南澳大学

Industry has indicated a strong demand for skilled engineering graduates with solid business acumen.

With studies divided across two disciplines, you will have the flexibility to pursue transdisciplinary specialisations and gain a broad range of business knowledge, graduating with the key business skills to advance in their engineering careers. The strong business foundation of this program enables graduates to be well-prepared to work in diverse, interdisciplinary teams in order to solve complex problems in the global business environment.

What you'll learn

In your first year you will develop a strong, general foundation in engineering. You’ll then move into your civil engineering major and complete core courses in business that will give you a solid grasp of business fundamentals such as international business, economics and entrepreneurship.

At least half of your honours year involves a major project. Projects are generally supported by industry clients or based in a research concentration. You will also have the opportunity to undertake a collaborative engineering design project, where you will work on real projects provided by industry, with industrial representatives acting as your clients. You will work through the real-life stages of a project from developing a tender through to feasibility, concept development and detailed design. See examples of student projects: Project 1 and Project 2.

Career outcomes

Your career

Graduate from this multi-disciplinary degree and start your career in civil engineering, supported by the foundational business skills recommended for early career progression.

Careers to consider include:

Civil engineer: take responsibility for the design, construction and testing of physical infrastructure; assess the impact of large scale projects on the environment

Geotechnical engineer: advise on ways to guard and maintain structures such as soil and rock formations and groundwater deposits; planning and developing building and construction projects; advising on tools, methods and materials for construction in an area

Water resources engineer: be involved in providing clean water, the disposal of waste water and sewage, and preventing flood damage; responsible for the construction and maintenance of new equipment for managing water resources

Environmental engineer: protect the environment by assessing the impact a project has on the air, water, soil and noise levels in its vicinity

Business development engineer: develop and maintain excellent client relationships; work with new and existing clients to create new business and identify new markets; propose business ventures, providing project details, writing business proposals, and meeting business revenue targets

Engineering operations manager: supervise and lead teams of engineers, scientists and technicians who work on projects; oversee production and quality control; direct operations, testing and maintenance; plan and schedule, consult with clients, and manage budgetary responsibilities

Quality assurance manager: work with management and staff to establish procedures and quality standards and monitor these against agreed targets; write management and technical reports; determine training needs; and promote change and improvement in performance and quality

Engineering consultant: provide managing consulting services to help engineering organisations improve performance and efficiency; analyse businesses and create solutions to help meet goals

Entrepreneur: use initiative, commercial acumen and broad ranging business skills to develop or transform a product or service for yourself or an organisation.