The third year of a civil engineering degree is often a transition stage for students. They must increasingly apply the knowledge learnt throughout their earlier education in application areas. This includes not only the earlier years of the course but also a range of generic skills that have already been acquired either at University or elsewhere. For most degree programs, this corresponds to an increasing emphasis on application subjects including design and construction subjects. The majority of students find great difficulty in modifying their thought processes from just knowing formulae to a more lateral form of thinking.

Integrative models allow this application to be applied in a controlled environment which is as close to actual practice as can be achieved in the classroom. The approach has seen students actively involved in not only using the technical skills that they have developed but also in applying the more important generic skills that they will need for a an active involvement in the community.

Keywords undergraduates, teaching models, generic or transportable skills, civil engineering,, universities and community.