Civil engineering graduates qualify for graduate school or professional work in a broad spectrum of engineering activities. The program is well balanced, stressing environmental engineering; engineering mechanics; soil mechanics and foundations; structural analysis and design; surveying and mapping; transportation and traffic engineering; water resources and hydraulics; and construction engineering and management, city planning, and administration.
Program Mission The civil engineering program has two comprehensive objectives: to prepare graduates for immediate entry into a variety of professional careers and to provide a solid undergraduate foundation in general principles enabling continued education at advanced levels.
Educational Objectives The CSU, Chico Civil Engineering program educational objectives are best framed in terms of the following goals for its graduates:
Civil Engineering graduates will be prepared to be effective engineers and problem solvers.
They will be well educated in engineering sciences and proficient in at least four recognized civil engineering areas.
They will be able to effectively use engineering technology that will enhance their productivity.
They will be familiar with applicable regulatory and professional issues.
They will be effective written, technical, and oral communicators, and be able to function effectively as members of multi-disciplinary teams.
They will have an appreciation for the individual, society, good citizenship, community service, ethical conduct, and human heritage, and they will be aware of the impact of their designs on humankind and the environment.
The 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 131 Introduction to Civil Engineering Design) and culminating with comprehensive design in the third and fourth years (CIVL 415 Reinforced Concrete Design, CIVL 431 Environmental Engineering, and CIVL 441 Transportation Engineering). This ensures a breadth of design experience that is then enhanced and focused in elective courses.
College of Engineering, Computer
Science, & Construction Management
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0003
530-898-5963 webmaster@ecst.csuchico.edu
