MSc Civil Engineering
Materials and Structures in their Environment

The MSc at a glance

  • 2-year fully accredited master’s degree
  • Fully taught in English
  • Open to applicants with a bachelor's degree or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
  • M1 & M2 entry
  • 6-month Master's thesis/internship
  • Next intake: every year in September

Interested in applying?

Find out about eligibility, application deadlines, English-language requirements, tuition fees and funding opportunities for Centrale Nantes MSc programmes.
 
  • Visit our admissions page
  • Apply online
  • Contact our admissions team (admissionb9492b79-8296-47a8-b791-079012678b3b@ec-nantes.fr)
  • Applications for the 2027-28 intake open on 28 October 2026
About the programme
  • The MSc Materials and Structures in their Environment (C-ENG MSE) aims to develop scientific and technological knowledge on materials and structures in both the public works and industrial sectors. It is characterized by a high degree of scientific specialisation.
  • The programme focuses on the following specialised areas: natural materials, concrete and structures, and their interactions with the environment, the sustainability of materials, environmental geomechanics, green engineering and, more generally, the physics of multi-scale materials.
The programme of study lasts two academic years - denoted by M1 and M2 and is taught in English. It comprises three study semesters followed by a paid Master's thesis / internship in the final semester.

Our Master of Science (MSc) programmes in Civil Engineering are fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space.

Customise your programme

Students applying for the Master of Science (MSc) in Materials and Structures in their Environment who are interested in pursuing to PhD can also apply to join the Integrated Master-PhD track, which brings together the two years of the Master's degree and three years of PhD studies. The Integrated Master-PhD track is designed to give high-potential students exposure to research activities from the M1 year.
 


Meet the Programme Supervisors

Giulio Sciarra, M2 Programme Supervisor, Programme Supervisor Civil Engineering

Giulio Sciarra is a Professor in Mechanics at Centrale Nantes. He heads up the GEOMEC (Environmental Geomechanics) research team in the GeM (Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering) at Centrale Nantes. He is interested in the mechanics of porous media and geomechanics, both in the framework of numerical modeling and advanced experimental activity, with a particular emphasis in hydro-mechanical instabilities.

He is the Assistant Dean of Studies for Master Programmes.

Siddhartha H. Ommi, M1 Programme Supervisor Civil Engineering

Siddhartha H OMMI is an associate professor at Centrale Nantes in the Department of Mechanics, Materials & Civil Engineering since 2023 and he is part of the GeM Research Institute. His research focuses on developing mathematical models to accurately and efficiently describe coupled phenomena involving multi-phase fluid flow across deformable porous media. With applications including, CO2/H2 geological storage; countering drying induced damage of soil; safe storage of radioactive waste; his work was recognized with award of Project PULSAR by region PdL, Research fellowship by University Sapienza, thesis award by ALERT geomaterials.

 
Course content

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year
M1 Year 2026/27
Autumn semester courses ECTS Spring semester courses ECTS
Continuum Mechanics 5 Nonlinear modeling of reinforced concrete structures 5
Fluid Mechanics 1 5 Geotechnical Engineering 5
Numerical Methods 5 Imaging in Civil Engineering 5
Vibrations  5 Physical Modelling 4
Numerical Analysis 4 Constitutive Laws 5
Tools and Methods for Research 1 4 Tools and Methods for Research 2 4
Modern Languages * 2 Modern Languages *  2


* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes

M2 Year
M2 Year 2026/27
Autumn semester courses ECTS
Coupled problems in mechanics: from mathematical formulation to numerical methods 6
Mechanics of Porous Media 5
Tools & Methods for Research 3 5
Surrogate Modelling 2
Design and Behaviour of Modern Concrete ± 5
Durability and Structural Maintenance ± 5
Homogenization Methods for Materials and Structures ± 5
Earthquake Engineering ± 5
Statistics of Materials and Structural Reliability ± 5
Modern Languages * 2


± Elective courses (choose 2 out of 5)
* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English' or Spanish (depending on sufficient demand).

