U N D E R G R A D U A T E P R O G R A M O V E R V I E W
Mission Statement of the Undergraduate Civil Engineering Program:
The civil engineering program educates intellectual leaders of the
profession by instilling in them a fundamental understanding of the
mathematical principles of physics and nature that underlie engineering
science, a practical appreciation of the challenges of creative
engineering design, and a sense of responsibility for professional
service.
The civil engineering program provides a challenging
academic program that encourages students to develop skills of critical
thinking and an ability to work independently or in teams, and instills a
sense of excitement for engineering creativity and design. The program
educates future leaders, providing tools and perspectives for a lifetime
of learning, professional opportunities, and advancement. Civil
engineering graduates:
- Understand the principles of physical science,
mathematics and engineering science on which engineering research and
practice are based;
- Have knowledge and skills to design, conduct,
and evaluate experiments;
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and an
ability for independent study needed to engage in lifelong learning;
- Are prepared for career advancement through
graduate study and/or professional practice;
- Possess knowledge and skills to identify,
formulate, and execute solutions to engineering problems using modern
engineering tools and synthesizing different fields of knowledge;
- Communicate effectively to function in
multidisciplinary teams and to deal with other professions in public
and private sectors;
- Are broadly educated to understand contemporary
issues and the context in which civil engineering is practiced in
modern society;
- Understand professional ethics and the value of
service through participation in technical activities, and in
community, state, and national organizations.
The undergraduate program has been designed to provide a firm foundation in a wide breadth of modern civil engineering. Some flexibility is built into the curriculum so that students may pursue particular interests such as structural or geotechnical analysis and design, environmental and water resource engineering, or economics and systems analysis. The program has been accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, since 1936.
Requirements for the B.S. Degree
Requirements for the B.S. degree include 24 credits in humanities, 17 credits in basic
sciences, 16 credits in mathematics, and 48 credits in engineering science and design.
Electives bring the total to 127 credits, of which at least 6 must be in (W) (Writing)
courses. Shown below is a typical undergraduate program. This is intended only as a guide.
The Civil Engineering undergraduate advising manual, which the student should obtain from
the department, contains more detailed information, including specific requirements and
advice with respect to technical and non-technical electives and design credits.
Each student is assigned an adviser, who is to sign all registration forms and add and drop forms. Prior to graduation, all programs are reviewed by the department advising coordinator.
Sample Program
Freshman Year
Fall Semester
110.108 Calculus I or
110.109 Calculus II or
110.202 Calculus III —
4 credits
030.101 Intro to Chemistry —3
030.105 Chemistry Lab —1
500.141 Perspectives on the Evolution of Structures —3
Humanities/Social Science Elective or —3
171.101 Physics I — 4
173.111 Physics Lab —1
Total 14/16 credits
Spring Semester
110.109 Calculus II or
110.202 Calculus III or
110.xxx Other math — 4
171.101 Physics I or
171.102 Physics II — 4
173.111 Physics Lab I or
173.112 Physics Lab II — 1
030.104 Intro Organic Chem.or — 4
270.120 Dynamic Earth— 3
Humanities/Social Science Elective — 3
Total 15/16 credits
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester
110.xxx Math (e.g., Calc III) — 4
520.213 Circuits, or 540.203 Engr Thermodynamics — 3-4
560.201 Statics and Mechanics— 4
510.401 Structure/Properties/Materials — 3
Elective — 3
Total 17-18 credits
Spring Semester
550.291 Lin Alg./Diff Eqtns — 4
560.202 Dynamics — 4
560.206 Engr Mech. of Solids — 4
Elective — 3
Elective — 3
Total 15/18 credits
Junior Year
Fall Semester
560.301 Theory of Structures — 3
560.305 Soil Mechanics — 4
570.301 Intr Environmental Eng — 3
570.351 Intr Fluid Mechanics — 3
Elective — 3
Total 16 credits
Spring Semester
560.320 Steel Structures — 4
570.302 Water/Wastewater Treatment — 3
Technical Elective — 3
Nontechnical Elective — 3
Elective — 3
Total 16 credits
Senior Year
Fall Semester
560.349 Design/Synthesis — 2
560.435 Probability/Statistics — 3
Technical Elective — 3
Technical Elective — 4
Nontechnical Elective — 3
Elective — 3
Total 17 credits
Spring Semester
560.350 Design/Synthesis II — 3
Technical Elective — 3
Nontechnical Elective — 3
Elective — 6
Total 15 credits
Bachelor’s/Master’s Honors Programs
The Department of Civil Engineering has two honors programs for the combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees, to which students may be admitted as early as the second semester of sophomore year. The honors programs take five or six years, depending on the options selected, and carry an automatic tuition waiver of 50% after the first eight semesters of undergraduate work.
One program combines a B.S. in Civil Engineering with either a Master of Science in Engineering in Civil Engineering (M.S.E.) or a Master of Civil Engineering (M.C.E.). The other program leads directly from the B.S. in Civil Engineering to the M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering through the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering.