Civil Engineering

_MAH9319tonedCivil Engineering is concerned with the improvement and care of the built and natural environments and deals with planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings, dams, bridges, harbors, power facilities, pollution control facilities, water supply, and transportation systems.

Specialties within the Civil Engineering curriculum include:

  • Structural engineering — Planning, design, and operation of buildings, bridges, and special purpose structures such as towers, cranes, stadiums, industrial plants, and construction materials.
  • Transportation engineering — Planning, design, and operation of highways, airports, seaports, mass transit systems, traffic control systems, and material transport systems.
  • Geotechnical engineering — Design and planning of foundations, dams, tunnels, roadbeds, and other facilities where earth and rock are engineering materials.
  • Water resources & environmental engineering — Planning, design, and management of projects for water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, urban drainage, pollution control, ground and surface water quality management, and solid and hazardous waste disposal.

The curriculum provides academic preparation for students considering a career in industries, consulting firms, or government agencies. Some graduates pursue careers in companies that operate in one local area while others pursue national or international opportunities. Civil Engineering also offers opportunities for entrepreneurs to start their own companies in a wide variety of specialty areas. The curriculum also offers a technical background used by students who go on to graduate study in law and business as well as engineering. Many civil engineers advance to positions of substantial leadership, responsibility, and reward.

Courses include:

Engineering Mechanics-Statics, Engineering Mechanics-Dynamics, Mechanics of Solids, Materials of Construction, Civil Engineering Systems, Hydraulics, Technical Electives, Senior Design Project-a semester-long activity involving teams of students solving real-world problems in their area of specialization. A written report and presentation are included.

Additional Information:

A Closer Look at Engineering

In’s and Out’s of Engineering CODA

Video-Engineering Majors Exploration

CODA Statistics-Students Accepted into College of Engineering Majors

14 Grand Challenges for Engineering

College
Discipline
  • Engineering
Academic Department
  • Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
Departmental Contact
Major Overview
Plan Requirements
Semester Sequence
Related Majors
Skills You Could Develop
  • Problem solving
  • Technical communication
  • Design
  • Teamwork
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