Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Civil engineering involves the planning, analysis and design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the many components of our nation’s infrastructure. Civil engineers design and construct buildings, bridges, highways, power plants, water and wastewater treatment facilities, and other public works essential to the quality of life of an industrial society. Civil engineers also apply artificial intelligence and geographic information systems to the planning and design of large-scale urban systems, develop new and improved materials of construction, and design and construct systems for the preservation and remediation of the planet’s environment. The department’s curricula are planned to provide graduates with the skills needed to successfully plan, design, and construct these facilities.

Accreditation

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) — B.S.E. in Civil Engineering

Undergraduate Majors

Bachelor of Science in Engineering-Civil Engineering

Mission

It is the mission of the department to produce competent and ethical engineers, develop and advance knowledge, and serve the community and the profession.

Goals

The goals of the department’s accredited baccalaureate programs are to:

• Prepare graduates for the lifelong practice of civil engineering.
• Meet educational requirements for professional licensure in civil engineering.
• Provide graduates with solid academic preparation for graduate study.

Civil Engineering Program—Educational Objectives

The faculty and stakeholders involved in the Civil Engineering program have devised and approved a set of educational objectives. The educational objectives are to:

1. Produce professionals who:
   1. Can apply principles of mathematics, basic sciences, and engineering to identify, analyze, and design systems that address open-ended civil engineering problems.
   2. Can use new techniques and tools, work on multidisciplinary teams, and have effective communication skills.
   3. Are aware of contemporary and business issues; public policies; management and leadership principles; and the impact of global, economical, environmental, and societal issues on engineering solutions.
2. Offer general knowledge over the breadth of civil engineering and an in-depth knowledge of at least one major civil engineering area.
3. Prepare graduates for professional practice by beginning the licensure process prior to graduation.
4. Emphasize the need to adapt to the rapidly changing civil engineering field through continuing professional development and lifelong learning.
5. Maintain an environment in which undergraduates may carry out fundamental and applied research and that encourages the pursuit of postgraduate study.

Measurable Program Outcomes

The civil engineering program educational objectives are formulated to produce 15 core outcomes, some comprised of multiple components. The desired outcomes are as follows:

1. Graduates can solve problems in mathematics through differential equations, basic sciences (physics, geologic science, and chemistry), engineering sciences (probability and statistics), and engineering economics.
2. Graduates can solve problems through independent and group study, design a system or components, construct and document problem statements, and evaluate alternative solutions considering technical and non-technical constraints.
3. Graduates can design and conduct experiments in various basic sciences and engineering disciplines; analyze, interpret, and present data; and relate theoretical concepts with experimental results.
4. Graduates can communicate effectively in written and graphical form, and can give presentations appropriate to the situation and audience.
5. Graduates can function effectively on a multidisciplinary team and participate in the development and implementation of ideas
6. Graduates can apply current tools and techniques in solving engineering problems.
7. Graduates can analyze situations of conflicting interests using principles of ethical and professional conduct in providing for safety and health in engineering practice.
8. Graduates can determine global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts related to engineering practice based on contemporary issues in social sciences, humanities, and arts.
9. Graduates can solve problems in structural, geotechnical, transportation, environmental, and water resources engineering. Additionally, graduates can conduct engineering design in two technical areas.
10. Graduates are aware of the process involved in obtaining professional licensure and take the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination prior to graduation.
11. Graduates demonstrate that they can learn on their own and recognize the need for lifelong learning in the practice of the civil engineering profession.
12. Graduates had opportunities to participate in undergraduate research projects and scholarly activities in order to encourage post-graduate education.
13. Graduates can explain management principles in engineering design projects.
14. Graduates can explain key concepts in business, public policy, and public administration related to engineering design projects.
15. Graduates can explain the importance of leadership and professional attitudes associated with participation in engineering service activities.

Technical Areas:

The CEE Department has developed four required technical areas. The areas and the required course work in each respective area are:

1. Environmental/Water Resources Engineering — ME 242, CEE 367, CEE 413, CEE 450.
2. Geotechnical Engineering — CEE 334, CEE 346.
3. Structural Engineering — CEE 241, CEE 346, CEE 370, CEE 381, CEE 480.
4. Transportation Engineering — CEE 121, CEE 346, CEE 362.

Additionally, four technical elective courses are required in at least two technical areas, with a minimum of two courses in one area. The technical electives available in each technical area are:

1. Environmental/Water Resources Engineering — CEE 404, CEE 406, CEE 407, CEE 451, CEE 452, CEE 454, CEE 455.
2. Geotechnical Engineering — CEE 410, CEE 432, CEE 434, CEE 435, CEE 436.
3. Structural Engineering — CEE 410, CEE 444, CEE 476, CEE 477, CEE 478, CEE 482.
4. Transportation Engineering — CEE 410, CEE 463, CEE 464, CEE 466, CEE 467.

In addition to the courses identified above, students may take other elective courses such as computer applications, project management, construction engineering, and others.

Admission to the Major

General admission follows college requirements. Students transferring from other universities or from other colleges within UNLV who have GPAs of between 2.00 and 2.50 will be admitted on probation and considered to be pre-major students. Admission and transfer policies are described in the College of Engineering section.
 

Department Policies

1. Regardless of catalog of graduation, students must satisfy prerequisite and corequisite course requirements as specified in the most recent Undergraduate Catalog.
2. All required and elective courses in engineering, mathematics, science, business, computer science, and English must be completed with a grade of C or better. Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better before taking the next course.
3. Students must complete all pre-major courses before promotion to advanced standing. Promotion to advanced standing requires a minimum GPA of 2.00 and a grade of C or better in all courses specified in No. 2 above.
4. All Civil Engineering majors must take the Discipline—Specific Fundamentals of Engineering Examination in Civil Engineering within one year prior to anticipated date of graduation. A good-faith effort on the exam is required. Students must register for CEE 499, zero credits, during the semester in which they plan to take the examination.
5. Civil Engineering students should register for CEE 497/498, Senior design I and II, in their last two semesters prior to anticipated date of graduation. To verify eligibility and permit registration for Senior Design I, students must submit a completed graduation application prior to the start of instruction in their penultimate semester.

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