Civil engineering
Civil engineers are designers and builders of many systems that are central to our society's quality of life. The civil engineering profession is one of the oldest and most diverse of the engineering professions.
Civil engineers plan, design, construct, operate, maintain, inspect and manage public facilities. These facilities include bridges, buildings, offshore structures, airports, seaports, railroads, highways, waterways, dams and water treatment plants. Civil engineers work to reduce air, water and soil pollution, develop alternative energy sources and improve congested transportation systems. They also work to prevent or minimize damage due to natural disasters. View our full description
Civil engineering is different from other engineering disciplines in several important ways:
- Every civil engineering project is unique in that it receives individual planning, analysis, design and
performance monitoring.
- Every civil engineering project brings together technical, governmental, legal, financial and social elements.
The primary objective of most of these projects is not to make a profit, but to better serve the public.
The Department of Civil Engineering offers seven areas of specialization, ranging from structural engineering to transportation engineering to water resources engineering, plus a general civil engineering plan.
You'll spend your first two years building a solid foundation in mathematics, science and engineering basics.
In your junior year, you're introduced to the specialty areas and the principles and methods of analysis and design.
In your senior year, you'll decide whether to follow a broad program or specialize and explore that specialty in-depth.
A bachelor's degree in civil engineering provides opportunities in private industry, consulting firms and governmental agencies. Your workplace may be a design office or a construction site.
Graduate study allows further specialization and offers even greater employment opportunities.
Civil engineering at Texas A&M
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