B.S. in Civil Engineering

Objectives and Outcomes

Vision

To foster the next generation of civil engineers who will lead and innovate solutions to enhance the global quality of life.

Mission

To prepare graduates for successful careers, advanced studies at the graduate level, and lifelong learning based upon a solid foundation of technical ability, high standards of professional ethics, and strong communication skills.

Program Educational Objectives

Three to five years after graduation from the B.S. in civil engineering, graduates will :

  1. Practice and actively contribute to the civil engineering profession in one or more of the technical areas of environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering.
  2. Practice civil engineering with an awareness of and commitment to ethics and social responsibility, sustainability, and diversity both as individuals and in team environments.
  3. Pursue life-long learning through graduate education, professional licensure, or advanced training in civil engineering or related fields.

Student Outcomes

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

The curriculum provides the students with an excellent background to pursue graduate study or to enter directly into professional practice in industry or government after graduation. Students have flexibility in developing their own programs to meet their professional goals through the selection of electives in environmental engineering/water resources, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and construction management.

A unique element of our program is the award-winning capstone course sequence. Students work in teams during the senior year, carrying out all tasks that a professional civil engineering firm would perform while designing a major project. Student “companies” are provided with office space in the newly upgraded Senior Design Studio where they complete their projects and present their work in front of panels of professional engineers.

The Civil Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.