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The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Civil engineering graduates are well prepared for professional work or graduate school in a broad spectrum of engineering activities. The program is balanced, stressing environmental engineering; soil mechanics and foundations; structural analysis and design; surveying and mapping; transportation and traffic engineering; and water resources and hydraulics. The program emphasizes quality undergraduate teaching and active student learning, including extensive use of laboratories and co-curricular activities.

Civil Engineering Program Mission

The civil engineering program prepares graduates for immediate entry into a variety of professional careers and provides a solid undergraduate foundation in general principles enabling continued education at advanced levels.

Civil Engineering Educational Objectives

Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve. Graduates of the civil engineering program will be able to:

  • Secure a professional position in civil engineering and become a licensed engineer.
  • Attend graduate school in civil engineering or a related discipline to achieve a graduate degree in a specialty area.
  • Engage in lifelong learning though formal and informal professional development.
  • Assume management or leadership roles in their respective organization.
  • Contribute to society through involvement in service activity.

Civil Engineering Program Learning Outcomes

Program outcomes are narrower statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. Students completing the civil engineering program must demonstrate the following:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Civil Engineering Design Experience

The civil engineering program provides an essential balance of engineering science and design. Design content permeates the curriculum, beginning at a fundamental level in the lower division followed by a natural progression to comprehensive design in upper-division courses. Fundamental design problems typically have a unique solution and may involve only a few, simple constraints. Comprehensive design incorporates a multitude of realistic constraints with a variety of possible outcomes commonly referred to as "open-ended" design.

Required courses in the program provide proficiency in civil engineering design, beginning in the first year (CIVL 140 Transportation Planning, Surveying, and Graphics) progressing to advanced design in the third and fourth years (CIVL 415 Reinforced Concrete Design, CIVL 431 Environmental Engineering, CIVL 441 Transportation Engineering, and CIVL 461 Water Resources Engineering), and culminating with comprehensive design in the capstone (e.g., CIVL 561C Hydrology and Open Channel Hydraulics Capstone). This ensures a breadth of design experience that is further enhanced and focused in elective courses.

American Public Works Association Internship Program

The APWA Internship Program provides civil engineering students with valuable real world experiences. Participation in the program is elective but can be used for academic credit towards the degree. While students are responsible for finding their own internship opportunity, the Career Center is an excellent resource for locating companies interested in hiring interns. Additional information is available at the civil engineering department website.

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 128 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Major Academic Plans page or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).

  • Take CMST 131 for Oral Communication (A1)
  • Critical Thinking (A3) is waived.
  • Take only one course in either Arts (C1) or Humanities (C2). The other is waived.
  • CIVL 302W fulfills either Individual and Society (D1) or Societal Institutions (D2).
  • CIVL 495 fulfills Learning for Life (E).
  • CIVL 461 is an approved major course substitution for Upper-Division Natural Sciences.

Accreditation Requirement

Courses must be selected in such a manner as to satisfy the humanities, social science, mathematics, base science, and engineering topics requirements of the ABET, http://www.abet.org. Consult your academic advisor for additional information.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

  • Any upper-division Writing (W) course.

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 103-107 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree.

Enrollment in any mathematics course requires a grade of C- or higher in all prerequisite courses or their transfer equivalents.

