About the School of the Built Environment

The School of the Built Environment provides a collaborative research and teaching environment for the core built environment disciplines:

• Architectural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Interior Design
• Planning
• Housing
• Real Estate Management and Development
• Construction Management
• Quantity Surveying

Our programmes

Within our core disciplines we offer both undergraduate and postgraduate students research-led programmes of study providing professional accredited qualifications. Our programmes are often highly rated in national surveys, for example, Civil and Structural Engineering was ranked 1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK in the 2010 National Student Survey. Consequently, our graduates are highly sought after by employers.

We pride ourselves on our international activities, offering a sub-set of our study programmes on our Dubai Campus and most of our postgraduate programmes through our independent distance learning option, which facilitates study in any country in the world. Another option for international students wishing to obtain a Heriot Watt University degree is to study with one of our Approved Learning Partners (ALPs).

We strive for excellence in our support to all students studying with us and our staff are committed to providing educational and professional support that is fair, friendly and timely.

Find out more about our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Our research

Our research institutes carry out work in built environment fields that are relevant to society, including topical issues such as:

• flood risk management
• high speed rail
• low carbon buildings
• housing markets
• policy, poverty and social exclusion

We pride ourselves on our outward looking approach to research, typified by our strategic collaborations with the University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Research Partnership for Engineering & Mathematics (ERPem) and the Edinburgh Knowledge Environment Partnership (EKEP).

Find out more about our research.