What past students have said...

This page provides details of what past students have said about their experience while studying in the department

George Kapetanos, Greece

I studied in Sheffield in 2004. Having finished my degree in civil engineering, I was looking for a programme that would give me the knowledge and experience I needed for a successful career. The year I spent in Sheffield as a postgraduate student was one of the most exciting years of my life. Sheffield is simply the perfect place for
student life. There are many great events organized (from social to sport), and the campus is compact so that you interact with one another all the time. I have made many good friends from all over the world, and enjoyed developing my sporting activities. I graduated in 2004 with an MSc degree in structural Engineering with distinction, and carried out a fascinating research project. Now, two years later I am a chartered Bridge Engineer working on fascinating projects for one of the industry leading companies worldwide. I was offered the job immediately after graduation, thanks to Sheffield´s strong links with industry. Bottom line? " Studying in Sheffield was great fun, and I consider it to be a stepping stone to my career as an engineer.

Piotr Nowak, Poland

Wherever you are planning to study, there will always be highs and lows, but in the University of Sheffield, the gracious staff and really multinational environment makes a place where in a nice and friendly atmosphere you will gain recognized skills throughout the academic world. Apart from that, the city itself and its surroundings will offer you wide variety of attractions – whatever cheers you up: vibrant nightlife, loads of cultural activities or simply chill out on the hills of the Peak District National Park. There is something to suit everyone

Tim Benson, England

I found the University of Sheffield Civil Engineering Department welcoming and well organised with a very professional atmosphere. Through my time at the University I had the opportunity to develop as an engineer, learn new topics and most importantly gain industrial connections. I was proud to be studying at Sheffield and felt as though I was at one of the best Universities, and one of the best Civil Engineering Departments in the country getting the best training possible. My final year of project work was particularly useful as it helped develop my professional attitude and gear me up to starting work. I had no difficulty finding a job, getting it off the back of summer vacation work I had arranged following a visit from local consultant engineers Scott Wilson. I did not hesitate to stay in Sheffield following my graduation, the whole city is so very welcoming and attractive, and I continue to work for Scott Wilson who regularly take on students from Sheffield, some of the best graduates around.

Karsten Veith, Germany

Without exaggeration I can say that as soon as I thought about that year in Sheffield some very good memories sprang to my mind. The course in Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics was not only interesting, exciting, well structured and organised but has also proven to be a good basis for my daily work. The dynamics courses, which all had a high standard and provided essential knowledge in the covered fields, had been of particular interest to me. But it was not all about studying in Sheffield. I met some very nice people (in my course as well as from other courses) from all over the world and we are still in contact. As a one sentence summary I can say: Technically well worth it and above all certainly good fun.

Mohammad Muaz Aldimashki, Syria

I finished my MSc degree in Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics with distinction at the University of Sheffield in 2006. This course was absolutely unique since it combined the three major dynamics fields: vibration engineering, earthquake engineering and blast and impact engineering. On completion I eagerly tried to pursue my studies in this integrated research environment that is promoting professional techniques and optimizing the structural design procedures. I managed to commence my PhD on Ground-born Vibrations within the Vibration Engineering Section in 2007, aiming to add a satisfactory contribution to the great scientific record of Sheffield University.
Apart from the academic excellence of the university, Sheffield is an amazing multicultural city providing a distinctive international atmosphere and affordable living costs. Since it is attracting various nationalities, everything you could imagine is available in this fascinating city. In addition, its lovely countryside is a favourite of nature lovers and bicyclists.

Bernice Wong, Malaysia

I came to Sheffield, from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I received several offers from other Universities, I chose Sheffield University simply because the living cost in the city is one the cheapest among the big cities in UK. The lecturers here were very helpful, I am really thankful for everyone at Sheffield University, everyone helped us achieve our goals. Special thanks to my supervisor for everything, it was my pleasure to work for him, although sometimes I felt that I have been pushed too much by him, but I am so glad that I had tried to do my best and achieved the final goal. I spent about 1 year at Sheffield University. I met many people from different nationalities and all of them were nice and friendly, it's a great opportunity for all the students to meet people from different cultures. I would remember the great moments I spent at University with them.

Pele Sumari, Tanzania

I did my first degree at Sheffield and came back to do my Post graduate studies since I felt at home here. On my return I settled in straight away and saw many of the same staff I remembered from the portering, general office and the teaching staff. They have all been helpful and made me feel welcome.
I have never been in such a diverse class and have made many friends to go out with and to play football or table tennis.
I have enjoyed most of the structural engineering subjects, especially vibration engineering, structural design, steel design, structural analysis and a number of design projects.
I have now been offered a job by Jacobs in Leeds where I expect to be working for at least the next three years.

Chris Jones, England

Having very recently completed my undergraduate studies I can strongly recommend the department to others; it is prestigious, well organised, has a plethora of industry links (helpful when you´re trying to get a summer job) and contains a wider variety of specialists than many others. This provides students with the opportunity to discover their own particular interests and preferences within the more general subject area; an invaluable opportunity if you´re not quite certain that you´ve picked the right course (it happens to us all at some point).
For prospective (or current but unsure) undergraduates I can strongly recommend the MEng year; in addition to moving onto topics that are both engaging and of key interest to modern designers, such as dynamics, you get to spend some time practicing the wide range of skills your first three years have developed in a series of design modules; future employers will certainly be pleased to know that you´ve actually tried to use some of what you´ve learnt!
Overall, the course is interesting and well taught. I liked studying at Sheffield so much that I´ve decided to stay on for a few more years to do research.