Active teaching strategies and non-technical skills
The teaching methods used in the master’s programme in civil engineering are consistent with those of the bachelor’s degree programme in engineering sciences: active learning, a balanced mix of group work and individual work, and a strong emphasis on developing non-technical skills. This includes pedagogical methods that highlight project activities, including a large-scale project that places student groups in a semi-professional setting.
Students will be exposed to various teaching methods: lectures, project, exercise sessions, problem solving sessions, case studies, industrial or research internships, teamwork, solo work, seminars and conferences by guest lecturers from the industrial sector. This variety of teaching techniques helps students build their knowledge in an iterative and progressive manner while at the same time developing their autonomy, organisation skills, time management and communication abilities.
Use of Foreign Languages
Globalisation requires societies to engage with foreign markets. In addition, the main language used in computer science is English. Using English throughout the programme will help students to improve their mastery of this language, which will facilitate their integration into universities and foreign companies. Course materials as well as educational support are in English. However, students may express themselves in French during classes or evaluations. Specifically, the final thesis can be written and defended both in English and in French.
Moreover, the programme allows students to take language courses from the UCLouvain Institute of Modern Languages and participate in exchange programmes abroad.
Exposure to other disciplines
Students are encouraged to broaden their education beyond engineering and include management, human and other social sciences. As computer scientists, they will likely manage projects and teams and need to understand the socio-economic context in which computing operates. They will interact with colleagues from various backgrounds and project focuses, making it essential to expand their perspective beyond just computer science.