Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering is concerned with the improvement and care of the built and natural environments and deals with planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings, dams, bridges, harbors, power facilities, pollution control facilities, water supply, and transportation systems. Specialties within the Civil Engineering curriculum include:

• Structural Engineering: Planning, design, and operation of buildings, bridges, and special purpose structures such as towers, cranes, stadiums, industrial plants, and construction materials.
• Transportation Engineering: Planning, design, and operation of highways, airports, seaports, mass transit systems, traffic control systems, and material transport systems.
• Geotechnical Engineering: Design and planning of foundations, dams, tunnels, roadbeds, and other facilities where earth and rock are engineering materials.
• Water Resources and Environmental Engineering: Planning, design, and management of projects for water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, urban drainage, pollution control, ground and surface water quality management, and solid and hazardous waste disposal.

Other areas include: engineering mechanics, construction materials, and computer-aided engineering.

The curriculum provides academic preparation for students considering a career in industries, consulting firms, or government agencies. Some graduates pursue careers in companies that operate in one local area while others pursue national or international opportunities. Civil Engineering also offers opportunities for entrepreneurs to start their own companies in a wide variety of specialty areas. The curriculum also offers a technical background used by students who go on to graduate study in law and business as well as engineering. Many civil engineers advance to positions of substantial leadership, responsibility, and reward.

The educational objectives of the civil engineering program at North Carolina State University are to prepare its graduates to:

• function successfully in a professional environment by utilizing and enhancing their problem-solving and communication skills;
• continue learning through graduate or other professional education and obtaining licensure where appropriate;
• provide professional leadership within their companies, engineering societies and civic organizations, and provide mentoring to those under their supervision and influence; and,
• promote organizational success  with consideration of cost and time management while practicing and promoting ethical behavior and stewardship of a sustainable environment.

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