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Earthquake Engineering
Learn to analyse, design and assess structures under seismic action and extreme conditions.
Study the analysis, design and assessment of structures under seismic action and extreme conditions
Learn alongside industry experts in the largest and most highly rated civil engineering department in the UK
Undertake a group conceptual design project and develop your technical and practical engineering skills
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MSc
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Duration
1 year, 2 years, 3 years
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Start date
September 2025
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Study mode
Full-time, Part-time
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Fees
£18,500 Home
£42,900 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
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2:1 in Civil Engineering, Natural Sciences, Earth Sciences or other numerate subject
Course overview
Undertake comprehensive training in the analysis, design and assessment of structures under seismic actions on this one-year MSc course.
You'll explore a broad range of issues related to structural engineering, earthquake engineering, engineering seismology, soil dynamics and advanced numerical techniques.
This course covers both theoretical background knowledge and practical design considerations to enhance your skills for further PhD study or a future career in this field.
Suitable for both practising engineers and recent graduates, this programme aims to produce graduates equipped to pursue careers in seismic analysis and design in industry, the public sector and non-governmental organisations.
You'll also benefit from insights from those working at the forefront of this critical area of engineering, including guest lectures from visiting professors and eminent industrialists.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll take all of the core modules and complete a design project.
Core modules
Understand the finite element method for structural analysis and investigate the accuracy and convergence characteristics of various finite elements.
Explore the fundamental elements of engineering seismology and seismic hazard assessment.
Examine the design and behaviour of reinforced concrete structures at the design ultimate limit state.
Deepen your understanding of the behaviour of steel structures and design structural steel members and connections.
Gain fundamental insights into structural analysis, including the mechanics of materials and physical behaviour of structural elements.
Become familiar with the most basic concepts and principles of dynamics as applied to structural engineering problems.
Discover the systematic procedures for geometric and material nonlinear structural analysis and advance your knowledge of nonlinear analysis software.
Enhance your understanding of the concepts and principles required for the seismic design of reinforced concrete and masonry structures.
Unpick the fundamental concepts and principles required for the seismic design of steel structures and understand the seismic behaviour of steel members, connections and systems.
You’ll choose three modules from the options listed.
Optional modules
Examine the design and construction of bridges, as well as the main construction procedures for short, medium and long span bridges.
Explore the main concepts and principles of structural safety and gain an appreciation for the power of probabilistic methods in structural engineering.
Understand the fundamentals of soil dynamics and perform an equivalent-linear site response analysis.
Evaluate the concepts and principles of structural fire safety engineering and use sophisticated numerical tools to undertake performance-based fire safety engineering computations.
Gain a detailed understanding of the design of reinforced concrete slabs and structures like deep beams, squat shear walls and pile caps.
In the summer term, you’ll undertake a design project dissertation with regular guidance from a College supervisor, by private study or by arrangement at your place of employment.
This work will also incorporate a conceptual group project.
Professional accreditation
This MSc degree is accredited on behalf of the Engineering Council by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), comprising:
- Institution of Civil Engineers
- Institution of Structural Engineers
- Institute of Highway Engineers
- Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation
- Permanent Way Institution
This degree is recognised as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree**.
Registering as a Chartered Engineer will improve your career prospects and provide higher earning potential. It will also help to demonstrate your commitment to professional standards, the engineering profession and sustainable development.
Our accreditation agreement with members of the Joint Board of Moderators is renewed every five years. The current accreditation agreement is due to be renewed in 2026.
**Candidates completing the MSc who hold an underpinning accredited IEng degree or a non-accredited Bachelor's degree will need to apply for an academic assessment to determine whether they will meet the educational base for CEng registration.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures and seminars
- Independent study
- 25% Lectures and seminars
- 75% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Tutorials
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Online quizzes
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Computer sessions
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Group exercises
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Design projects
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Research project
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Slide-based presentations
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Programming code
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Summary reports
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Individual research dissertation
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework and examinations
- Project
- 13% Coursework
- 87% Examinations
Assessment methods
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Individual and group coursework assignments
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Written exams
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Research dissertation or detailed design project
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Group conceptual design project
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Group projects and presentations
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 1 closes on Thursday 16 January 2025
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Application rounds
Round 1
- Applications open on Friday 27 September 2024
- Applications close on Thursday 16 January 2025
- Decision by Thursday 6 March 2025
Round 2
- Applications open on Friday 17 January 2025
- Applications close on Thursday 27 March 2025
- Decision by Thursday 1 May 2025
Round 3
- Applications open on Friday 28 March 2025
- Applications close on Thursday 15 May 2025
- Decision by Thursday 17 July 2025
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
- £80 for all taught Master's applications, excluding those to the Imperial College Business School.
- £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School.
- £150 for all MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
Full-time
£18,500
2 years, part-time
£9,250per year
3 years, part-time
£6,167per year
Fees are charged by year of entry to the university and not year of study.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
Full-time
£42,900
2 years, part-time
£21,450per year
3 years, part-time
£14,300per year
Fees are charged by year of entry to the university and not year of study.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
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Develop the essential core knowledge and skills for a career in earthquake engineering or similar fields.
Cover theoretical background and practical design considerations on this career-oriented course.
These include management, modelling, analysis, problem-solving, and report writing.
Meet some of the UK's leading academics and industry experts from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
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Around 15% of Imperial Civil and Environmental Engineering graduates choose to do further study.
Over 75% go into employment in areas as diverse as geotechnical engineering, transport planning and environmental consultancy.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44(0) 20 7594 5932
- Email: cvpgo@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Dr Christian Málaga-Chuquitaype
MSc Courses Director: Dr Anton Köllner
Visit the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering website.
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Request info
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications