Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering

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 inFall semester (Fall): September
Spring semester (Spring): February
Duration1,5 years
Study load90 ECTS (including 15 ECTS for the Master's Final Thesis)
Minimum academic progressThe minimum academic progress for first year students is 30 ECTS.
DeliveryOn-campus
Enrolment
  • Part-time
    At least 30 ECTS enrolled on the first year, and up to 72 ECTS the rest of the years
  • Full-time
    At least 30 ECTS (and up to 60 ETCS) enrolled on the first year, and up to 72 ECTS the rest of the years
LanguageCatalan, Spanish & English
Places30
Official degreeMaster's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (recorded in the Spanish Ministry of Education's degree register)
Fees

More information about fees and payment options

More information about grants and loans

Academic coordinatorJean Vaunat

Díptic del Màster en Enginyeria Geotècnica

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.

COURSESECTS
FIRST YEAR
Spring semester
Mandatory courses
250MAG001 - Digitalisation, data science & machine learning in water engineering5
250MAG005 - Coastal engineering & oceanography5
250MAG002 - Integrated management of water resources5
250MAG003 - Hydrogeology for sustainable development5
250MAG006 - Sustainable planning for hydraulic infrastructure design5
250MAG004 - Water quality & treatment5
Fall semester
Elective courses
250431 - River dynamics5
250600 - Coastal dynamics & processes5
250MEA006 - Management of water & waste treatment plant5
250MAG011 - Water company management5
250422 - Interactions between groundwater & civil works5
250MAG008 - Stochastic methods in hydrology5
250MEA011 - Pollutant transport modelling5
250MAG010 - Advanced operations & service digitalisation5
250911 - Debris flow & flash flood. Risk, vulnerability, hazard & resilience concepts5
250MEA010 - Flood risk & urban water cycle management5
250MAG007 - Aquifer-dependant natural systems5
250601 - Coastal sustainability: Defence & realignment5
250MAG009 - Water utility management5
SECOND YEAR
Spring semester
Mandatory courses
250MAGTFM -Master's thesis30
Elective courses
250MEA000 - Life cycle analysis & sustainability5
250913 - Global warming effects, flood & drought management5
250430 - Urban hydrology5
250912 - Coastal flooding: Impact, conflict & risk5
250460 - Water treatment5

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 mechanicsMathematical & numerical tools for geotechnical engineering problems
250802 - Geology for engineeringGeology applied to engineering
250803 - Modelling of flow & transport in porous mediaHydrogeology
250804 - Soil mechanicsTheoretical & experimental soil mechanics
250805 - Rock mechanicsCharacterization & behavior of geomaterials
250806 - Groundwaves generation & propagationSeismic & geophysical engineering
250809 - SeminarsInformation & communication techniques
Geotecnnical works
250810 - Advanced soil mechanicsApplied soil mechanics
250811 - Foundations & earth retaining structuresGeotechnical infrastructures
250423 - Tunnels & rock mechanicsTunnels & Rock Mechanics (MDCE)
250420 - Geotechnical design & constructionGeotechnical design & construction (MDCE)
250421 - Geomechanics of breakageGeomechanics of fractures (MDCE)
Seismic & geological risk
250808 - Geographic information systemsSpatial risk analysis & remote sensing
250521 - Slope stabilityStability of slopes & slopes
250830 - SismologySeismology & seismic risk
Geotechnics for energy & climate
250816 - Unsaturated soil mechanicsMechanics of unsaturated soils
250422 - Interaction between groundwater & civil worksInteractions between groundwater & civil works (MDCE)
250807 - Numerical modelling tool in geoengineeringModeling problems linked to geotechnical engineering

This information is currently unavailable.

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.