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes
 

M2 Year 2026/27
Spring semester ECTS
Master thesis / internship                                    30
 

Examples of previous internships in industry / research labs:

 
  • Design of monopile wind turbine foundations (Doris)
  • Permeability evolution of granular soils in an internal erosion context (GeM Institute)
  • Improving the spatial monitoring of rainfalls for flood assessment (GeM Institute)
  • Performance assessment of inerter-based vibration absorbers for deep water fixed-based monopile wind turbines (INNOSEA SAS)
  • Structural Analysis and Design of a Tensegrity Footbridge (EIFFAGE BIEP)
  • Use of crushed sand in hydraulic concrete (Eurovia)
  • Study of the absorption/adsorption of sulphates in synthetic C-(A)-S-H during the external sulphate attack on cementitious material (GeM Institute)
  • Behaviour of reinforced concrete structures under real fire conditions (IRSN)

NB Internships undertaken in France are strictly regulated and are only open to current full-time students of an accredited educational institution. Interns are entitled to all the rights guaranteed to regular employees (such as social protection and redress mechanisms). For internships that exceed two months in duration a minimum level of remuneration is set by the government, at approximately €600 per month. In some professional branches, this amount may be higher.

Skills developed
  • Organize and carry out research work to understand a physical phenomenon or a new problem in civil engineering
  • Organize, complete and validate an engineering approach to address a specific problem

In addition to the above specialism-specific skills, students will also develop more general skills:
 

  • Act with professionalism, be rigorous and autonomous
  • Identify models, perform simulation and analyse results
  • Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
  • Undertake bibliographic surveys of international research and professional literature
  • Manage or be part of a project
Contribution to sustainable development goals
SDG 9 - INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

SDG11 - SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Learn more about Centrale Nantes' commitment to the 17 sustainable development goals

Download syllabus | Civil Engineering - Materials and Structures in their Environment

Facilities and Research

Faculty

This Civil Engineering programme relies on the staff and the research facilities of the Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering (GeM), at Centrale Nantes and Nantes University. Researchers at the Gustave Eiffel University (Nantes) are also involved in the programme.

Partner companies

CEA, Cerema, EDF, Egis, EIFFAGE, Eurovia, INNOSEA SAS, Verbund.
With internship and employment opportunities.

International research collaboration

Université Libre de Bruxelles and Université de Liège (Belgium), Università degli Studi di Perugia, Università di Roma La Sapienza (Italy), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Tongji University (China), Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), Alliance of Laboratories in Europe for Research and Technology (ALERT).

Focus on research facilities

The supporting research institutes have extensive experimental test facilities for static and dynamic characterisation of materials and structures (for example, the Sustainability and Green Building Platform and biaxial machine on the Centrale Nantes campus and the geotechnical centrifuge at Gustave Eiffel University. Centrale Nantes also has a supercomputer.

Sustainability and Green Building Platform

These facilities provides researchers and companies with exceptional experimental and digital resources.
In order to meet the challenges of environmental civil engineering, the platform brings together simulation tools adapted for design and management of the lifecycle of structures.

Learn more

Geomechanics Platform

The experimental platform "Geomechanics" at Centrale Nantes is a cutting-edge facility designed to advance research in geomechanics, structural dynamics, and geomaterial science. It houses a diverse array of experimental setups, each tailored to simulate and analyze various complex phenomena under controlled conditions. These setups enable multidisciplinary research that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical applications, fostering advancements in disaster resilience, earthquake studies, soil dynamics, soil-structure interaction and innovative developments in geomaterials.

Learn more


Campus facilities

Centrale Nantes houses 17 buildings on a 40-acre green campus.
In addition to the standard facilities of a university campus (classrooms, media library, computer rooms, etc.), it is home to a total of 13 research platforms, some of which are unique in France, and modern and varied sports facilities, the Kivo incubator and vibrant student life.

► Learn more about the campus

After the MSc

Where are our Civil Engineering graduates now?

Survey conducted in 2024 of our 2022 MSc Civil Engineering graduates, 40% of whom are currently in employment and 40% pursuing a PhD.  

