Civil Engineering
Plan, Design, Construct
Civil engineers apply creativity and problem-solving skills to provide safe, sustainable and healthy built environments for people and societies of the future. Civil engineers design buildings, plan innovative transportation systems, advance water supply and reuse technology, and prevent adverse environmental impacts on the earth.
At UD, you can choose to focus on many different areas of civil engineering. The most common minors or concentrations for civil engineering students are:
- Construction Engineering and Management – Develop, design, manage and identify risks at construction sites.
- Environmental Engineering – Identify problems of pollution and the technological approaches necessary to preserve the quality of our environment.
- Transportation Engineering – The planning, design, operations and management of transportation systems.
15:1
student-to-faculty ratio
Nearly 100%
post-grad job/graduate school placement rate
Classes
Civil engineering students take a well-rounded group of courses to build their engineering skills and technical knowledge.
Examples of courses:
- Surveying – An introduction to surveying and geomatics; the study of Earth’s natural geographic surfaces. The fundamentals of this course are used to design roadways, bridges, waterways and many other structures.
- Design of Concrete Structures – Design and behavior of building components made from that ancient but vital material - concrete. Learn to design slabs, beams, columns and walls that are subjected to all manner of forces and motions.
- Water and Wastewater Engineering – Discover problems of water pollution and the development and design of public water supply and wastewater treatment systems.
Exploring Inside and Outside the Classroom
The School of Engineering is home to over 30 student organizations, many of which build projects and compete. The American Society of Civil Engineers Steel Bridge Team, the Concrete Canoe Team and the Construction Estimating Team are just two examples. Most of our students put their skills to the test through co-ops and internships.
We’re big enough to have significant research programs, but small enough to involve students in meaningful undergraduate research as early as their first year. Our faculty have active research projects and encourage students to become involved in their labs.
Your academic journey culminates in a senior year capstone course, where your student team will design a complete, large-scale civil engineering system using knowledge from all areas of civil engineering - environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering.
A High-Quality Education
Minors
Compliment your major or connect with your passion by adding a minor to your degree program. The School of Engineering offers more than 30 minors, or you can choose one outside of engineering.
Learn more about our minors.
Engineering for the Common Good
The Ethos Center connects students to community partners around the world for community-engaged engineering education, research, partnerships and action. Many students go on immersions or breakouts inside and outside the U.S. for hands-on social impact engineering projects.
Learn more about the Ethos Center
Earn your Master's Sooner
Students can also earn their master’s at UD at an accelerated rate through our Bachelor’s Plus Master’s Program. Earn up to six credits that count for both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, and enjoy 30% off graduate tuition for the first year of the master’s program. On average, most students graduate with their master’s degree in two additional semesters.
Learn more about the Bachelor's Plus Master's ProgramCareers
Our graduates work in numerous different fields including aerospace, power generation, oil and gas and other process industries. Many of our students co-op and intern at these organizations, and accept full-time positions before graduation.
Our civil engineering graduates work at numerous organizations including:
- Kimley-Horn
- Messer Construction
- Stantec
- Burgess & Niple
They also continue their education at schools including:
- University of Dayton
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Michigan
- MIT
Engineering Co-ops and Internships
Explore Your Engineering Future
Take your engineering experience to the next level and find your passion with co-op and internship opportunities. Our Engineering Co-op and Internship Office helps students find placements.
