MSc Civil Engineering
Materials and Structures in their Environment (C-ENG MSE)

Programme objectives

This specialism in Civil Engineering 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. Two tracks are on offer in the M2 year. This means that students follow a set number of core courses and then have a choice of three courses from either track 1 or 2.

Our Master's programmes in Civil Engineering are fully accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
 

Students applying for this Civil Engineering programme 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 as soon as they join the M1 year.
 

• Learn more about the Integrated Master-PhD track
• See our other Master's programmes in civil engineering

Contribution to sustainable development goals

 

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

Webinar replay

Click here to view the webinar replay. (NB to access the webinar you have to register your details first).

Course content

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year - 2024/25

Autumn semester courses	ECTS	Spring semester courses	ECTS
Continuum Mechanics	5	Physical Modelling	4
Fluid Mechanics 1	5	Constitutive Laws	5
Algorithmics for Engineering Modelling	4	Imaging in Civil Engineering	5
Numerical Methods	5	Geotechnical Engineering	5
Vibrations and Differential Equations	5	Concrete and Structures	5
Conferences and Initiation to Research	4	Mathematical Methods in Civil Engineering	4
Modern Languages *	2	Modern Languages *	2
Conferences	0

* '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 - 2024/25

Core courses for all students:

Autumn semester courses	ECTS
Numerical Analysis	5
Mechanics of Porous Media	5
Statistics of Materials and Structural Reliability	4
Project	2
Modern Languages *	2

 

plus, Track 1 courses

Autumn semester courses	ECTS
Homogenization Methods in Heterogenous Media	4
Design and Behaviour of Modern Concrete	4
Durability and Structural Maintenance	4

 

or Track 2 courses

Autumn semester courses	ECTS
Theory of Structures	4
Earthquake Engineering	4
Large Infrastructures of Energy and Transport	4

* '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
 

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

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

• M1 year
• M2 year

Facilities and partnerships

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

Admissions

 

• Apply online on the eCandidat platform
• 2025/26 intake:
  M1 applications open on 30 October
  M2 applications open on 15 February

Application process

Application rounds

• Applications are reviewed in rounds. M1 applicants may apply in any of the three M1 rounds, and M2 applicants in either of the two M2 rounds. Applications should be submitted on the eCandidat platform as early as possible, but before the deadlines below;
• Applications are not considered 'complete' until all required elements are submitted. Only complete applications received by the round's deadline will be considered in that round;
• The admissions board reviews applications at the conclusion of each round and notifies each applicant of the outcome of their application;

Accepting your place

• Successful applicants must accept their place on the eCandidat platform by the deadlines below;
• The first installment of tuition fees must be paid by the deadlines below to definitively secure the applicant's place on the programme.

Deadlines for the 2025-26 intake

	M1 | Round 1	M1 | Round 2	M1 | Round 3	M2 | Round 1	M2 | Round 2
Submit your complete application by	15 Dec	23 Feb	28 Apr	31 Mar	28 Apr
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by	17 Jan	21 Mar	23 May	25 Apr	23 May
Accept your place by	17 Feb	21 Apr	15 Jun	25 May	15 Jun
Pay your first tuition installment by .... to qualify for a reduction in tuition fees (international non-European students)	17 Feb   *	21 Apr **	N/A	25 May ***	N/A
Pay your first tuition installment by .... with no reduction in tuition fees	17 Mar	21 May	15 Jun	15 Jun	15 Jun

Early Bird Applications

• * A reduction of €1,500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• ** A reduction of €500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the second admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• *** A reduction of €1,500 for the M2 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the first year (M1)

• International students with a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology) or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
• French and European students with a 'license' qualification or equivalent.
• Students must have graduated from the above before the end of August in order to enrol in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes in September.
• Applicants must have a good level in Mathematics and be fluent in English - written and spoken. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a certificate, which is no older than three years, for a recognised international test of English*:
  • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60, TOEFL Home edition is accepted,
  • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
  • IELTS - 6.5 or higher, IELTS Online test is accepted
  • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
• Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
• Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Admission requirements for the second year (M2)

Students who have successfully completed a first year MSc programme can apply for the second year MSc programme. Applicants must be fluent in English - written and spoken:
 

• An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a certificate, which is no older than three years, for a recognised international test of English*:
  • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60, TOEFL Home edition is accepted,
  • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
  • IELTS - 6.5 or higher, IELTS Online test is accepted
  • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
• Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
• Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.

