Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
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Civil Engineering is a profession that applies the basic principles of science in conjunction with mathematical and computational tools to solve problems associated with developing and sustaining civilized life on our planet. Civil Engineering is one of the broadest of the engineering disciplines both in terms of the range of problems that fall within its purview and in the range of knowledge required to solve those problems. Civil engineers plan, design, build, manage and rehabilitate the facilities essential to modern society: homes and work places; transportation systems for commerce and recreation, and water treatment and waste disposal systems for a healthful life. As part of the construction industry, they build bridges, buildings, tunnels, dams, canals, irrigation systems, harbors, highways, airports, water supply systems, and waste disposal facilities. They develop solutions to environmental problems, study new methods to control traffic, and design outer space and under sea structures.
Civil and Environmental Engineering practice encompasses a wide range of specialties, including: construction management, engineering mechanics, environmental engineering, geotechnical and foundation engineering, hydraulics, intelligent transportation systems, irrigation and drainage, materials engineering, structural engineering, surveying and site engineering, urban planning and development, urban transportation, water and wastewater treatment system design, water resources planning and management, hazardous waste site remediation, and waterway, port, coastal and ocean engineering.
Civil engineers work in both the public and private sector. They serve as city, town and state public works and environmental engineers. They own and are employed by consulting firms, construction companies and industries. They are employed by a variety of federal and state agencies such as, the Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Massachusetts Highway Department.
Additional Information:
Business Administration Minor for Civil & Environmental Engineering Majors