Civil and Environmental Engineering
Civil and environmental engineers make a difference. They serve the public by designing a wide variety of infrastructure systems such as dams and waterways, harbors, bridges, buildings, water supply and wastewater systems, highways and airports, tunnels and pipelines, and renewable energy facilities. Civil and environmental engineers also serve as stewards of the natural environment and its resources.
Undergraduate students interested in a career in civil and environmental engineering follow a curriculum that culminates in an ABET-accredited BS degree in civil engineering. Students interested in environmental engineering undertake coursework tailored to this important area of study.
Our mission is to provide our students with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to address the needs of society through design, research and construction, and to instill them with the desire for professionalism, leadership, and lifelong learning.
The goal of the BSCE program with regard to undergraduate education is to produce graduates, who, within a few years of graduation, will demonstrate the following Civil Engineering Program Objectives:
- Engage in the professional practice of civil engineering through work in the public or private sector,
- Actively participate in professional and/or civic organizations,
- Pursue opportunities to assume leadership roles in their professional and/or service activities, and
- Seek to continue their educations through advanced studies in civil or environmental engineering or a related professional discipline, continuing education and/or professional development activities.
At the time of graduation, students completing the BSCE program will be able to demonstrate the following Civil Engineering Program Outcomes:
- An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
- An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
- An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
- An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
- An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
- An ability to communicate effectively;
- The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;
- A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
- A knowledge of contemporary issues; and
- An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Our BSCE curriculum prepare graduates to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation or to pursue graduate studies in civil engineering, environmental engineering, construction engineering and management, or other professional degrees such as medicine or law.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) also offers a civil and environmental engineering doctoral degree (PhD CENE), a civil and environmental engineering MS (MS CENE) and a construction engineering and management MS (MS CEM). Additionally, our faculty and students participate in the interdisciplinary atmospheric and environmental sciences (AES) and materials engineering and science (MES) programs on campus. Our faculty and students are engaged in a wide variety of research projects, ranging from renewable energy and sustainable and advanced materials to environmental impact assessment of abandoned mines and water quality studies. We have a proud tradition of excellence in our programs, and our graduates are highly sought after by employers in a variety of industries across the nation.
Civil and environmental engineers often work on interdisciplinary teams to solve complex system design problems, so a broad background in engineering fundamentals and the natural sciences is essential. Students go on to take courses in a variety of subdisciplinary areas, and may select an emphasis area or choose to take courses in several areas.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering invites you to an exciting discipline in which you will have the opportunity use your creativity, intelligence, problem-solving skills, and the knowledge you gain from coursework to build a better, safer, and more sustainable world!
"One of the best things about the School of Mines is the 'smart' culture. I enjoy school and studying and I fit right in. Even as an undergraduate, I was able to participate in one of the largest research projects at SDSM&T and travel to international conferences. The School of Mines is a great combination of a small school atmosphere with endless opportunities to get involved and succeed."
Tony Kulesa (pictured right)
BSCE ’12; MS Civil and Environmental Engineering, ‘14