Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering
The Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering trains you to deal with modern field challenges, from foundations and tunnels to innovative energy and climate solutions. From urban transport to off-shore installations, you will learn to innovate with new materials and technologies. You will be trained as a specialist in sustainable infrastructures and will acquire competencies and qualifications to lead projects that transform our environment within a Civil Engineering School that offers dynamic and evolutionary learning, supported by high scientific publications and research projects.
Academic year starts in | Fall semester (Fall): September Spring semester (Spring): February |
Duration | 1,5 years |
Study load | 90 ECTS (including 15 ECTS for the Master's Final Thesis) |
Minimum academic progress | The minimum academic progress for first year students is 30 ECTS. |
Delivery | On-campus |
Enrolment |
|
Language | Catalan, Spanish & English |
Places | 30 |
Official degree | Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (recorded in the Spanish Ministry of Education's degree register) |
Fees | |
Academic coordinator | Jean Vaunat |
Specific admission requirements
In order to gain admission to the Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering the following requirements must be met:
- University degree
- Holders of an official bachelor's degree in Engineering or Architecture in the Civil, Industrial, Chemistry, Environmental, Forestal, Mining, Physics, Biology or Agronomy fields
- Holders of an official bachelor's degree in Environmental, Chemical, Physical, Biological or Geological Sciences
- Holders of an official diploma or former undergraduate degrees in Engineering or Architecture in the Civil, Industrial, Chemistry, Environmental, Forestal, Mining, Physics, Biology or Agronomy fields
- Holders of an official diploma or former undergraduate degrees in Environmental, Chemical, Physical, Biological or Geological Sciences
- Other degrees or qualifications
When the access request is made from a degree other than those listed above, the body responsible for the master's degree will analyze the candidates' curriculum with the aim of determining, for each case, the additional training to be taken.
Students pending obtaining the degree that gives access to the master's degree
UPC undergraduate students who, despite not having obtained the bachelor’s degree, have pending the TFG and, at most, up to 9 ECTS(including credits pending recognition or transfer) or who have completed their studies, but are waiting to achieve, if possible, transversal competence in a third language. Under no circumstances will students who access this route be able to obtain a master's degree if they have not previously obtained a bachelor's degree.
Candidates from other universitieswho are enrolled in all the credits to complete the studies that give access to the master's degree can apply for access. Acceptance will be conditioned to the fulfillment of the general and specific access and admission requirements at the time of formalizing the registration.
You will find all the information about the general Access requirements to UPC master's programs here.
Admission criteria
The following factors or parameters are considered for admission to the Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering:
- F1: Weighted average mark factor or parameter (40%)
It is the result of summing the values obtained by multiplying the marks of the courses passed by the number of credits in each of them and dividing it by the number of credits passed (as stated in the UPC's regulations). - F2: CV adequacy factor or parameter (50%)
- F3: Additional former education factor or parameter (10%)
Adequacy to the academic or professional competencies established in the Master's Degree is advisable.
You can check the results of the evaluation and selection of the applications for admission resolutions for the current academic year here.
Pre-enrolment and enrolment
Check here the general admission requirements for UPC masters and information on pre-registration: calendar, how to apply for admission, how to reserve a place if the resolution is favourable, etc.
Learning objectives
Upon completing the Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering, you will be able to develop advanced technology and research in Soil and Rock Mechanics. You will solve complex geotechnical problems in foundations, dams, underground works and land roads. In addition, you will acquire theoretical and experimental knowledge to create innovative and sustainable solutions.
Career opportunities
- Management and implementation of geotechnical campaigns: Design and build innovative geotechnical infrastructures
- Responsible for water resources management and planning.
- Risk assessment and reduction: Specialized in the mitigation of geological and seismic risks.
- Responsible for the assessment and reduction of seismic risk.
- Forensic analysis: Investigate and solve complex geotechnical problems.
- Climate change adaptation: Integrate nature-based solutions for sustainable and energy projects.