Image transcript

Job/PhD search duration:

  • 100% find their first job in 3 months or less
  • 100% secured their PhD in less than 3 months

Country of origin

  • Middle East - 60%
  • Americas - 20%
  • Africa 20%

Current country of residence

  • France - 80%
  • Europe other - 20%
 
  • 100% earn a starting salary in excess of €30K
  • 100% are undertaking their PhD in the laboratory where they interned for their Master's thesis
  • 100% have a permanent work contract
  • 20% are creating their own business

Career Prospects

  • Sectors: Civil Engineering, Sustainable Design,  Engineering and Environmental Geology, Consulting
  • Fields: Civil Engineering, Design, Research and Development
  • Positions: Civil Engineer, Environmental Engineer, R&D Engineer
Examples of companies where our 2022 MSE graduates are working: And of the positions they hold:
  • Building project manager
  • Project manager

PhD Opportunities

Examples of PhD topics pursued by our 2022 MSE graduates:
  • Civil engineering at the GeM Institute, Centrale Nantes
  • Civil engineering/ physical-chemical and mechanical performance of cementitious materials with composite materials at the GeM Institute, Centrale Nantes
Why choose this MSc?

Five reasons why you should choose the MSc in Civil Engineering at Centrale Nantes:

 
  • Preparation for R&D engineering careers in civil and environmental engineering
  • Strong links between programme courses and the research topics of the GeM Institute.
  • Fully taught in English for a cohort of international students
  • Centrale Nantes is ranked 355th in the world for Engineering and Technology - QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026
  • Accredited Master of Science (MSc) preparing for a PhD in France or abroad or for direct entry into the workplace

Meet our Civil Engineering graduates

Imane Elkhaldi, PhD | MSc Civil Engineering Class of 2019
Video Transcript

My PhD story - by Imane, Master C-ENG MSE, PhD GeM Institut

Hello, I'm Imane. I did my Bachelor of Engineering in Morocco in Hassania School of Public Works and then I joined Centrale Nantes within the Erasmus programme. Then I did my PhD here in Centrale Nantes, in the Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering (GeM).

Why did you decide to come to Centrale Nantes? 

I chose Centrale Nantes for my Master's degree for two main reasons. The first is the reputation of the Centrale network in France, and most particularly the scientific reputation of Centrale Nantes in the field of research as I wanted to pursue a PhD after my Master's. And also the programme: I really appreciated the programme and it aligned well with my career goals. The second reason is the attractiveness of Centrale Nantes for international students as it provides a multi-cultural environment and that makes the experience really enjoyable. 

When and why did you decide to pursue your PhD here? 

I always had this idea in mind, to do a PhD since the beginning of my bachelor studies. And what truly confirmed my motivation to pursue this project was the research facilities available in the host lab. And also the research topics proposed that really attracted my attention. For example, the technologies of reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, which is the most-used construction material in the world. 

What did you work on for your PhD?

My PhD work focused on the low-carbon concrete with the new European-standard cements with the low clinker. So what is and why clinker? Clinker is the main and most reactive component of Portland cement and its production emits huge amounts of CO2 in the air. Cement is responsable for up to 80% of the carbon footprint of concrete. So, the aim of my PhD was to understand the effect of using those new cements on concrete properties, especially durability. In my work, I proposed a new indicator that evaluates the carbon footprint of one year of service of concrete, which was used to assess the performance and environmental interest of those new cements. I had to present my work in many national and international conferences and I was awarded the prize of research on concretes from the Ecole Française de Béton. 

How would you rate the research facilities and support?

I think it's very good and what I particularly appreciated from my experience was the collaboration with other labs and other universities. For my case, I had to do some experiment work in Subatech and in Gustave Eiffel University. I also had to collaborate with the University of La Rochelle for a paper. I think that widens the network of the PhD students and also makes the experience very rich. 

What are you doing now? 

Currently, I'm working on a project with three former colleagues from Centrale Nantes on energy efficiency of buildings and I will also start a training programme on entrepreneurship and business management. 

