Major in Civil Engineering

The undergraduate Civil Engineering program prepares students to solve the world’s most critical infrastructure challenges related to geoenvironmental engineering, structural engineering and mechanics, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering. Civil engineers design systems at the interface of our natural and built environment, from innovating disaster resilient infrastructure and sustainable solutions to addressing complex water management challenges. Students in our program learn to reimagine infrastructure for our local communities and the world, while training to become licensed professional engineers. The program culminates in a year-long, senior capstone design experience. Preparation for high-level professional practice is emphasized. The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first step toward registration as a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), an important professional credential for civil engineers. Students in this major are encouraged to take the FE exam prior to graduation. 

Participation in internships, volunteer activities, professional organizations, and cooperative education opportunities is highly recommended to enhance practical training and development. Graduates who pursue advanced studies are prepared for higher level technical responsibilities.

The educational outcomes and objectives of this major can be found on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering website. The Civil Engineering major is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies. 

Potential Occupations

Civil engineers are employed across small and large consulting firms, local, state, and federal governmental agencies, and industrial companies such as construction, petroleum, mining, and aerospace firms. Civil engineers also may find opportunities in specialized design, research, and teaching.

Some possible career paths for graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering (BSCE) include, but are not limited to:

Effective Fall 2026

Science Technical Electives  – Select a minimum of 3 credits

Civil Engineering Technical Electives – Select a minimum of 9 credits

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Civil Engineering Technical Electives – Select 9 credits from the following:
CIVE 305	Intermediate AutoCAD	3
CIVE 330	Ecological Engineering	3
CIVE 371	Study Abroad--Peru: Grand Challenges in Engineering in Peru	3
CIVE 405	Sustainable Civil/Environmental Engineering	3
CIVE 421	Global Water Challenges	3
CIVE 423	Groundwater Engineering	3
CIVE 440	Nonpoint Source Pollution	3
CIVE 441	Water Quality Analysis and Treatment	2
CIVE 442	Air Quality Engineering	3
CIVE 450	Geotechnical Engineering II	3
CIVE 501	Hydraulics of Closed Conduits	3
CIVE 502	Fluid Mechanics	3
CIVE 505	Structural Inspection, Management and Repair	3
CIVE 507	Transportation Engineering	3
CIVE 508	Bridge Engineering	3
CIVE 510	Applied Hydraulic System Design	3
CIVE 511	Coastal Engineering	3
CIVE 512	Irrigation Systems Design	3
CIVE 513	Morphodynamic Modeling	3
CIVE 514	Hydraulic Structures/Systems	3
CIVE 515	River Mechanics	3
CIVE 519	Irrigation Water Management	3
CIVE 520	Physical Hydrology	3
CIVE 521	Hydrometry	3
CIVE 523	Remote Sensing & Data Analytics in Hydrology	3
CIVE 524/WR 524	Modeling Watershed Hydrology	3
CIVE 525	Water Engineering International Development	3
CIVE 526	Pollution, Exposure, and the Environment	3
CIVE 529	Environmental Organic Chemistry	3
CIVE 530	Environ Engr at the Water-Energy-Health Nexus	3
CIVE 531	Groundwater Hydrology	3
CIVE 533/BIOM 533	Biomolecular Tools for Engineers	3
CIVE 538	Aqueous Chemistry	3
CIVE 540/CBE 540	Advanced Biological Wastewater Processing	3
CIVE 541	Physical Chemical Water Treatment Processes	3
CIVE 542	Water Quality Modeling	3
CIVE 544	Water Resources Planning and Management	3
CIVE 547/STAT 547	Statistics for Environmental Monitoring	3
CIVE 549	Drainage and Wetland Engineering	3
CIVE 550	Applications in Geotechnical Engineering	3
CIVE 555	Mining Geotechnics	3
CIVE 556	Slope Stability, Seepage, and Earth Dams	3
CIVE 557	Environmental Geotechnics	3
CIVE 558	Containment Systems for Waste Disposal	3
CIVE 559	Special Topics in Geotechnical Engineering	3
CIVE 560	Advanced Mechanics of Materials	3
CIVE 561	Advanced Steel Behavior and Design	3
CIVE 562	Fundamentals of Vibrations	3
CIVE 564	Principles of Structural Load Modeling	3
CIVE 565	Finite Element Method	3
CIVE 566	Intermediate Structural Analysis	3
CIVE 567	Advanced Concrete Design	3
CIVE 568	Design of Masonry and Wood Structures	3
CIVE 571	Pipeline Engineering and Hydraulics	3
CIVE 572	Analysis of Urban Water Systems	3
CIVE 573	Urban Stormwater Management	3
CIVE 574	Civil Engineering Project Management	3
CIVE 575	Sustainable Water and Waste Management	3
CIVE 576	Engineering Applications of GIS and GPS	3
CIVE 577	GIS in Civil and Environmental Engineering	3
CIVE 578	Infrastructure and Utility Management	3
ENGR 550/MATH 550	Numerical Methods in Science and Engineering	3

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Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 124 credits, of which at least 42 credits must be upper-division (300-level or higher). 

TO DECLARE MAJOR: Engineering is a controlled major: students are admitted into the major only if they meet established academic standards. Please see competitive major requirements or the advisor in the department for more information. 

TO PREPARE FOR FIRST SEMESTER: The curriculum for this major assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus. To qualify for graduation, Civil Engineering majors must achieve a minimum 2.000 grade point average at CSU in all courses in engineering, mathematics, physics, and chemistry as well as courses taken as technical electives. 

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:

TO PREPARE FOR FIRST SEMESTER:  The curriculum for this major assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus.