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Civil Engineering, B.S.

Program Educational Objectives

The Program Educational Objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation. The objectives of the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering program are to develop graduates who embody the following definitions:

  • Contribute and collaborate on development of sustainable solutions to a wide range of conventional, cutting-edge, and emerging professional challenges on local and global scales.
  • Are innovative, proactive, and adaptive professionals and leaders, in their organizations and professional communities. 
  • Cross geographic, cultural, and traditional discipline boundaries to develop just and equitable solutions.

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

By the end of the B.S. program, students should have achieved the following 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 has been designed, and is periodically evaluated and refined, to provide students instruction and experiences that lead to the development of these abilities and skills.

Curriculum

Minimum units required for B.S. in Civil Engineering384

Students entering the College of Engineering declare a major near the end of the first year. First-year students take two introductory engineering courses as well as some restricted technical electives within the common foundation specified for first-year engineering students. By the end of the sophomore year, a Civil Engineering major is expected to have completed the Restricted Technical Electives in the following list and 12-100 Exploring CEE: Infrastructure and Environment in a Changing World.

Restricted Technical Electives Units
09-101Introduction to Experimental Chemistry3
09-105Introduction to Modern Chemistry I10
or 09-111 Chemical Building Blocks
15-110Principles of Computing10
21-120Differential and Integral Calculus10
21-122Integration and Approximation10
21-259Calculus in Three Dimensions9
or 21-254 Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers
21-260Differential Equations9
33-141Physics I for Engineering Students12
33-142Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students12
Notes on Math Requirements

1. All mathematics (21-xxx) courses required for the engineering degree taken at Carnegie Mellon must have a minimum grade of C in order to be counted toward the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree.
2. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in any required mathematics (21-xxx) course that is a pre-requisite for the next higher level required mathematics (21-xxx) course.

Sample Curriculum

This section shows the recommended four-year program of study for the BS in Civil Engineering following a typical path. The curriculum for transfer students, students with advanced placement credit, and students planning to study abroad will not follow the same path. Students need to consult the department for appropriate advising and formulation of a plan to complete the degree within eight semesters.

First Year
Fall Units
12-100Exploring CEE: Infrastructure and Environment in a Changing World12
21-120Differential and Integral Calculus10
33-141Physics I for Engineering Students12
99-101Core@CMU3
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 46
Spring Units
xx-xxxIntroduction to Engineering (other than CEE)12
21-122Integration and Approximation10
33-142Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students12
09-101Introduction to Experimental Chemistry3
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 46
Sophomore Year
Fall Units
12-200CEE Challenges: Design in a Changing World9
12-212Statics9
12-233CEE Infrastructure Systems in Action2
21-259Calculus in Three Dimensions9
or 21-254 Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers
15-110Principles of Computing10
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
39-210Experiential Learning I0
 48
Spring Units
12-231Solid Mechanics9
12-234Sensing and Data Acquisition for Engineering Systems4
12-271Computation and Data Science for Civil & Environmental Engineering9
21-260Differential Equations9
09-111Chemical Building Blocks
or 09-105 Modern Chemistry I		9
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
39-220Experiential Learning II0
 49
Junior Year
Fall Units
12-301CEE Projects: Integrating the Built, Natural and Information Environments9
12-351Environmental Engineering9
12-355Fluid Mechanics9
12-356Fluid Mechanics Lab2
36-220Engineering Statistics and Quality Control9
xx-xxxElective 19
39-310Experiential Learning III0
 47
Spring Units
12-333Experimental & Sensing Systems Design and Computation for Infrastructure Systems4
12-335Soil Mechanics9
12-371Advanced Computing and Problem Solving in Civil and Environmental Engineering9
27-357Introduction to Materials Selection6
xx-xxxElective 29
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 46
Senior Year
Fall Units
12-401CEE Design12
12-411Project Management for Engineering and Construction9
xx-xxxElective 39
xx-xxxElective 49
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
 48
Spring Units
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
xx-xxxGeneral Education Course9
xx-xxxElective 59
xx-xxxElective 69
xx-xxxElective 79
xx-xxxElective 89
 54
Notes on Electives
  1. One elective must be in the basic sciences, from the following list:
    03-121Modern Biology9
    12-201Geology9
    12-353Environmental Biology and Ecology9
    Substitutions may be made only with the approval of the Department Head.
  2. One elective course is restricted to a 600-level or 700-level Civil Engineering course of at least 9 units, except 12-648 and 12-690. The combination of 12-644 and 12-645 may also be used, but no other combination is allowed. 
  3. Students are encouraged to take multiple 12-6xx and 12-7xx courses to provide them with specific civil engineering domain depth in their field(s) of interest.

Elective Courses

Students may select a set of civil engineering and other electives in the junior and senior years. Some examples for grouping electives are indicated below. Students can create other groupings to meet their academic and career interests; discussion with a faculty mentor is encouraged. 

 Structural Engineering

Units
12-201Geology9
12-631Structural Design12
12-635Structural Analysis12
12-636Geotechnical Engineering9
21-241Matrices and Linear Transformations11
24-311Numerical Methods10
24-351Dynamics10

Computing in Civil Engineering

Units
12-600AutoCAD3
12-623Molecular Simulation of Materials12
12-645Smart Cities: Growth and Intelligent Transportation Systems6
12-659Special Topics: Matlab6
24-451Feedback Control Systems12
24-650Applied Finite Element Analysis12
24-658Image-Based Computational Modeling and Analysis12

Engineering and Society

Units
12-645Smart Cities: Growth and Intelligent Transportation Systems6
12-657Water Resource Systems Engineering9
24-291Environmental Systems on a Changing Planet9
48-371City & Suburb: American House and Housing Since 18509
79-303Pittsburgh and the Transformation of Modern Urban America9
79-315The Politics of Water in Global Perspective9

Construction Management

Units
12-600AutoCAD3
12-631Structural Design12
12-635Structural Analysis12
12-636Geotechnical Engineering9
48-380Constructing Value(s): Economies of Design6
70-311Organizational Behavior9
70-321Negotiation and Conflict Resolution9

Next-Generation Building and Construction

Units
12-631Structural Design12
39-245Rapid Prototype Design9
48-530Human-Machine Virtuosity12
48-555Introduction to Architectural Robotics9

Smart Cities

Units
12-600AutoCAD3
12-612Intro to Sustainable Engineering9
12-631Structural Design12
12-635Structural Analysis12
12-636Geotechnical Engineering9
12-644Intro to Transportation Systems Analysis6
12-645Smart Cities: Growth and Intelligent Transportation Systems6
24-643Energy Storage Materials and Systems12

Smart Buildings

12-600AutoCAD3
12-631Structural Design12
12-635Structural Analysis12
48-116Introduction to Building Performance3
48-315Environmental Systems: Climate & Energy in Buildings9
48-432Environment II: Design Integration of Active Building Systems9

Materials

Units
12-623Molecular Simulation of Materials12
24-643Energy Storage Materials and Systems12
27-201Structure of Materials9
27-202Defects in Materials9
27-215Thermodynamics of Materials12
27-301Microstructure and Properties9
27-406Sustainable Materials9
27-503Additive Manufacturing and Materials9
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