessment and deterioration analysis
• Engineering consulting

International Student Visa Requirements

International students studying this course in Australia generally require a Student visa (subclass 500).

Key requirements include:

• Enrolment in a CRICOS-registered full-time course.
• Valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Genuine Student requirement.
• Meeting health requirements.
• Meeting character requirements.
• Signing the Australian Values Statement if aged 18 or over.
• Providing financial evidence where required.
• Compliance with the conditions attached to the individual visa.

Genuine Student requirement:

Applicants must demonstrate that they are genuine students and understand that studying in Australia is the primary reason for their Student visa. Home Affairs asks applicants to answer relevant questions in English in the visa application and may require supporting evidence.

Health insurance:

International students must generally maintain OSHC for the required period of their stay. For applicants outside Australia, Home Affairs states that OSHC should start from the day they arrive in Australia rather than simply from the course commencement date.

Work rights:

• Student visa holders can generally work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session.
• Students can generally work unlimited hours when their course is not in session.
• The unlimited-work exception for the student themselves applies to master's by research and doctoral students; this Master of Engineering Practice is a coursework master's, so the 48-hour-per-fortnight limit applies while the course is in session.
• The student's individual visa conditions should always be checked through VEVO or the visa grant letter.