Civil Engineering (Geotechnical and Engineering Geology) MPhil, PhD

Overview

Join a globally recognised research community in Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology at Newcastle University. You'll work alongside leading academics to deliver high-quality research that addresses challenges in the ground, infrastructure, and natural environment.

Our PhD and MPhil programmes are designed to foster, promote, and deliver research of international excellence. We attract high-calibre graduates, supporting them to develop advanced expertise and produce impactful research in geotechnical engineering and engineering geology.

Our work focuses on the behaviour of soils, rocks, and geological systems, and their interaction with infrastructure. We develop innovative, data-informed and experimentally grounded solutions to improve the safety, sustainability, and resilience of the built environment. Our research contributes directly to global priorities, including climate adaptation and the transition to low-carbon energy systems. 

We offer a range of research areas, including:

• Slope stability, earthworks performance, and geotechnical risk assessment
• Prediction, detection, and modelling of landslides and geohazards
• Geomechanics and computational geotechnics
• Fluid flow and transport processes in soils and geomaterials
• Offshore and energy geotechnics
• Geo-energy applications, such as geothermal energy
• Ground response to environmental loading and climate change
• Monitoring, data analysis, and AI-enabled approaches for geotechnical systems

Our research integrates advanced modelling, laboratory and field experimentation, and real-world data to improve understanding across scales. We combine these approaches with strong engagement with industry, policy, and international partners to ensure that our work delivers practical impact.

You'll join a vibrant research environment within the School of Engineering, benefiting from access to world-class facilities, collaborative research projects and support.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation review and recognition of professional qualifications in Europe

Professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by professional bodies to ensure they meet the latest industry practices and regulatory standards. This keeps your degree rigorous, relevant, and highly valued by employers, providing a clear pathway into your chosen career.

If you are studying an accredited degree and considering a career in Europe after graduation, it is important to stay informed about international standards. The best resource for current information is the UK Government's guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states.

This official resource provides essential details on:

• whether your profession is regulated in another country.
• the specific steps you need to take to practice abroad.
• which organisations you should contact to begin the process.

What you'll learn

You'll develop skills and expertise to contribute to real-world solutions in areas like infrastructure resilience and the transition to low-carbon energy systems.

You'll gain experience in:

• Understanding the behaviour of soils, rocks, and geomaterials
• Analysing geotechnical hazards
• Applying numerical modelling and computational geotechnics to simulate coupled processes in the ground
• Investigating fluid flow and multi-phase processes in soils and subsurface systems
• Characterising geomaterials across scales
• Designing and assessing geotechnical systems for infrastructure, energy, and environmental applications
• Developing solutions for geo-energy challenges
• Assessing impacts of climate change on geotechnical infrastructure and natural systems

You'll be encouraged to pursue research that connects geotechnical engineering with wider engineering and environmental challenges, including:

• Ground improvement and sustainable construction practices
• Site investigation and in-situ testing methods
• Geotechnical processes in infrastructure systems and the natural environment
• Integration of data-driven and AI-enabled approaches for monitoring, modelling, and decision-making

You'll have opportunities to work with:

• Advanced numerical simulation
• Laboratory testing and material characterisation techniques
• Field-scale experimentation and monitoring

You'll benefit from access to world-class research infrastructure. This includes field-scale experimental assets, geotechnical testing facilities and access to The National Green Infrastructure Facility (NGIF).

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

Off-campus study may be available in some circumstances, particularly if you have industrial sponsorship. Our programme includes:

• intensive subject-specific supervision
• training in research methodologies and core skills

You may have an opportunity to:

• undertake paid laboratory demonstrations
• do tutoring to gain teaching experience

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Thesis
• Viva

Additional assessment information

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will either be provided by our academics, or you can propose your own topic.

Postgraduate research student support

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• wellbeing
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Our staff

The Geotechnical and Structural Engineering subject group page links to our specialist research areas. You'll be able to:

• explore possible research programmes
• find out more about staff working in these research areas
• identify a potential research supervisor

Your development

Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) researcher development programme

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) / Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA)

Being part of a CDT or DTP/DLA has many benefits:

• They combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• You’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students.
• They’re often interdisciplinary.
• Your PhD may be funded.

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• IAPETUS2 Doctoral Training Partnership
  

Your future

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.

You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.

We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

Facilities

The School of Engineering has an exceptional range of laboratories equipped with a wide range of analytical instrumentation supporting our research, teaching and contract research projects.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Why is this fee shown as a range?

We are unable to give an exact fee, this is why the fee is shown as a range. This fee range takes into account your research topic and resource requirements.

Your research topic is unique so it will have unique resource requirements. Resources could include specialist equipment, such as laboratory/workshop access, or technical staff.

If your research involves accessing specialist resources then you're likely to pay a higher fee. You'll discuss the exact nature of your research project with your supervisor(s). You'll find out the fee in your offer letter.

Home fees for research degree students

For 2026-27 entry, we've aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).  

 

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

How to apply

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events