Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1114 Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
205 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-8038
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is a profession that applies the basic principles
of science in conjunction with mathematical and computational tools
to solve problems associated with developing and sustaining civilized
life on our planet. Civil engineering is one of the broader of the
engineering disciplines both in terms of the range of problems that
fall within its purview and in the range of knowledge required to
solve those problems. Civil engineering works are generally one-of-a-kind
projects; they are often grand in scale; and they usually require
cooperation among professionals of many different disciplines. The
completion of a civil engineering project involves the solution of
technical problems in which uncertainty of information and myriad
non-technical factors often play a significant role. Some of the most
common examples of civil engineering works include bridges, buildings,
dams, airports, highways, tunnels, and water distribution systems.
Civil engineers are concerned with flood control, landslides, air
and water pollution, and the design of facilities to withstand earthquakes
and other natural hazards.
Educational Objectives and Outcomes
The career paths available to the civil engineer are many and varied
and can involve a wide range of activities, tools, situations, clients,
and venues-from conceptual design of facilities that do not yet exist
to forensic study of facilities that have failed to performed as expected,
from advanced simulation of complex systems to the management of people
and projects, from private consulting to public service. The civil
engineer must be as well prepared for a career that traverses this
considerable professional breadth as for a career focused on a single
professional activity. The civil engineering curriculum is designed
specifically to meet this educational challenge by emphasizing fundamental
knowledge, transferable skills, and lifelong learning.
The civil engineering program comprises seven main disciplines: construction
engineering and management, construction materials engineering, environmental
engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental hydrology and
hydraulics, structural engineering, and transportation engineering.
Although each discipline has its own special body of knowledge and
engineering tools, they all rely on the same fundamental core principles.
Civil engineering projects often draw expertise from many of these
disciplines.
The civil engineering curriculum is designed to develop engineers
who have a strong background in mathematics and science, engineers
who are articulate, and engineers who understand the nature of their
special role in society and the impact of their work on the progress
of civilization. The curriculum is designed to guarantee a certain
breadth of knowledge of the civil engineering disciplines through
a set of core courses and to ensure depth and focus in certain disciplines
through primary and secondary areas of specialization. The curriculum
develops the basic engineering tools necessary to solve problems in
the field of civil engineering.
Program Review and Approval
To qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering,
each student's academic program plan must be reviewed by a standing
committee of the faculty (the Program Review Committee) and approved
by the Associate Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering in charge
of undergraduate programs. This review and approval process ensures
that individual programs satisfy the educational objectives and all
of the requirements of the civil engineering program, that those programs
do not abuse the substantial degree of flexibility that is present
in the curriculum, and that the career interests of each student are
cultivated and served.
Monitoring and Assessment of Educational Outcomes
The faculty advisor plays an important role in the development of
a student's program of study, in monitoring the progress of the student,
and in giving general advice on the role of the program in career
development. The advising system in the Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering helps to assure that the educational objectives of the
program are met to the best of the ability of each student. The department
Undergraduate Advisor and the Associate Head of Civil and Environmental
Engineering in charge of undergraduate programs provide assistance
and information to faculty advisors and provide additional advising
support for students.
Overview of the Curriculum
The curriculum requires 133 hours and is organized into required courses,
math and science electives, civil engineering technical courses, and
other electives. Details of the curriculum are contained in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Handbook. A brief summary of the program follows:
Required Courses
The required courses establish the fundamental knowledge in mathematics,
physics, and chemistry required for the study of civil engineering.
The required courses also include instruction in written communication,
graphical communication, and computation, as well as planning of and
uncertainty in civil engineering systems. Required courses total 68
hours.
Hours |
Orientation and Professional Development |
0 |
CEE 195About Civil Engineering |
0 |
CEE 495Professional Practice |
0 |
ENG 100Engineering Lecture
(freshmen only) |
0 |
ENG 300Engineering Transfer
Lecture (transfer students only) |
Hours |
Mathematics |
5 |
MATH 220Calculus I |
2 |
MATH 225Introductory Matrix
Theory |
3 |
MATH 230Calculus II |
3 |
MATH 242Calculus of Several
Variables |
3 |
MATH 385Intro Differential
Equations |
16 |
Total |
Hours |
Basic Sciencs |
3 |
CHEM 102General Chemistry
I |
3 |
CHEM 104General Chemistry
II |
1 |
CHEM 103General Chemistry
Lab I (take with CHEM 102) |
1 |
CHEM 105General Chemistry
Lab II (take with CHEM 104) |
4 |
PHYS 211Univ Physics, Mechanics
|
4 |
PHYS 212Univ Physics, Elec
& Mag |
2 |
PHYS 213Univ Physics, Thermal
Physics |
2 |
PHYS 214Univ Physics, Quantum
Phys |
20 |
Total |
Hours |
Applied Mechanics |
3 |
TAM 211Statics |
3 |
TAM 212Introductory Dynamics |
3 |
TAM 251Introductory Solid
Mechanics |
4 |
TAM 335Introductory Fluid
Mechanics |
13 |
Total |
Hours |
Written Communication |
3 |
BTW 261Principles Tech Comm |
4 |
RHET 105Principles of Composition |
7 |
Total |
Hours |
Fundamental Engineering Principles and Tools |
3 |
GE 101Engineering Graphics
& Design |
3 |
CS 101Intro to Computing,
Eng & Sci |
3 |
CEE 201Systems Engrg &
Economics |
3 |
CEE 202Engineering Risk &
Uncertainty |
12 |
Total |
Mathematics, Basic Science, and Engineering Science Electives
Each student must select at least 6 credit hours of elective courses
in mathematics, basic science, or engineering sciences. These electives
allow the student either to gain additional depth in math or science
or to gain breadth in math or science essential to specialization
in one of the branches of civil engineering (e.g., organic chemistry
is important to environmental engineering but is not contained within
the required science courses). Courses acceptable within this program
requirement are specified in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.
