About the Program

Civil and environmental engineering concerns the study of conception, design, construction and maintenance of large public and private projects. Civil engineers build and maintain bridges, highways, railways, tunnels, airports, dams, water treatment and distribution systems and large buildings, along with many other structures. Environmental considerations, such as water supply, pollution control and preservation of soil quality, are also a part of the course of study. With thorough knowledge of both the principles of construction and the possible environmental consequences of a structure, the civil and environmental engineer's expertise is one that is essential to our present civilization and one that will become ever more valuable in the future.

What Civil Engineers Do

Civil Engineers design and build America's infrastructure. Civil Engineers must understand and apply basic principles from mathematics,physics, chemistry, economics, and business. Clients include private industries, muncipal government, state and federal agencies, and multinational conglomerates.

At the local level, Civil Engineers help communities plan for future development by designing and building residential areas, business centers commercial districts, industrial parks, sports complexes, and high-tech manufacturing facilities. On a grander scale, Civil Engineers design, build, restore and maintain national landmarks such as the Sears Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge,the Alaska Pipeline, Hoover dam, and Interstate Freeways. Working on multi-disciplinary projects that touch upon the lives of the general public is one of the distinguishing charecteristics of a career in Civil Engineering.

At UC, undergraduate study in Civil Engineering includes six speciality areas:

Construction Engineering Specialty

• manage construction of engineered projects (roads, dams, bridges, building , etc).
• advise owners and designers on construction alternatives during project design

Environmental Engineering Specialty

• invent new technologies to minimize pollution to air, land and water resourses
• develop an understanding of processes affecting global climate, oil spills, acid rain.

Geotechnical Engineering Specialty

• design flexible pavements , rock tunnels, earthen embankments, landfill liners
• specify migration cutoff systems to collect leachate from hazardous waste sites.

Structural Engineering Specialty

• plan and design complex structural systems using traditional and new synthetic materials.
• create bridges , towers, coliseums, skyscrapers, and space stations.

Transportation Engineering Specialty

• build, operate, restore and maintain highways and roads
• apply advanced tecnologies to make highways safer and more efficient.

Water Resources Engineering Specialty

• optimise the design and operation of dams for water supply, flood control, and hydropower.
• model fate of pollutants transported in ground water aquifers and water distribution systems.

As an undergraduate in Civil Engineering, you can join the UC student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE). With a tradition extending over 100 years, ASCE is one of the largest professional engineering organizations in the nation.

Career Opportunities

A civil and environmental engineer may find employment in a design and consulting firm with firsthand involvement in the design of structures and facilities, or work may be found with a contractor who is building or supervising the construction of a project. Many civil engineers work for local, state and federal public works agencies. The civil engineer is also concerned with the major structures of manufacturing and processing plants, power generating stations and the maintenance of the quality of air, water and land.