Civil engineers are the primary designers and builderso cities, transportation, supply and energy systems. They design and supervise construction o buildings,highways, bridges, oundations, railways, canals andlocks, tunnels, airports, water supply and sewagesystems, dams and power plants. They must considermany actors including construction costs, government

regulations, and potential environmental hazards suchas earthquakes and hurricanes. Thought by many tobe the oldest engineering discipline, civil engineeringencompasses many specialties:n Constructionn Environmentaln Geotechnicaln Structuraln Transportationn Urban Planningn Water Resources

Civil engineers oten work with architects, urbanplanners, economists, biologists, and geologists,applying the latest technology in computer-aideddesign, geographic inormation systems, construction,project scheduling, cost control and management,and simulation modeling.

WHAT IS CIVIL ENGINEERING?

 According to the U.S. Department o Labor’sOccupational Outlook Handbook, civil engineers heldabout 256,000 jobs in 2006. 49% were employedby rms providing architectural, engineering, andrelated services, primarily developing designs or newconstruction projects. Almost one-third o the jobswere in ederal, state, and local government agencies. The construction industry accounted or most o theremaining employment. About 15,000 civil engineerswere sel-employed, many as consultants.

Civil engineers usually work near major industrial andcommercial centers. Some projects are in remote areasor in oreign countries. In some jobs, civil engineersmove rom place to place to work on dierent projects. The spectrum o opportunities or a civil engineer rangerom work in an oce setting, doing computer designor project management, to work outdoors, perormingconstruction supervision and job site management.

 The National Association o Colleges and Employersreported that 2008-09 civil engineering graduates witha bachelor’s degree received annual starting salary

oers averaging $52,048. Oers to those witha master’s degree averaged $54,163.

Spurred by general population growth and anincreased emphasis on inrastructure and security,more civil engineers will be needed to design andconstruct sae and highercapacity transportation,water supply and pollutioncontrol systems, and largebuildings and buildingcomplexes. They alsowill be needed to repairor replace existing roads,bridges, and other publicstructures. In additionto those arising rom jobgrowth, openings willresult rom the need toreplace civil engineerswho transer to otheroccupations or leave thelabor orce.

WHY BECOME A CIVIL ENGINEER?

 

 The Civil and Environmental Engineering Departmentoers a Bachelor o Science Degree, including acooperative education component, in our years andwith one additional year a Master o EngineeringDegree. Both the Bachelor o Science and theMaster o Engineering degrees are accredited by theEngineering Accreditation Commission o ABET,http://www.abet.org.

 As reshmen and sophomores, students develop asolid oundation in engineering design and scienceprinciples along with a background in the arts,humanities, and social sciences. Courses includemathematics, physics, chemistry, eld measurements,and materials testing. In the third and ourth years,theory and analytical skills are put to practical useduring a series o design-oriented classes thatemphasize open-ended problems. Three semesters o on-the-job learning through the Cooperative EducationProgram give students hands-on experience.Research opportunities or upperclassmen andgraduate students include projects such as improving

aesthetics and reducing potential health hazardsin local streams and rivers, assessing earthquakeand food hazards, preventing roadway collapsesby detection o underground cavities, and uses orbiosolids rom wastewater treatment.

 Through the student chapter o the American Societyo Civil Engineers, students socialize with classmatesand aculty, network with practicing civil engineers,tour industrial sites, and participate in regionalproessional meetings.

 Three research centers are part o the Civil andEnvironmental Engineering department. The centersdevelop partnerships between industry, governmentagencies and utilities to research, educate, and solveproblems and issues in specic areas o civil andenvironmental engineering.n Center or Inrastructure Researchn Center or Transportation Innovationn Institute or Stream Research

For Additional Inormation:

J.B. Speed School o Engineering

University o LouisvilleLouisville, KY 40292Web: http://louisville.edu/speed

Department o Civil & Environmental Engineering

Phone: (502) 852-6276Email: civileng@louisville.eduWeb: http://louisville.edu/speed/civil

Speed Ofce o Admissions

Phone: (502) 852-4672 or(502) 852-0398

Email: speed@louisville.edu

DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AT J.B. SPEED SCHOOL