Required documents

When applying for a Centrale Nantes MSc Programme you will be asked to provide the following documents:
 

• Your official transcripts
• A CV/Resume and cover letter
• Your diploma
• Proof of English proficiency
• Two letters of recommendation
• Your passport or other form of official identification

Your documents must be uploaded in English or French. If the original version of your documents is not in one of these two languages, a certified translation by a sworn translator is required.

Apply online

Apply online on the eCandidat platform
 

How to use the eCandidat platform:

 

• Download the user guide
• Connect to eCandidat: https://ecandidat.ec-nantes.fr
• Use the flag (page top right) to select your language.
• Start off by creating your account.
• No application fees.

Your application in 5 easy steps:

Contact and admissions support

Master Admission Office

master.admission@ec-nantes.fr
Tel: +33.2.40.37.68.36 / 33.2.40.37.68.51

Tuition fees and financing

Tuition Fees

International students (non-European)

M1 Year | 2025 - 2026	€12,000 - (students starting their M1 year in 2025) *
M2 Year | 2025 - 2026	€8,000 - (students starting their M2 year in 2025) **
M2 Year | 2026 - 2027	€12,000 - (students starting their M2 year in 2026) **

Early Bird Applications

• * A reduction of €1,500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• * A reduction of €500 for the M1 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the second admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.
• ** A reduction of €1,500 for the M2 study year is granted to non European international students who apply during the first admissions round and make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.

European students

€243 per year
 

Financing your studies

Scholarships

Different scholarships are available for students enrolling in a MSc Programme at Centrale Nantes:
 

• Centrale Nantes Elite Scholarship
• Government scholarships
• Inter-government scholarships
• Industry scholarships
• Scholarships from organisations
• European Programmes

• Learn more

Other ways to help you finance your way through your studies:

 

• Paid 6-month internship
  You will be paid for your 6-month Master's thesis / internship in France. For internships undertaken in France 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.
• Work alongside your studies
  You are entitled to work part-time alongside your studies, to earn some extra money. This option is available for both European and non-European students, but different rules apply. Learn more
• Help with your rent
  French and international students are eligible to receive financial support (known as APL in French) from the CAF (Caisses d'Allocations Familiales). The CAF is a French government organism that covers part of the monthly cost of rent paid for student accommodation – the allocated amount depends on the type of accommodation and on your income. Learn more (in French)

Meet our Civil Engineering graduates

Why choose this MSc?

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

 

• 1 - Preparation for R&D engineering careers in civil and environmental engineering
• 2 - Strong links between programme courses and the research topics of the GeM Institute.
• 3 - Fully taught in English for a cohort of international students
• 4 - Centrale Nantes is ranked in the top 300 in the world for engineering according to the Times Higher Education world rankings by subject 2024. L'Etudiant (2024) ranks Centrale Nantes as the best school in France for civil engineering specialisations.
• 5 - Accredited Master of Science (MSc) preparing for a PhD in France or abroad or for direct entry into the workplace

After the MSc

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

Recent graduates of this MSc programme choose to pursue their studies with a PhD or started their careers mainly in consulting, as project or research engineers or in academia (post PhD).

Where are they now?

► Find out what our recent MSc graduates are doing now

What our students / graduates say

Dania Kabalan, PhD candidate | MSc Civil Engineering Class of 2022

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..."

Meet the Programme Supervisors

Giulio Sciarra, M2 Programme Supervisor MSE, 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.
 

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 13 research platforms, some of which are unique in France, and modern and varied sports facilities, the Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator and vibrant student life. Facilities on the Centrale Nantes campus:

• 45 classrooms
• 6 lecture theatres 
• 13 computer rooms (with nearly 180 fully equipped PCs and extended opening hours)
• 1 media library
• 5 research institutes
• Sports and cultural facilities: 1 gymnasium, 1 multisport/dojo hall, squash courts, 1 piano room
• 1 student house

• Student halls of residence and accommodation support
• 1 online platform for students, Onboard, with timetables, grades, attendance management, distance learning and teaching resources,
• 1 Moodle platform (Hippocampus) with collaborative functionality available to faculty and students (additional resources, working groups, forum, online assessments, etc.).
• Students also have access to meeting rooms / learning innovation / videoboxes equipped with video projectors, cameras, interactive whiteboards, etc., for their classes, presentation preparation, project work, etc.
• 1 lifelong email address and an individual digital workspace and storage space, with remote 24H access.

Virtual Tour

Explore the campus with its classrooms, research platforms, student life and sports activities: Take the virtual tour