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Civil Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

	QUICK JUMP
	Civil Engineering
	Study Options
	Requirements and Core Courses
	Careers in Civil Engineering
	Suggested Strengths, Interests, and Preparation
	Scholarships and Financial Aid
	Campus Organizations and Activities
	Related Fields of Study That Might Interest You
	Contact Information

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering involves the planning, design, construction, and operation of facilities and systems that are essential to modern life and infrastructure. Civil engineers create and manage bridges, highways, buildings, airports, dams and waterways, water purification plants and distribution systems, foundations and tunnels, waste treatment and disposal facilities, and conventional and renewable energy supply systems. • Offered at WSU: Bachelor of science, master of science, Ph.D. • Available at: Pullman

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Study Options

As a civil engineering major, you can focus your degree with a study emphasis in: --Environmental Engineering: Provides a broad environmental background with emphasis in air and water quality, air pollution control, water and wastewater treatment, and hazardous waste management and remediation, including both natural and engineered systems. --Geotechnical Engineering: Study the capacity of soil to support our nation's infrastructure--ensuring the stability and integrity of structures such as buildings, roadways, tunnels, dams, and embankments. --Hydraulic Engineering: Study the technologies and infrastructure systems that deliver water--ensure the availability and quality of a vital, but limited resource. --Structural Engineering: Focus on designing safe and economical structures for a changing society; improve aging infrastructure, increase the efficiency in utilization of construction materials. --Transportation Engineering: Focus on the human and material design aspects of transportation facilities, including traffic, geometrics, planning, pavements, and materials.

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Requirements and Core Courses

—Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Students should consult the General Catalog for course planning and must meet course requirements as outlined in the General Catalog in order to graduate. REQUIREMENTS FOR JOINING PROGRAM Students joining the program must complete 45 semester hours of course work in addition to the following: CE 211—Statics Math 171—Calculus I Math 172—Calculus II Physics 201—Classical Physics REQUIRED CIVIL ENGINEERING COURSES CE 120—Innovations in Design CE 211—Statics CE 215—Mechanics of Materials CE 301—Surveying CE 315—Mechanics of Fluids CE 317—Geotechnical Engineering CE 322—Transportation Engineering CE 330—Structural Engineering CE 341—Environmental Engineering CE 351—Water Resources Engineering CE 463—Engineering Administration CE 465—Senior Integrated Design CE 480—Ethics and Professionalism SENIOR ELECTIVES During the senior year, students choose seven of the following civil engineering elective courses to tailor the curriculum to their interests and needs: CE 400—Highway Materials Engineering CE 408—Air Pollution Control Engineering CE 414—Structural Design Laboratory CE 415—Environmental Measurement Laboratory CE 416—Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory CE 418/9—Hazardous Waste Engineering/Treatment CE 425—Soil and Site Improvement CE 430—Analysis of Indeterminate Structures CE 431—Structural Steel Design CE 433—Reinforced Concrete Design CE 434—Prestressed Concrete and Masonry Design CE 435—Foundations CE 436—Design of Timber Structures CE 442—Water and Wastewater Treatment CE 450—Hydraulic Engineering Design CE 451—Open Channel Flow CE 460—Advanced Hydrology CE 473—Pavement Design CE 499—Special Problems

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Careers in Civil Engineering

Perhaps more than any other field of engineering, a civil engineering degree offers the greatest variety of employment opportunity. Washington State University civil engineering graduates are in high demand by employers throughout the Northwest and the nation. Traditional civil engineering employers include architectural and engineering firms. Other options include careers in government agencies, utility companies, telecommunications businesses, oil and natural resource industries, consulting firms, aerospace manufacturing companies, construction industries, biotechnology, and information technology firms.

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Suggested Strengths, Interests, and Preparation

• Enjoyment in solving problems and putting ideas into action • Curiosity about how things work and how to improve them • Interest in improving the environment • Social awareness and interest in helping people live better • High school math through trigonometry and calculus, and high school sciences (all essential preparation for success in the undergraduate program)

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Scholarships and Financial Aid

In addition to University–wide scholarships, the College of Engineering and Architecture offers more than 300 scholarships a year to students in their first and second years. Once certified in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (usually the third year), students who meet academic requirements may apply for departmental scholarships, which amount collectively to more than $45,000. Consistently, 90 percent or more of students who apply receive scholarship awards from the department.

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Campus Organizations and Activities

The University’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers is consistently ranked among the nation’s best. Members can interact with field professionals through monthly meetings and regional or national conferences. The WSU chapter has won awards in national ASCE competitions in concrete canoe and bridge building.

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Related Fields of Study That Might Interest You

• Environmental engineering • Geotechnical engineering • Hydraulic engineering • Structural engineering • Transportation engineering • Chemistry • Mathematics • Physics

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Contact Information

Civil and Environmental Engineering Program

College of Engineering and Architecture Washington State University PO Box 642910 Pullman, WA 99164-2910

bwhiting@wsu.edu

509-335-1219

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Strengths of the Program

• WSU students score among the highest in the country on the national Fundamentals of Engineering exam, which is the first step toward professional licensing.
• Elective courses can be tailored for individual needs and interests.
• Learn fundamental engineering principles of environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics, structures, and transportation engineering.
• Pursue opportunities to conduct research with the best scholars and professionals in the country.
• More than 30 civil engineering laboratories are available on the Pullman campus.
• Join other science, math, and engineering students in WSU Pullman's Stephenson residence hall—share classes with your neighbors, study together, get free tutoring, and use the hall’s computer lab.

Office of Enrollment Management, PO Box 641067, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1067, 888-GO TO WSU (888-468-6978), Contact Us