Civil & Environmental Engineering

Introduction

The goal of Bucknell's civil and environmental engineering program is to provide students with the educational background they'll need for their first job in engineering, yet also give them the foresight they'll need for their last engineering position. The curriculum offers courses to undergraduates in a wide range of areas, including environmental engineering and wastes treatment, transportation systems, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, and structural engineering. The program strikes a balance between modern computer applications and traditional "hands-on" engineering. News media continually report that the nation's infrastructure -- highways, ports, roads, bridges, dams, airports, public buildings, mass transit, railroads, and water management -- is in need of extensive repair and modernization. Furthermore, many countries in the world are expected to expand construction. In short, the outlook is good for the future of civil and environmental engineering. As highly skilled professionals, engineers will be in demand to plan, design, construct, and assist in the operation and maintenance of transportation systems, water resources, environmental protection systems and urban development.

Civil Engineering Program Educational Objectives

The Civil Engineering Program seeks to prepare students to be successful professionals recognized for their:  

  1. Critical thinking and problem solving based on a fundamental knowledge of humanities, social sciences, mathematics, science, engineering science and a broad range of civil engineering technical areas;
  2. Consideration of global and societal concerns, ethics, and sustainability when making engineering decisions;
  3. Leadership and effective communication;
  4. Civic engagement and contributions to society; and
  5. Pursuit of lifelong learning and professional development.

Bucknell Civil Engineering Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Civil Engineering Program:

  1. Can apply calculus-based physics, chemistry, mathematics through differential equations, and one additional area of science1 to solve problems.
  2. Can design2 a civil engineering experiment to meet a need, conduct the experiment, and analyze and interpret the results
  3. Can design3 components, systems or processes in more than one civil engineering technical area4 to meet desired needs, within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, constructability, and sustainability
  4. Can function effectively5 as a member of a multidisciplinary team6
  5. Can formulate and solve engineering problems in the environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources areas, using appropriate skills, techniques, and/or software
  6. Can apply standards of professional and ethical responsibility in a relatively clear-cut situation, to determine an appropriate course of action.
  7. Can organize and deliver effective verbal, written, and graphical communications7
  8. Drawing upon a broad education, can determine the likely global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts of a specific, relatively constrained engineering solution
  9. Demonstrate the ability to learn on their own, without the aid of formal instruction
  10. Can incorporate specific contemporary issues8 into the identification, formulation, and solution of a specific engineering problem
  11. Can explain the basic concepts of management, business, public policy, and leadership, and the importance of professional licensure

1The additional area should be Geology and/or biology
2Experiment design could include the selection and application of appropriate published testing standards to meet a given need.
3Design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.  It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and the engineering sciences are applied to convert resources effectively to meet these stated needs.
4Civil Engineering technical areas are Environmental, geotechnical, structures, transportation, and water resources engineering.
5To function effectively, a team member must interact constructively with the team in defining and working toward a goal.
6A multidisciplinary team is one consisting of members focusing on more than one discipline.  Different technical areas within civil engineering are considered multidisciplinary.
7Effective communication requires that students:  a) Identify and consider the audience; b) Provide factually correct  technical content and appropriate evidence or support; c) Organize content effectively and present it clearly, using appropriate style guidelines for graphs, figures, tables, equations, and references; and d) Communicate content with appropriate vocabulary, grammar, spelling, usage, and style.
8A contemporary issue is any current issue or topic that has an impact on a project.