Civil Engineering Technical Program
The civil engineering technical program is designed to give each student
a broad background in the disciplines of civil engineering through
the core courses and to allow each student to develop a focused program
through advanced technical electives in chosen primary and secondary
areas of emphasis. The fundamental principles of civil engineering
design and the behavior of civil engineering systems are emphasized
throughout the program. Required courses total 35 hours.
Civil Engineering Core Courses
Take five courses, at least 15 hours, from the following list. Required
and recommended core courses for the primary and secondary areas of
emphasis are listed in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.
Hours |
Civil Engineering Core Courses |
4 |
CEE 300Behavior of Materials |
3 |
CEE 310Transportation Engineering |
3 |
CEE 320Construction Engineering |
3 |
CEE 330Environmental Engineering |
3 |
CEE 350Water Resources Engineering |
3 |
CEE 360Structural Engineering |
3 |
CEE 380Geotechnical Engineering |
Advanced Technical Electives
Primary area of emphasis
Take at least 12 hours. The courses in the primary area of emphasis
are chosen to be an appropriate program of study within one of the
seven disciplines of civil engineering. Preapproved programs in each
of the areas are listed in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.
Deviations from the preapproved programs are possible, but are subject
to the program review process.
Secondary area of emphasis
Take at least 6 hours. The courses in the secondary area of emphasis
are chosen to complement the primary area and add breadth to the program
of study. Preapproved secondary programs are listed in the Civil Engineering
Undergraduate Handbook. Secondary programs outside of civil engineering
are possible but are subject to the program review process.
Engineering Design Requirements for the Technical Program
The courses selected in the technical program must contain at least
16 hours of cumulative engineering design content (including 3 hours
for CEE 201 and CEE 202). Every CEE course contributes to the student's
education in engineering design. Each student must complete at least
one course that has an integrated design project required to complete
the course. The number of hours of design content in each course and
a list of courses that meet the integrated design requirement are
detailed in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.
Humanities, Social Science, and Free Electives
Humanities and social science courses (18 hours) and free electives
(6 hours) are selected within the general guidelines of the College
of Engineering. These courses can be selected to meet the campus general
education requirements. The civil engineering curriculum specifically
requires that each student take ECON 102 or ECON 103. The department
recommends ECON 102.
Suggested Sequence
First year
Hours |
First Semester |
3 |
CHEM 102General Chemistry
I |
1 |
CHEM 103General Chemistry
Lab I |
0 |
CEE 195About Civil Engineering1 |
0 |
ENG 100Engineering Lecture |
4-3 |
GE 101Engineering Graphics
& Design or
RHET 105Principles of Composition2 |
5 |
MATH 220Calculus I |
3 |
Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
15-16 |
Total |
Hours |
Second Semester |
3 |
CHEM 104General Chemistry
II |
1 |
CHEM 105General Chemistry
Lab II |
3 |
MATH 230Calculus II |
4 |
PHYS 211Univ Physics, Mechanics
|
4-3 |
RHET 105Principles of Composition
or
GE 101Engineering Graphics & Design 2 |
15-14 |
Total |
Second year
Hours |
First Semester |
3 |
CS 101Intro to Computing,
Eng & Sci |
2 |
MATH 225Introductory Matrix
Theory4 |
3 |
MATH 242Calculus of Several
Variables |
4 |
PHYS 212Univ Physics, Elec
& Mag |
3 |
TAM 211Statics |
3 |
Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
18 |
Total |
Hours |
Second Semester |
3 |
CEE 201Systems Engrg &
Economics |
3 |
CEE 202Engineering Risk &
Uncertainty |
2 |
PHYS 213Univ Physics, Thermal
Physics |
2 |
PHYS 214Univ Physics, Quantum
Phys |
3 |
TAM 212Introductory Dynamics |
3 |
TAM 251Introductory Solid
Mechanics |
16 |
Total |
Third year
Hours |
First Semester |
3 |
MATH 385Intro Differential
Equations5 |
4 |
TAM 335Introductory Fluid
Mechanics |
7 |
Civil engineering core courses |
3 |
Mathematics, basic sciences, or
engineering sciences elective6 |
17 |
Total |
Hours |
Second Semester |
3 |
BTW 261Principles Tech Comm |
6 |
Civil engineering core courses |
3 |
Mathematics, basic sciences, or
engineering sciences elective6 |
3 |
Advanced technical elective7 |
3 |
Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
18 |
Total |
Fourth year
Hours |
First Semester |
0 |
CEE 495Professional Practice |
3 |
Civil engineering core course |
6 |
Advanced technical electives7 |
6 |
Elective in social sciences or humanities |
3 |
Free elective |
18 |
Total |
Hours |
Second Semester |
10 |
Advanced technical electives7 |
3 |
Elective in social sciences or humanities3 |
3 |
Free elective |
16 |
Total |
|
|