Civil Engineering and Urban Management (300 credits)

Job opportunities and the future

Almost all physical planning, construction and maintenance demands the participation of KTH-trained engineers who have completed the Urban Management programme. The orientation of the programme was planned together with representatives of the relevant industries. The labour market is expanding, mainly in larger urban areas and jobs are to be found in, for example, consultancy companies, real estate companies, housing companies and architect’s offices or in construction and contracting companies and also in government offices, county councils and municipalities, as well as in the international context.

The programme

The main feature of this programme is the combination of natural scientific and urban management technology with social sciences. The course provides a broad knowledge base in mathematics and the natural science subjects, and also proficiency in IT, economics/financial administration and law. Subsequently, there is a gradual specialisation into engineering issues relating to building and construction or issues surrounding planning and property development. It is possible to study part of the course abroad and thus gain access to the international labour market.

Year 1

The programme begins during the reception period with the optional course “Introduction to the Urban Management programme” 1.5 credits. Included in this course is a study visit to a current construction area /project in the Stockholm region, an introduction to computers with information search and a revision of upper secondary school mathematics. The other courses are a mix of mathematical, scientific and urban management subjects with the main emphasis on the former. All courses during this year include many teacher-supervised, scheduled hours. Most courses are based on continuous assessment through written papers. The courses usually conclude with a final written exam. There are other frequent methods of examination, and also written and oral presentations. A short description of the courses follows below.

A major project is studied from start to finish, for example Hammarby Sjöstad. The four main components of the course are:

Town and Country Planning: planning legislation, how planning is carried out, the role of politics and the market and also the driving forces behind social progress.

Land and water: natural pre-conditions, water supply and waste water removal, energy systems and environmental planning.

Construction Technology: the role of planning, the design of building and installation of systems as well as construction management. Economics and Ethics: assessment of construction from economic and social perspectives, and also applying ethical aspects.

Geometrical applications of trigonometry, trigonometric functions, trigonometric relationships, complex numbers, exponential and logarithmical functions, rules for finding the derivative and derivations of trigonometric functions, the integral concept and primitive functions, mathematical models and connections to reality.

Complex numbers, polynomial, induction proof. Linear equation systems, matrices and determinants; Cramer’s Rule. Inverse matrix. Vector product, Dot product and geometry in R2 and R3 straight lines and plane. Gram-Schmidt’s method and projections. Linear mapping, proper value and proper vectors, change of basis and matrix representation of linear mapping. Diagonalisation of matrices.

Elementary functions, unit circle, trigonometric formulae and equations, exponential functions and logarithms, power laws, log laws. Limits, continuity. Derivatives, derivation rules and applications. Linear differential equations with constant coefficients and their applications, the Riemann integral, primitive functions, variable substitution, partial integration, geometric and other applications, generalised integrals.

Selected theoretical sections, important for a prospective engineer in the area of community planning, interspersed with application-oriented projects. Examples of the latter are the study and explanation of the connection between high speed and personal injury in a traffic accident, the construction of a simple machine to transform heat into mechanical energy or the description and analysis of the function of a sun panel.

Basic computer technological concepts. Programming in a modern programming language, at present Python. Computer structures. The use of simple graphics routines. Program structure.

Functions of several variables. Limits and continuity for functions of several variables. Differentiability, partial derivatives, the chain rule, differentials, applications.

Year 2

In Year 2, courses are oriented more towards community planning and applications. Course organisation, as previously, includes a great deal of timetabled slots comprising a whole or half day of teaching/lectures. At the end of the spring term students select the specialisation for their future studies.

Cycles: oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphor, sulphur and other natural cycles. Strategic and technical /natural resource planning and an introduction of techniques for assessment and study of the flow of matter. Methods for carrying out ecological sustainability analyses of different types of land utilisation. The risks of recycling, material recycling and energy extraction from waste.

Geological processes, formation, occurrence/appearance and physical and chemical characteristics of soil material. The water retention characteristics of the soil, and the movement of ground water. Geological conditions in Sweden and other countries. Methods of study/surveys, interpretation, analysis of geo-data. The technical characteristics and use of soil and bedrock material in particular features of soil mechanics.

Identification of the most common numerical problems, and the choice of appropriate numerical methods for their solution. The principles of reliability and accuracy assessment through numerical experimentation. The application of methods for solving practical problems with the help of MATLAB.

Provides understanding of, and knowledge about, the statutory plans, decisions and permits that precede construction projects. Legislation, applicable laws, permit processes etc. originating from different cases in the area of urban management.

The theory of probability. Statistical methods. The estimation of unknown sizes, especially the method of least squares. Linear regression. Statistical hypothesis testing. Simple random selection. The use of computers for statistical analysis. Statistical pitfalls.

Data Processing Technology, a brief look at reference systems and different data collection techniques, storage, preparation and analysis methods of geographical location-bound information with the aid of a geographical information system (GIS). Similarities/differences between GIS and CAD. The use of Autocad.

The basis of this course is community planning and includes cost calculations and investment calculations for project analysis and assessment. Micro economics: price formation, market forms. Macro economics: economic growth, fluctuations in the market/economics, market policy.

The history of modern building and architecture. The inspiration, creation and planning of buildings. The design and dimensions of building and civil works structures. Foundations for buildings. Framework constructions. Important structural opportunities and problems in existing buildings. Installation systems.

(One of two alternatives, the other being Economic Geography.) Foundation Mechanics. The course focuses particularly on statics and particle dynamics, and also covers basic principles.

(One of two alternatives, the other being Mechanics.)
This course deals with both classical and new theories of company location and on the driving forces behind the movement of labour. It presents a wide perspective on regional development and the mechanisms in play in this field.

Year 3

Students take the compulsory courses in their selected areas during Year 3, and there are also other elective courses. Among the compulsory courses there is a Bachelor degree project. Some courses are common to several different specialisations.

Year 4-5

Years 4 and 5 are spent on the selected specialisation. On all KTH Master of Science in Engineering programmes it is possible to gain a Bachelor of Science in Engineering of 180 credits after three years. It is also possible to continue engineering studies right up to the Master of Science in Engineering 300 credits or to go on to study for a Master Degree (one or two years).

Master programmes and the Erasmus Mundus

Degree project

The programme is completed with a degree project. This project works as proof positive that the student has fulfilled the requirements of the Master course. Students will apply all the knowledge they have acquired during their period of study at KTH. The degree project is carried out in connection to the Master Programme, most often during Year 5 and is aimed at providing experience of, under realistic conditions, independently planning, implementation and documentation of a task according to good engineering practice. This project may be carried out at KTH, at a company or abroad. Select your degree project carefully – it may be extremely useful when you are applying for your first job!