Your Identity at NDSU

DEPARTMENT INFO

What is Civil Engineering?

What is Civil Engineering?
Civil Engineering is considered to be the oldest engineering field. Civil Engineering includes the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the infrastructure that surrounds us and is the underpinning of our society. Our infrastructure includes roads, airports, railroads, buildings, bridges, water and wastewater treatment plants, sewers, drainage, flood control, water supply, landfills, and many other facilities. Most everything civil engineers do affects our daily lives in many ways.

When you get up in the morning and take a shower and brush your teeth, the water comes from a water treatment plant through a network of pipes, designed by civil engineers. The dirty water leaves your house through a sewer and ends up at a wastewater treatment plant designed by civil engineers where it is treated and released to a nearby stream or river. When you go off to school or work, the roads you drive on and bridges you might cross were designed by civil engineers. The inlet drains along the curbs and gutters which carry away rainfall were designed by civil engineers. The structure or skeleton of the building you attend classes in or work in was designed by a civil engineer, as well as its foundation. Even the electricity you use was brought to you over transmission lines, whose towers were designed by civil engineers. The garbage you carried out to the trashcan is transported to a sanitary landfill, which was designed by a civil engineer. There are many more such examples of how civil engineering is involved in our daily lives.

Civil Engineering Subfields
Civil engineering is typically divided into subfields, although most projects involve several of these subfields. Civil engineering subfields include:

If you'd like to find out more about what an engineer working in each of these subfields might do, click on the topic in the list above. Pictures of typical projects are included.

What does it take to be a civil engineer?
In general, engineers are people who enjoy the challenge of solving problems, who like to do things rather than just talk about them. They want to be part of the solution and enjoy working with people as part of a team. For starters, an aptitude for math and science is helpful, but just as important is an ability to work with other people, to speak and write well, and to demonstrate leadership skills. Civil engineers work in teams with other engineers, technicians, and office staff. They may also work with economists, social scientists, geologists, biologists, chemists, and many other professionals. Civil engineers work with the general public to a much greater degree than any other type of engineer. Many projects are publically funded, and require public input, such as meetings and hearings. This means the engineer must learn to clearly communicate technical information to clients and the general public, learn to think on their feet, and keep their cool under pressure.

Where do civil engineers work?
Most civil engineers work for consulting firms (which design projects and produce plans and specifications for building them) or government agencies (ranging from cities to the federal government). Some might join the military or work for manufacturers (such as pump, pipe, or steel building manufacturers). When first starting out, most civil engineers work on design, but generally as they gain more responsibility, they manage projects and do little engineering design. Other areas in which civil engineers work include sales, teaching, and research. To see where NDSU graduates have taken jobs, click here.

	Civil Engineering



SERVICES	DEPARTMENT FACULTY & STAFF STUDENTS RESEARCH T²CENTER ALUMNI

DEPARTMENT INFO Vision Mission Educational Objectives & Outcomes ABET Programs & Factsheets What is Civil Engineering ? Laboratories High School Students Women Engineers Advisory Committee Newsletters	What is Civil Engineering? What is civil engineering? Civil Engineering subfields What does it take to be a civil engineer? Where do civil engineers work? What is Civil Engineering? Civil Engineering is considered to be the oldest engineering field. Civil Engineering includes the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the infrastructure that surrounds us and is the underpinning of our society. Our infrastructure includes roads, airports, railroads, buildings, bridges, water and wastewater treatment plants, sewers, drainage, flood control, water supply, landfills, and many other facilities. Most everything civil engineers do affects our daily lives in many ways. When you get up in the morning and take a shower and brush your teeth, the water comes from a water treatment plant through a network of pipes, designed by civil engineers. The dirty water leaves your house through a sewer and ends up at a wastewater treatment plant designed by civil engineers where it is treated and released to a nearby stream or river. When you go off to school or work, the roads you drive on and bridges you might cross were designed by civil engineers. The inlet drains along the curbs and gutters which carry away rainfall were designed by civil engineers. The structure or skeleton of the building you attend classes in or work in was designed by a civil engineer, as well as its foundation. Even the electricity you use was brought to you over transmission lines, whose towers were designed by civil engineers. The garbage you carried out to the trashcan is transported to a sanitary landfill, which was designed by a civil engineer. There are many more such examples of how civil engineering is involved in our daily lives. Civil Engineering Subfields Civil engineering is typically divided into subfields, although most projects involve several of these subfields. Civil engineering subfields include: structural engineering water resources engineering transportation engineering environmental engineering geotechnical engineering If you'd like to find out more about what an engineer working in each of these subfields might do, click on the topic in the list above. Pictures of typical projects are included. What does it take to be a civil engineer? In general, engineers are people who enjoy the challenge of solving problems, who like to do things rather than just talk about them. They want to be part of the solution and enjoy working with people as part of a team. For starters, an aptitude for math and science is helpful, but just as important is an ability to work with other people, to speak and write well, and to demonstrate leadership skills. Civil engineers work in teams with other engineers, technicians, and office staff. They may also work with economists, social scientists, geologists, biologists, chemists, and many other professionals. Civil engineers work with the general public to a much greater degree than any other type of engineer. Many projects are publically funded, and require public input, such as meetings and hearings. This means the engineer must learn to clearly communicate technical information to clients and the general public, learn to think on their feet, and keep their cool under pressure. Where do civil engineers work? Most civil engineers work for consulting firms (which design projects and produce plans and specifications for building them) or government agencies (ranging from cities to the federal government). Some might join the military or work for manufacturers (such as pump, pipe, or steel building manufacturers). When first starting out, most civil engineers work on design, but generally as they gain more responsibility, they manage projects and do little engineering design. Other areas in which civil engineers work include sales, teaching, and research. To see where NDSU graduates have taken jobs, click here. Back to the top of the page
	NDSU HOME CIVIL HOME CEA REGISTRATION & RECORDS GRADUATE SCHOOL NDSU CAMPUS CONNECTION


Department of Civil Engineering (CIE 201) North Dakota State University, 1410 14th Avenue North, Fargo, ND - 58105 Phone: (701)-231-7244 FAX: (701)-231-6185 Email: jan.lofberg@ndsu.edu		Last Updated:Tuesday, September 12 2006.