Do you think you want to be a civil engineer? Have you started doing your homework to see just what this career path is about? As a civil engineer you will spend the majority of your time designing and supervising a variety of construction projects. For instance, you may find yourself working with dams, railroads, roads, airports, channels, and bridges. You can also expect to be responsible for addressing personnel needs, taking care of the materials needed for a particular job, estimating costs, preparing proposals, and establishing completion dates for a project. Look into any of the civil engineering schools below to begin your research. To become a civil engineer you can choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in civil engineering or a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. Although both degrees will qualify you to work in this field, there are a couple of notable differences. First, a Bachelor of Arts degree program will incorporate elements of the liberal arts into the engineering curriculum, while a Bachelor of Science degree program will have little to no arts related courses. A second difference to take note of is that a Bachelor of Arts program in civil engineering is not accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, while a Bachelor of Science degree program is.
As you begin working on your major specific courses, you can expect to complete an introductory class in civil engineering. This course will provide you with the essential skills that you will need to finish your degree program. Within this class you can expect to study professional ethics, common approaches to civil engineering projects, and general civil engineering theories and applications. At this level you will also get an introduction to hydrology, fluid mechanics, materials analysis, environmental impacts, project design and management, and sustainable design. After successfully completing your general education requirements and your introductory civil engineering course you can expect to be required to complete more advanced level classes like the fundamentals of fluid mechanics, hydrology for civil engineers, civil engineering with steel, common material strength, engineering with concrete, and civil engineering for transportation systems. Take a few minutes and check out the schools listed on our site to see if any appeal to you. If you find some that interest you, request that they send you a free information packet detailing their educational offerings in regards to your career goals. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering it may also be feasible for you to seek employment as a construction project manager, as an architect, as a landscape architect, or as a civil engineering technician. Keep in mind, your level of education will influence the available jobs that you have access to. Read our blog to find more civil engineering career information before you get started.