Civil Engineering, B.C.E.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Description

Civil Engineers are involved in the design, construction and improvement of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, airports, dams and buildings, to name a few. Civil Engineering professions include structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering and construction management, among others.

What careers can this major prepare you for?

Graduates work in careers such as Structural Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers, Transportation Engineers, Environmental Engineers, Water Resources Engineers, Construction Managers, Building Control Surveyors, Consulting Civil Engineers, Contracting Civil Engineers, Nuclear Engineers, Site Engineers.

Organizations that employ civil engineers include consulting/design firms, construction firms, local, state or federal government, laboratories or research/development firms, law firms, insurance firms, and colleges/universities.

What skills are developed within this major?

Students learn apply principles of mathematics, science, and engineering in a variety of contexts. They hone their ability to use the techniques, skills, and tools necessary for science and engineering practice as well as design and conduct experiments. They learn to analyze and interpret data.

Admission to Major

Admission to the Washkewicz College of Engineering

Hours Required for Degree

Minimum hours required for degree: 129-130 (this does not include hours earned in the Engineering Cooperative Education Program Career Orientation classes)

College Requirements

See college page for college requirements.

Major-Field Requirements

Grade restrictions: Civil Engineering students are limited to a total of two D grades in ESC 201 , ESC 211 , Civil Engineering courses and Civil Engineering technical electives.

Mathematics Required Courses (3 courses)

Ethics Required Course (1 course)

PHL 215 - Engineering Ethics

Science Required Courses (6 courses)

Co-Op Required Course

(Optional course for degree - required for Co-Op program)

CSC 121 - Career Orientation

Engineering Science Required Courses (9-10 courses)

Civil Engineering Required Courses (17 courses)

Civil Engineering Capstone Requirement (2 courses)

Civil Engineering Elective Courses

(2 courses required - must be chosen from available 400-level Civil Engineering courses using the list below as a guide - CVE 450 through 454 cannot be used as technical electives)

Honors Program Requirements

Honors students who are majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering are required to take a minimum of 8 credit hours of upper division (300, 400, and 500 level) honors courses in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. General guidelines for these credit hours are given below. However, the specific courses that each student takes will be agreed upon by the student, the student’s department undergraduate advisor, and the student’s honors advisor. The honor student’s department undergraduate advisor is responsible for finding an honors advisor for the student who is mutually agreeable to the undergraduate advisor, the honors advisor, and the honors student.

Honors Courses

The honors credits (8 hours minimum) will be taken from the following:

Honors Thesis (required) (CVE 499H , 3 credit hours) Each honors student conducts research and writes a thesis under the supervision of a CVE faculty member.
The following honors courses are optional:
- Honors Research (CVE 495H, credit as arranged). This is research conducted jointly with a CVE faculty, similar to an independent study. This can be repeated for credit. Note that CVE 495 is already an approved course that “may be substituted for a regularly required departmental course” but the CVE Department will create a new course with the number CVE 495H for honors students only.
- Graduate Course Any 500 level CVE or EVE graduate course for which the student has the prerequisites.
- Junior Honors, Senior Honors Any 300 level or 400 level CVE course can be modified to become an honors course. This is referred to in the Honors Proposal as a “contract course.” This is done with the collaboration of the undergraduate advisor, the honors advisor, and the course instructor. The 300 level contract courses will all be numbered CVE 392H, and the 400 level contract courses will all be numbered CVE 492H.
- Typically, students will take both electives at the 500 level plus CVE 499H - Honors Thesis

University Scholars Requirements

Scholars students who are majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering are required to take a minimum of 9 credit hours of 500 level courses in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. These will include CVE 546 in place of CVE 446 , as well as taking both CVE electives as 500 level CVE or EVE courses. However, the specific courses that each student takes will be agreed upon by the student the student’s department undergraduate advisor, and the student’s Scholars program advisor. The courses taken to satisfy the Scholars program requirements may also be used to satisfy either BCE or combined BCE/MSCE or BCE/MS Env Eng requirements.

General Business Minor

For Engineering undergraduate students who want to minor in General Business, course substitutions are available. Civil Engineering students can substitute 6 credit hours from the CVE curriculum and complete the minor in General Business with additional 12 credits from the College of Business. Please see the General Business Minor page in the catalog for more information.

Accelerated 4+1 Program

See the following pages: