Civil engineering students are interested in how buildings are designed, how they are built, and how they withstand the forces of nature. They are concerned about the environment and how to provide clean water and improve air quality. They want to be part of the solution for traffic congestion and improve how to move people and goods locally, nationally, and globally. They want to better protect people, their belongings, their homes and businesses from natural disasters and help to create a sustainable and resilient future through creative and technical solutions.
Accreditation
Information can be found on Department website.
FE Exam
All students are strongly encouraged to prepare for and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination prior to graduation.
Students earning the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BS) degree must complete all University, College and departmental degree requirements for a total of 125 credits. These include General Education requirements and the following major requirements and ancillary requirements. Additional information, including a semester-by-semester flowchart of degree requirements, can be found on the departmental website. Students completing the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BS) degree must comply with all College of Engineering academic policies and requirements.
| Major and Ancillary Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| ENGR 101 | The World of Engineering | 1 |
| ENGR 104 | Fundamentals of Engineering | 3 |
| ENGR 171 | Large-Scale Eng. Graphics | 1 |
| AEM 201 | Statics | 3 |
| AEM 250 | Mechanics Of Materials I | 3 |
| AEM 264 | Dynamics | 3 |
| AEM 311 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| CE 260 | Civil & Constructn Surveying | 2 |
| CE 262 | Civil & Constructn Engr Matls | 3 |
| CE 320 | Intro Environmental Engineerg | 3 |
| CE 331 | Intro to Structural Eng. | 3 |
| CE 340 | Geotechnical Engineering | 4 |
| CE 350 | Intro. to Transportation Eng | 3 |
| CE 366 | Intro to Const. Eng. | 3 |
| CE 378 | Water Resources Engineering | 3 |
| CE 401 or | Capstone Design Site: Civil | 4 |
| CE 403 | Capstone Design: Building CivE | |
| Engineering Systems Elective | 3 | |
ECE 320 or | Fundmtl Electrical Engr | |
ME 215 or | Thermodynamics I | |
| Thermal Engineering Survey | ||
| GES 255 | Engineering Statistics I | 3 |
| Design Elective (choose two) | 6 | |
CE 424 or | Water And Wastewater Treatment | |
CE 425 or | Air Quality Engineering | |
CE 433 or | Reinf Concrete Struct I | |
CE 434 or | Structural Steel Design I | |
CE 435 or | Concrete Materials | |
CE 436 or | Wood Structural Design | |
CE 437 or | Reinforced Concrete Struct II | |
CE 438 or | Struct Steel Design II | |
CE 439 or | Wood & Masonry Structures | |
CE 442 or | Waste Containmnt Facilty | |
CE 444 or | Foundation Engineering | |
CE 451 or | Roadway Intersection Dsgn | |
CE 459 or | Pavement Design and Rehab | |
CE 461 or | Horizontl Construction Methods | |
CE 462 or | Vertical Construction Methods | |
CE 471 or | Open Channel Flow | |
CE 475 or | Hydrology | |
CE 476 or | Process Hydrology | |
CE 480 or | Forensic Engineering | |
| Const. Site Erosion Control | ||
| General Elective | 9 | |
General Elective options include courses in the below subjects from course numbers 300 to 499, except 397. US and Global Citizenship designated courses can be used for this requirement or the General Education requirement, but not both. Students must meet prerequisites required by the selected course. | ||
AEM, CHE, CE, CS, ECE, ENGR, GES, ME, MFE, MTE, AC, BSC, CH, EC, FI, GBA, GEO, GY, MGT, MS, MKT, OM, PH | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 66 | |
| Ancillary Courses | ||
| CH 101 or | General Chemistry | 4 |
| CH 117 | Honors General Chemistry | |
| MATH 125 or | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 145 | Honors Calculus I | |
| MATH 126 or | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 146 | Honors Calculus II | |
| MATH 227 or | Calculus III | 4 |
| MATH 247 | Honors Calculus III | |
| MATH 238 | Appld Diff Equations I | 3 |
| PH 105 or | General Physics W/Calc I | 4 |
| PH 125 | Honors Gen Ph W/Calculus | |
| PH 106 or | General Physics W/Calc II | 4 |
| PH 126 or | Honors Gen Ph W/Calculus II | |
| CH 102 or | General Chemistry | |
| CH 118 | Honors General Chemistry | |
| Approved Science | 4 | |
| Any core curriculum Natural Science designated course except BSC 108, BSC 109, CH 101, CH 104, CH 117, PH 101, PH 102, PH 105, PH 115, PH 125. | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 31 | |
| General Education Courses | ||
| The specific courses each student completes in order to fulfill the University of Alabama's general education requirements will depend upon the particular degree program in which the student is enrolled. To determine how these general education requirements are integrated into your program of study, review your semester-by-semester flowchart and discuss with your academic advisor. | ||
All Civil Engineering students are strongly encouraged to prepare for and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination prior to graduation. A graduate of the program who has passed the FE exam would then be an engineer intern under Model Law as maintained by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (ncees.org). It is recommended that the FE be taken the semester prior to graduation.
Civil engineering provides a broad spectrum of career opportunities including water resources engineer, structural engineer, transportation engineer, environmental engineer, geotechnical engineer, construction engineer, site or urban planning engineer and architectural engineer. In addition, civil engineering graduates can use their technical knowledge and skills for entry into other professions such as medicine or law.
Types of Jobs Accepted
Graduates are design engineers and field engineers. They work in engineering sales and technical support. From small local firms to large multi-national firms, from specialty consulting to full-service design-build, from industry to government to public service, graduates accept offers from many different types of employers. Many get graduate degrees in civil or environmental engineering or go on to medical or law school.
Jobs of Experienced Alumni
Civil engineers often become community leaders. Understanding the built environment and how to make cities and structures more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable, alumni are well positioned to lead society in resolving many of the issues important to the future. Graduates often own design firms, move into corporate management, become civic leaders through state and federal public service, become research and development engineers and are entrepreneurs in business development.
Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center