06-07 Undergrad Catalog | Civil and Environmental Engineering

A. Woodruff Miller, Chair
368-C CB, (801) 422-2811

Steven E. Benzley, Associate Chair
368-L CB, (801) 422-2811

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology Advisement Center
264 CB, (801) 422-4325
www.et.byu.edu/ce/

Admission to Program

The degree programs in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering carry special enrollment limitations. Please see the college advisement center for specific details.

The Discipline

The BYU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering prepares students for professional involvement in structural, water resources, environmental, geotechnical (soils), and transportation engineering.

Structural engineers analyze and design buildings, bridges, offshore oil platforms, aircraft, and artificial limbs. The engineer applies principles of physics, mathematics, and engineering to develop efficient yet safe designs. Sophisticated computer models are used in these analyses. Materials used by structural engineers include steel, aluminum, concrete, wood, graphite, fiberglass, kevlar, ceramics, and plastics.

Water resource and environmental engineers design pipeline systems, water treatment plants, dams, flood control structures, waste disposal sites, and environmental restoration projects. Computer modeling and analyses are used in design and to forecast storm runoff, flooding, and movement of contaminants in surface and subsurface waters.

Environmental engineers evaluate and reduce pollutants from natural, human, agricultural, and industrial sources to preserve the beauty and quality of air, land, and water.

Geotechnical engineers design structures composed of or located within earth materials, including foundations for buildings and bridges, retaining walls, earth dams, highway embankments, tunnels, and liners for landfills. Field and laboratory tests on soil and rock, along with empirical and computer models, are used to assure safety and economy in design.

Traffic and transportation engineers apply scientific principles to the planning, design, construction, operation, and management of transportation systems, including highways, airports, and mass transit facilities. Transportation engineers are responsible for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods. Computer models and simulations are frequently used by traffic engineers for geometric design and for planning, operating, and managing transportation networks, including intermodal systems. Next to national defense, transportation is the largest sector in the U.S. economy, accounting for approximately 16 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP); many engineers work in this field.

Educational Objectives

The objective of the undergraduate program in civil and environmental engineering is to develop the following attributes in students graduating from the program:

An understanding of fundamental principles of mathematics and science.
An understanding of fundamental engineering science.
An understanding of geotechnical engineering.
An understanding of structural engineering.
An understanding of transportation engineering.
An understanding of water resources and environmental engineering.
The ability to design civil engineering systems and solve open-ended problems.
The ability to communicate ideas effectively.
The ability to use modern engineering tools.
An understanding of professional practice and a commitment to lifelong learning.
An awareness of cultural, societal, political, and environmental issues.
A commitment to serve as professional engineers of integrity and faith.

Career Opportunities

Civil engineers are employed in industry, private consulting, and government. Industries employing many civil and environmental engineers include construction, transportation, aerospace, petroleum, and mining. Many civil engineers enter private consulting practices, and many eventually establish their own firms. The yellow-page directories for major cities generally list many civil, structural, environmental, geotechnical, and transportation engineering firms.

Civil engineers are also employed by national, local, and state governments. Most cities and counties have engineering departments staffed largely by civil engineers. Departments of transportation, environmental protection agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation hire many civil engineers.

Civil engineering may be used as a preprofessional program for careers in architecture, law, and business.

Because civil engineeers design structures that affect public health and safety, licensure as a Professional Engineer is required for most positions. Anecessary prerequisite for licensure is graduation from an accredited engineering program. The civil engineering program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Graduation Requirements

To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following university requirements:

The university core, consisting of requirements in general and religious education (See the University Core section of this catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
A minimum of 120 credit hours
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0

Undergraduate Programs and Degrees

BS Civil Engineering

Students should see the department for help or information concerning the undergraduate programs.

Graduate Programs and Degrees

MS Civil Engineering
PhD Civil Engineering

For more information see the BYU 2006–2007 Graduate Catalog.

General Information

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department requires acceptance into the professional program before taking any 300-level courses. See your advisement center for details.

Qualified students from junior colleges with adequate preengineering programs can normally complete the BS degree in two additional years. Students who transfer into the department from other universities or from other departments at BYU will be placed in the civil and environmental engineering program according to an evaluation of completed work. Prospective transfer students should contact the department as soon as possible so that any variations can be accommodated with a minimum loss of time.

A maximum of 9 credit hours with D grades are allowed in Civil and Environmental Engineering Department classes. Continued enrollment in professional program courses or clearance for graduation will be denied until D credits are reduced to 9 hours or less.

Integrated Master’s Program. Although abundant professional employment is available with a bachelor’s degree, professional opportunities are markedly improved by completing a master’s degree.

At the end of the sophomore year or during the junior year of the civil engineering curriculum, those who have been accepted to the professional program and who desire to obtain a master’s degree in civil engineering (MS) may enter the integrated master’s program. In this program students may work toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees concurrently.

Applicants to the integrated program must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. All credit to be counted toward the master’s degree must carry a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. When students are within 30 credit hours of completing the graduate degree, they must also apply for and be admitted to graduate school.

Professional Engineer Registration. The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department encourages graduates to become Registered Professional Engineers. General qualifications for becoming registered are explained in the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology section of this catalog. This status is vital to engineering practice in the public sector and to much consulting work. The civil and environmental engineering program prepares graduates to successfully complete the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, an important step in becoming registered. Students who wish to strengthen their preparation for the FE exam should select the required engineering science course with this need in mind.