Any advice for future applicants? 

I encourage them to go through this worthwhile experience, and for their Master's thesis, to choose a topic related to research that will help them with their future PhD. To enjoy not only the academic programme, but also the other activities proposed at the school. 

Centrale Nantes in 3 words? 

Ecology - Innovation - Diversity

Rana Al Nemer, PhD | MSc Civil Engineering Class of 2019
Video Transcript

My PhD story - by Rana, Master C-ENG MSE, PhD GeM Laboratory

Hello, I'm Rana. I completed my bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the Lebanese university and in parallel for my last year of bachelor, I enrolled in the double degree program with Ecole Centrale de Nantes where I obtained my master's degree in the research program entitled "Materials and Structures in their environment". I did my PhD here in Centrale Nantes in the Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical engineering (GeM). 

Why did you decide to come to Centrale Nantes?  

I chose Centrale Nantes for my master's degree due to its outstanding reputation in terms of teaching quality and commitment to innovation research. 

When and why did you decide to pursue your PhD here?

During my internship here within the geo-mechanic team here in GeM Lab, I really enjoyed the field of research and I was convinced that 5 months of internship were not enough to satisfy my passion for research. That's why I decided to pursue with the PhD that was proposed to me as a continuation to my internship. 

What was the subject of your PhD? 

The aim of my PhD thesis was to investigate the response of a deformable porous skeleton percolated by an unstable bi-phasic flow, as the one that occurs deep down in the underground geological reservoir, within the context of CO2 sequestration, for example, or the underground storage of hydrogen or methane produced from the green energy. My PhD was a combination of experimental work and image processing. Concerning the experimental work I was the first to work on a unique and novel experiment setup, which consists of a biaxial machine adapted for unsaturated porous media and endowed with a high-resolution optical system. At laboratory scale, I reproduced the infiltration of gas into a water-saturated sand medium under a given hydro-mechanical loading and I quantified the deformation of the solid skeleton due to the unstable percolation of gas, and finally, I established the correlation between the hydro-mechanical loading and the deformation of the porous skeleton. In parallel to the research, the other exciting aspect of the PhD, is that I have participated in many international or national conferences and workshops, where I had the privilege to be awarded the best poster prize in ALERT Geo-materials workshop. 

How would you rate the research facilities and support? 

During my PhD, I had the opportunity to collaborate with many of my fellow PhD students and researchers from different fields. As well, I have worked with our assistant engineer to build a system that is currently the subject of a patent application. And finally, I couldn't not mention the huge support that I received from my supervisors Julien Réthoré and Giulio Sciarra, through my whole research journey. 

What are you doing now?

Currently, i am a post-doctoral researcher, always here in GeM Lab, continuing my research activity on the drainage phenomenon within the sand medium. However, this time for a different context : about destabilization of the dune sands due to environmental loads.

Any advice for future applicants? 

I highly encourage Master's students to pursue a PhD because it's a one-of-a-kind experience filled with building up many skills such as communication, management, teaching and analytical proficiency. 

Centrale Nantes in 3 words? 

International & Multicultural - Research-Driven - Sustainable 

Read what our students / graduates have to say about the programme:

  • Suraj George, MSc Civil Engineering, Class of 2023
    June 10, 2024
    "I currently work as a Solid Mechanics Engineer at IFP Energies Nouvelles and my focus is on the simulation of floating wind turbines... I was able to branch out quite easily even though my current job is not very classically 'civil engineering' ".
  • Thien, MSc Civil Engineering, Class of 2020
    August 2, 2023
    "I chose to study in Centrale Nantes because of its international environment and a well-structured master program. I had planned to do a PhD afterward, and the courses fit well with what I wanted to study..."
  • Mir Hamza, MSc Civil Engineering, Class of 2021
    August 2, 2023
    "My Master’s Degree at Centrale Nantes inspired me to pursue a PhD and work as a researcher throughout my life..."

Published on March 25, 2017 Updated on September 24, 2026

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