Lower-Division Requirements: 48-49 units

13 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready; second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)
Principles of chemistry for students in science and engineering programs. Topics include atoms, molecules and ions, reactions, stoichiometry, the periodic table, bonding, chemical energy, gases, and solution chemistry. The laboratory sequence supports the above topics including both qualitative and quantitative experiments, analysis of data, and error propagation. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (001816)
Introduction to the profession of Civil Engineering and the various sub-disciplines of Civil Engineering. Overview of the professional engineer licensing process. Overview of the CSU, Chico Civil Engineering curriculum and the disciplinary patterns in the curriculum. Discussion of the importance and purpose of both professional societies and graduate education. 3 hours laboratory. Credit/no credit grading. (021141)
Prerequisites: MATH 120 (may be taken concurrently).
Theory and practice in measurement and computation of distances, angles, and areas on the earth's surface. Error of combined measurements analysis. Use of scientific calculator required. 2 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (001484)
Prerequisite: CIVL 130.
This course introduces civil engineering design standards, concepts, and procedures related to transportation engineering and construction management. Topics include the standards and design of horizontal curves, vertical curves, and earthwork related to transportation projects in addition to survey staking, state plane coordinates, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems related to project surveying. The laboratory portion of this course includes the application of 3-dimensional graphic modeling software requiring creativity in design, development of construction plans, and operation of modern surveying equipment, such as total stations and GPS systems. 2 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (021126)
Prerequisites: High school biology and chemistry.
Introduction to biological processes used in environmental engineering analysis and design with emphasis on sustainability. Ecosystem structure and function, population dynamics, biochemical reactions, photosynthesis, microbial ecology, growth and kinetics. Engineering applications in control of communicable disease, aerobic and anaerobic degradation of organic waste, water quality management, drinking water treatment, wastewater and solid waste treatment, biomass energy, phytotechnology, and bioremediation. 2 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (021145)
Prerequisites: MATH 121, PHYS 204A.
Force systems, moments, equilibrium, centroids, and moments of inertia. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (001489)
Prerequisites: CHEM 111, CIVL 175 (may be taken concurrently).
Introduction to environmental engineering and sustainability. Topics covered include: global and local environmental issues; UN's sustainable development goals; engineering in developing communities; life cycle assessment; material and energy balances; pollutant fate and transport; principles of green engineering; and environmental engineering pathways. 3 hours lecture. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021736)
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready; both MATH 118 and MATH 119 (or college equivalent); first-year freshmen who successfully completed trigonometry and precalculus in high school can meet this prerequisite by achieving a score that meets department guidelines on a department administered calculus readiness exam.
Limits and continuity. The derivative and applications to related rates, maxma and minima, and curve sketching. Transcendental functions. An introduction to the definite integral and area. 4 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (005506)
Prerequisite: MATH 120.
The definite integral and applications to area, volume, work, differential equations, etc. Sequences and series, vectors and analytic geometry in 2 and 3-space, polar coordinates, and parametric equations. 4 hours discussion. (005507)
Prerequisites: MATH 121.
First order separable, linear, and exact equations; second order linear equations, Laplace transforms, series solutions at an ordinary point, systems of first order linear equations, and applications. 4 hours discussion. (005509)
Prerequisite: MATH 121. Recommended: PHYS 204A.
A foundation course in technical computing for engineering. Introduces commercial software commonly used in the solution of engineering problems. Application areas include kinematics and kinetics, fluid flow, thermal systems, and machine design. 1 hour lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (021113)
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. Concurrent enrollment in or prior completion of MATH 121 (second semester of calculus) or equivalent.
Vectors, kinematics, particle dynamics, friction, work, energy, power, momentum, dynamics and statics of rigid bodies, oscillations, gravitation, fluids. Calculus used. A grade of C- or higher is required before progressing to either PHYS 204B or PHYS 204C. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (007401)
Prerequisites: MATH 121, PHYS 204A with a grade of C- or higher.
Charge and matter, electric field, Gauss' law, electric potential, capacitors and dielectrics, current and resistance, magnetic field, Ampere's law, Faraday's law of induction, magnetic properties of matter, electromagnetic oscillations and waves. Calculus used. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (007402)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: BIOL 103, BIOL 104, BIOL 151, or SCED 102; CHEM 107, CHEM 108, or CHEM 111.
Introduction to structure/function, metabolism, genetics, ecological interactions and pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms. In addition, the roles of microorganisms in sanitation and in the food and biotechnology industries will be discussed. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (001132)
Prerequisites: CHEM 111 with a grade of C- or better.
A continuation of CHEM 111. Topics include kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, electrochemistry, chemical thermodynamics, coordination chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. The laboratory sequence supports the above topics including both qualitative and quantitative experiments, analysis of data, and error propagation. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (001817)
Prerequisites: High school chemistry or physics is recommended; students with no previous science courses are advised to enroll in GEOS 101. No college credit for those who have passed GEOS 101.
Physical and chemical processes in the earth, including origin and identification of rocks and minerals; earth's interior; movements and major features of the earth's crust; erosion and sedimentation; geological structures; topographic maps; mineral resources. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. This is an approved General Education course. (004069)
Prerequisites: MATH 121, PHYS 204A with a grade of C- or higher.
Temperature, first and second law of thermodynamics, and kinetic theory. Waves in elastic media, standing waves and resonance, and sound. Ray and wave optics, reflection, refraction, lenses, mirrors, diffraction, and polarization. Selected topics in modern physics. Calculus used. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (007403)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: CHEM 111.
The goal of this course is for you to develop an understanding of several types of material behaviors, with emphasis on materials commonly used in the civil engineering profession. Materials studied include wood, steel, concrete, soil, and asphalt paving materials. Technical writing and report formatting are emphasized as well. 2 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. (021735)
Prerequisites: CHEM 107 or CHEM 111, PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A.
Corequisite: MECH 210L for MECA, MECH, and SMFG majors only.
Processing, structure, properties, and performance of engineering materials. Applied knowledge of material properties as engineering design parameters. Advanced manufacturing processes, including microfabrication are discussed. 3 hours discussion. (005402)