- Career in various sectors: Work in laboratories, companies, administrations and geotechnical consultancies, both nationally and internationally.
- Research and development: Boost your career in R&D centers and universities.
COURSES | ECTS |
FIRST YEAR | |
Spring semester | |
Mandatory courses | |
250MAG001 - Digitalisation, data science & machine learning in water engineering | 5 |
250MAG005 - Coastal engineering & oceanography | 5 |
250MAG002 - Integrated management of water resources | 5 |
250MAG003 - Hydrogeology for sustainable development | 5 |
250MAG006 - Sustainable planning for hydraulic infrastructure design | 5 |
250MAG004 - Water quality & treatment | 5 |
Fall semester | |
Elective courses | |
250431 - River dynamics | 5 |
250600 - Coastal dynamics & processes | 5 |
250MEA006 - Management of water & waste treatment plant | 5 |
250MAG011 - Water company management | 5 |
250422 - Interactions between groundwater & civil works | 5 |
250MAG008 - Stochastic methods in hydrology | 5 |
250MEA011 - Pollutant transport modelling | 5 |
250MAG010 - Advanced operations & service digitalisation | 5 |
250911 - Debris flow & flash flood. Risk, vulnerability, hazard & resilience concepts | 5 |
250MEA010 - Flood risk & urban water cycle management | 5 |
250MAG007 - Aquifer-dependant natural systems | 5 |
250601 - Coastal sustainability: Defence & realignment | 5 |
250MAG009 - Water utility management | 5 |
SECOND YEAR | |
Spring semester | |
Mandatory courses | |
250MAGTFM -Master's thesis | 30 |
Elective courses | |
250MEA000 - Life cycle analysis & sustainability | 5 |
250913 - Global warming effects, flood & drought management | 5 |
250430 - Urban hydrology | 5 |
250912 - Coastal flooding: Impact, conflict & risk | 5 |
250460 - Water treatment | 5 |
Students accessing the Master's Degree in Water Engineering can access the following information:
Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering (2016) | Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering (2025) |
---|---|
Processes in soils & rocks | |
250800 - Continuum mechanics | Mathematical & numerical tools for geotechnical engineering problems |
250802 - Geology for engineering | Geology applied to engineering |
250803 - Modelling of flow & transport in porous media | Hydrogeology |
250804 - Soil mechanics | Theoretical & experimental soil mechanics |
250805 - Rock mechanics | Characterization & behavior of geomaterials |
250806 - Groundwaves generation & propagation | Seismic & geophysical engineering |
250809 - Seminars | Information & communication techniques |
Geotecnnical works | |
250810 - Advanced soil mechanics | Applied soil mechanics |
250811 - Foundations & earth retaining structures | Geotechnical infrastructures |
250423 - Tunnels & rock mechanics | Tunnels & Rock Mechanics (MDCE) |
250420 - Geotechnical design & construction | Geotechnical design & construction (MDCE) |
250421 - Geomechanics of breakage | Geomechanics of fractures (MDCE) |
Seismic & geological risk | |
250808 - Geographic information systems | Spatial risk analysis & remote sensing |
250521 - Slope stability | Stability of slopes & slopes |
250830 - Sismology | Seismology & seismic risk |
Geotechnics for energy & climate | |
250816 - Unsaturated soil mechanics | Mechanics of unsaturated soils |
250422 - Interaction between groundwater & civil works | Interactions between groundwater & civil works (MDCE) |
250807 - Numerical modelling tool in geoengineering | Modeling problems linked to geotechnical engineering |
The Master's Thesis is an original exercise to be done individually and presented and defended before a university panel consisting in a project in the sphere of the specific civil engineering technologies synthesising and integrating the competences acquired on the course.
Related links
Institutional information
- Data on the degree
- Data on the faculty
- System of Guarantee of Degree Quality
Contact information
- Admissions:
admissions.masters.camins@upc.edu - Enrolled students:
masters.camins@upc.edu
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