The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering provides outstanding educational and research experiences for students at all levels in technical areas related to Energy Infrastructure, Environmental/Water Resources Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Land Development Engineering, Structures, and Transportation.  Some of the challenges faced by Civil Engineers include: 1) the analysis, design, construction, and monitoring of foundation systems, buildings, bridges, dams, and other structures; 2) water resources for urban use, industry, and land reclamation; 3) systems for water transmission and river control; 4) water quality control systems for purification and waste treatment; 5) transportation systems including highways, mass transit, airports, railroads, pipelines, canals, and harbor facilities; 6) solutions for environmental problems including air pollution, ground pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, ecological effects, land development, and urban and regional planning; and 7) power infrastructure design and testing.  Civil engineers must balance the need for constructed facilities with the need to protect natural and social environments while safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Degree Programs

Civil and Environmental Engineering students can pursue the following degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (B.S.C.E.)
• Master of Science in Civil Engineering (M.S.C.E.)
• Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Infrastructure and Environmental Systems (INES)

Undergraduate students may also select an optional concentration in a technical area of their choice.  Undergraduate concentrations include:

• Energy Infrastructure
• Environmental/Water Resources Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Land Development Engineering
• Structures
• Transportation

Students may plan early in their undergraduate career for continuation of their engineering studies beyond their first degree.  Students should consider the graduate study options offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as they plan their undergraduate program of study.  For information about the graduate programs, see the UNC Charlotte Graduate Catalog. 

Program Educational Objectives

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) Program Educational Objectives (PEO) listed below describe the program’s objectives for BSCE graduates three to five years after they have completed the program. 

1) BSCE Program graduates will be progressing successfully in their career by pursuing leadership positions in the Civil and Environmental Engineering profession or other career areas.

2) BSCE Program graduates will be demonstrating ethical behavior and professionalism by nearing/obtaining professional licensure as appropriate for their chosen career, and by actively participating in professional societies.

3) BSCE Program graduates will be demonstrating their technical ability to solve problems and/or manage engineering solutions from conception through implementation.

4) BSCE Program graduates will be maintaining and expanding professional competencies and mastering emerging technologies by engaging in lifelong learning that includes graduate studies and professional education.

5) BSCE Program graduates will strive to incorporate global, societal, economic, and environmental impacts in their professional work, consistent with the principles of sustainable development.

6) BSCE Program graduates will be engaging and collaborating with the communities in which they live and work.

Accreditation

The Civil Engineering Program within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Student Outcomes

In line with student outcomes established by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the BSCE program at UNC Charlotte will prepare graduates to attain the following student outcomes:

A) An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;

B) An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;

C) An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;

D) An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;

E) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;

F) An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;

G) An ability to communicate effectively;

H) The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;

I) A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;

J) A knowledge of contemporary issues;

K) An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice;

L) An ability to explain key concepts and problem-solving concepts used in management;

M) An ability to explain key concepts and problem solving processes used in business, public policy, and public administration; and

N) An ability to explain the role of the leader and leadership principles.

ASCE Program Criteria

ABET requires that accredited programs meet program-specific criteria established by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  The curriculum must prepare graduates to:  a) apply knowledge of mathematics through differential equations, calculus-based physics, chemistry, and at least one additional area of basic science; b) apply probability and statistics to address uncertainty; c) analyze and solve problems in at least four technical areas appropriate to civil engineering; d) conduct experiments in at least two technical areas of civil engineering and analyze and interpret the resulting data; e) design a system, component, or process in at least two civil engineering contexts; f) include principles of sustainability in design; g) explain basic concepts in project management, business, public policy, and leadership; h) analyze issues in professional ethics; and i) explain the importance of professional licensure.  

The Civil Engineering Program Criteria table published online at cee.uncc.edu/accreditation-information/civil-engineering-program-criteria summarizes how the curriculum requirements of the BSCE degree program at UNC Charlotte will meet or exceed these criteria.

Programs

• Civil Engineering, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Energy Infrastructure Concentration, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Environmental/Water Resources Engineering Concentration, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering Concentration, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Land Development Engineering Concentration, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Structures Concentration, B.S.C.E.
• Civil Engineering, Transportation Concentration, B.S.C.E.

• Civil Engineering, M.S., Early Entry