Upper-Division Requirements: 55-58 units

9 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: MATH 121, junior standing.
This course provides a foundation for green engineering design through life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis considering economically viable, socially just, and environmentally sustainable solutions (triple bottom line). This course teaches quantitative environmental and economic assessment tools. decision-making strategies, risk, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis. These skills are applied to real-world problems through group projects, emphasizing applied engineering, critical thinking, communication skills and teamwork. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved Writing Course. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. Formerly CIVL 302. (001495)
Prerequisites: CIVL 211 with a grade of C- or higher; MATH 260 (may be taken concurrently); CIVL 212 or MECH 210 (may be taken concurrently).
Strength and elastic properties of materials of construction; tension, compression, shear, and torsion stresses; deflection and deformation; stress analysis of beams and columns. 4 hours discussion. (001491)
Prerequisites: Prerequisites: CIVL 311 with a grade of C- or higher; MECH 208 (may be taken concurrently).
Fundamentals of structural analysis for beams, trusses, and frames. Topics include loading (including seismic), influence lines, approximate analysis methods, deflection analysis, and statically indeterminate structures. Methods applicable to computer analysis are introduced. 3 hours discussion. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001499)
Prerequisites: CIVL 211 with a grade of C- or higher. Recommended: MATH 260, MECH 320 (may be taken concurrently).
Hydrostatics, principles of continuity, work-energy and momentum, viscous effects, dimensional analysis and similitude, flow in closed conduits, drag on objects. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (001496)
Prerequisites: CIVL 321 (may be taken concurrently); ENGL 130W or equivalent.
Soil properties, tests, and classification. Analysis of soil stresses, consolidation, shear strength, lateral pressures, and ground water movement. Related design consideration involving spread footings, piles, retaining walls, and slopes. Use of programmable scientific calculator required. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (001511)
Prerequisites: CIVL 140; CIVL 302 (may be taken concurrently).
Transportation systems and facility planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Pavement design and traffic engineering fundamentals. Laboratory includes field studies, design exercises, and modeling/forecasting tasks. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (001520)
Prerequisites: CIVL 205 or MECH 208; CIVL 321 with a grade of C- or higher.
Water resources engineering covers principles of hydraulics and hydrology relevant to civil engineering applications. Topics include open channel hydraulics, rainfall-runoff predictions, ground water hydraulics, water budget modeling, storm water routing, and urban storm water management. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021142)
Prerequisites: ENGL 130W or equivalent; senior standing.
History of engineering, professional registration, codes of ethics, management issues, diversity, outsourcing, intellectual property, international development and technology transfer, sustainable design. A substantial written project with oral presentation is required. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (003716)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; junior standing.
Corequisites: CIVL 558C, CIVL 561C, CIVL 562C, CIVL 571C, CIVL 575C, or CIVL 586C.
This course provides a broad-based capstone design experience in a coordinated semester long project. In support of the design project, emphasis is placed on fundamentals of technical writing, contracts, and specifications common to many fields of civil engineering. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (021174)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: MATH 121; and one of the following: CINS 110, CSCI 111, MATH 130 (may be taken concurrently), or MATH 230.
Basic concepts of probability and statistics with emphasis on models used in science and technology. Probability models for statistical estimation and hypothesis testing. Confidence limits. One- and two-sample inference, simple regression, one- and two-way analysis of variance. Credit cannot be received for both MATH 314 and MATH 315. 4 hours discussion. (005533)
Prerequisites: MATH 121.
Basic concepts of probability theory, random variables and their distributions, limit theorems, sampling theory, topics in statistical inference, regression, and correlation. 3 hours discussion. (005534)

