Program Overview
Civil engineers design, build, and preserve the built fabric of our society including roads, bridges, buildings, drinking water and energy systems, waterways and ports, airports and the infrastructure for a cleaner environment. Civil engineering is an exciting profession because you get to see the products of your design, whether it is a high-rise building, a bridge, a dam, a roundabout, a canal or a wind turbine, to name a few. Civil engineers may work in the private sector at consulting firms or in the public sector for local, state or federal government in jobs that involve being outside, hands-on construction and monitoring, computer-aided analysis and design. A civil engineering degree also provides a great foundation to build other careers such as management, public administration, teaching, law and medicine.
An engaging and well-rounded curriculum
Civil Engineering students at UVM begin their education by acquiring a common base of knowledge in mathematics, sciences and engineering, and then progressively learn to analyze and design sustainable civil engineering systems. The degree culminates in a two semesters-long capstone design experience in the senior year, which is typically a service-learning project in collaboration with a community partner. The degree intentionally requires a relatively small number of required courses allowing students to pursue technical electives to their liking in the senior year in structural engineering and materials, geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering, transportation engineering, and environmental and water resources engineering. The civil engineering degree as a whole has UVM’s Sustainability Designation. Students can take courses in arts, languages, community development, business and other areas as part of the general education component. The degree program includes nine courses with hands-on laboratories and most technical electives are project-based. The curriculum allows opportunities for picking up a minor, co-op and/or study abroad experiences, or an accelerated Master’s degree.
Program Educational Objectives
The educational objectives of UVM’s Civil Engineering program are to provide our graduates with disciplinary breadth and depth to fulfill complex professional and societal expectations by:
- pursuing careers as practicing engineers or using their program knowledge in a wide range of other professional, educational and service activities.
- assuming leadership roles and seeking continuous professional development.
- contributing to their profession and society while appreciating the importance of ethical and sustainable practices, diversity, and inclusion.