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: CIVL 231.
Chemical principles applicable to the analysis of natural and engineered water systems including acid base chemistry, precipitation and dissolution, oxidation-reduction, adsorption-desorption, and complexation. 2 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021737)
Prerequisite: CIVL 313.
Application of the material from CIVL 313 to advanced topics in structural analysis, including virtual work, second-order effects, the stiffness method, structural dynamics, and modal analysis. Use of computer software for the analysis of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional structural systems. Investigation of selected topics. 3 hours lecture. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021738)
Prerequisites: CIVL 313. Recommended: CIVL 411.
The analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures and elements by the strength design method. Laboratory includes experiments on concrete, concrete structural elements, and a design project. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. (001514)
Prerequisites: CIVL 231 or faculty permission; junior standing.
Introduction to water quality, water supply, distribution, and drinking water treatment; wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal. Disease transmission; water quality parameters; physical, chemical, and biological processes in the treatment of water, wastewater, and biosolids. 3 hours discussion, 3 hours laboratory. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001529)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: CIVL 211 with a grade of C- or higher, MATH 260.
Kinematics and dynamics of mechanical systems composed of rigid bodies. Moments and products of inertia, forces of interaction, inertia forces and torques. Equations of motion of non-planar systems. 3 hours discussion. (005409)
Prerequisites: PHYS 204A.
Properties of substances, ideal gas equation of state, heat and work, first and second laws of thermodynamics, steady-state analysis of closed and open systems, entropy, gas and vapor power cycles, introduction to renewable energy sources. 3 hours discussion. (005414)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: CIVL 415, CIVL 554, or CIVL 556.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
Earthquake and wind hazard related to the structural design of buildings. Topics include engineering seismology, wind environment and climatology, structural dynamics, structural loading, and design methodologies. Use of computer software for the static and dynamic analysis of three-dimensional building systems. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021175)
Prerequisite: CIVL 461.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
Principles and application of modern hydrology, precipitation, surface-water runoff, and open channel hydraulics. Includes topics in urban hydrology, stormwater controls, and pollution controls. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021246)
Prerequisite: CIVL 461.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
An introduction to modern groundwater hydrology emphasizing quantitative analysis of subsurface flow. Topics include well hydraulics, stream/aquifer interactions, and contaminant transport. Use of modeling tools and techniques is emphasized. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (021177)
Prerequisite: CIVL 431.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
Natural systems for the treatment of wastewater; transmission of excreta-related infections; treatment systems for removal of pathogens; wastewater and biosolids reuse in agriculture and aquaculture. Special emphasis on the problems of developing countries. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021241)
Prerequisite: CIVL 431 or faculty permission.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
An introduction to the handling and management of solid and hazardous wastes. Emphasis on state-of-the-art engineering techniques and contemporary management issues based on social, economic, and legal considerations; risk assessment; case studies. Special emphasis on problems of developing countries. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (021326)
Prerequisite: CIVL 441.
Corequisite: CIVL 595W.
This course presents selected topics in advanced transportation engineering techniques, design, and analysis. These topics cover the advanced technologies in the areas of transportation pavements, transportation materials, traffic engineering, and travel demand modeling. The course is also designed to equip students with practical design oriented experience with comprehensive knowledge learned through previous transportation related courses. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021261)

Students who take the capstone version of a course cannot also receive credit for the non-capstone version of the course.

6 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: CIVL 411, CIVL 415 (may be taken concurrently).
The application of soil mechanics principles to the design of foundations for buildings and earth structures. Integration of structural design and soil response. 3 hours discussion. (001513)
Prerequisite: CIVL 313.
Theory, analysis, and design of steel structural elements and systems using the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method. 3 hours discussion. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001500)
Prerequisites: CIVL 313.
Theory and design procedures for timber structures and their connections to resist gravity and lateral loads. Basic element design by the Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and/or Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) methods are detailed. Also covered is design of floor and roof systems and shear walls. One or two 3-hour field trips required. 3 hours discussion. (001516)
Prerequisites: CIVL 313.
Theory and design procedures for timber structures and their connections to resist gravity and lateral loads. Basic element design by the Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and/or Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) methods are detailed. Also covered is design of floor and roof systems and shear walls. One or two 3-hour field trips required. 3 hours discussion. (020404)
Prerequisite: CIVL 415, CIVL 554, or CIVL 556.
Earthquake and wind hazard related to the structural design of buildings. Topics include engineering seismology, wind environment and climatology, structural dynamics, structural loading, and design methodologies. Use of computer software for the static and dynamic analysis of three-dimensional building systems. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001518)
Prerequisites: CIVL 313, MATH 260. Recommended: Concurrent enrollment in or prior completion of CIVL 415, CIVL 554, CIVL 556.
Earthquake and wind hazard related to the structural design of buildings. Topics include engineering seismology, wind environment and climatology, structural dynamics, structural loading, and design methodologies. Use of computer software for the static and dynamic analysis of three-dimensional building systems. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (020405)
Prerequisites: CIVL 461.
Principles and applications of modern hydrology, precipitation, surface-water runoff, and open channel hydraulics. Includes topics in urban hydrology, stormwater controls and pollution controls. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001526)
Prerequisites: CIVL 461.
An introduction to modern groundwater hydrology emphasizing quantitative analysis of subsurface flow. Topics include well hydraulics, stream/aquifer interactions, and contaminant transport. Use of modeling tools and techniques is emphasized. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001498)
Prerequisites: CIVL 302, CIVL 461.
Quantitative analysis of pressurized pipelines, pipe networks. The course includes analysis of transients in pipeline systems caused by valve movement, pump power failure, etc; design of transient control devices. 3 hours discussion. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (001528)
Prerequisites: CIVL 431 or faculty permission.
Natural systems for the treatment of wastewater; transmission of excreta-related infections; treatment systems for removal of pathogens; wastewater and biosolids reuse in agriculture and aquaculture. Special emphasis on the problems of developing countries. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. (001533)
Prerequisites: CIVL 431 or faculty permission.
An introduction to the handling and management of solid and hazardous wastes. Emphasis on state-of-the-art engineering techniques and contemporary management issues based on social, economic, and legal considerations; risk assessment; case studies. Special emphasis on problems of developing countries. 3 hours discussion. (001536)
Prerequisite: CIVL 441.
This course presents selected topics in advanced transportation engineering techniques, design, and analysis. These topics cover the advanced technologies in the areas of transportation pavements, transportation materials, traffic engineering, and travel demand modeling. The course is also designed to equip students with practical design oriented experience with comprehensive knowledge learned through previous transportation related classes. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (021248)
Prerequisites: CIVL 302 (may be taken concurrently), CIVL 411.
Introduction to construction engineering and management. Cost estimation for contract construction and engineering, including labor, material, equipment, and overhead costs. Construction procedures, equipment and methods; efficient use of excavation and hauling equipment operations. Application of crew balance, process chart and operations research techniques to construction operations. Planning, scheduling, and progress contols of construction operations. One or two three-hour field trips may be required. 3 hours discussion. (001510)
Prerequisites: To be established when courses are formulated.
This course is for special topics offered for 1.0-3.0 units. Typically the topic is offered on a one-time-only basis and may vary from term to term and be different for different sections. See The Class Schedule for the specific topic being offered. 3 hours lecture. (020084)
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
This course is an independent study of special problems offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (020171)

3 units selected from:

Other technical courses chosen from a list approved by the department.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

  • You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
  • You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
  • Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
  • Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
  • Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Honors in Civil Engineering

The common elements of the Honors in the Major program listed above apply to Honors in Civil Engineering. Specific information for this program includes:

1. In addition to meeting the GPA requirements, you must be recommended by a faculty member.

2. Students who are admitted into the department's Honors in the Major program may elect to take any two upper-division civil engineering electives for honors credit. The honors section will be identified on your transcript. The courses are usually spread over two semesters. You must complete them with a minimum grade of B and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall.

3. Each Honors in the Major class will require completion of the course plus an additional honors project and culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

Catalog Cycle:20