Civil Engineering

Students in Valpo’s college for civil engineering benefit from the many advantages our College of Engineering has to offer, including:

• Accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET
• An exclusive undergraduate program featuring small class sizes
• Comprehensive multi-disciplinary design projects and small laboratory groups that foster teamwork
• Extensive computational and laboratory facilities
• Opportunities for participation in funded undergraduate research programs including summer research
• A reputation for a gender-neutral learning environment
• Cooperative education and internship programs with employment opportunities throughout the U.S.
• A comprehensive program covering five areas of study including environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources with the flexibility to pursue minors such as business administration and humanitarian engineering

Electives

Writing Intensive Course (as indicated by a superscript “w”): At least one course taken to satisfy the World Languages/Diversity Elective, Humanities, Social Science, and Theology Electives, THEO 200:  The Christian Tradition, or CE 213 must be a Writing Intensive Course.  List of approved Writing Intensive Courses

Professional Electives: The professional elective requirement may be met by taking a course from an approved list of courses.  Other choices may be made available by petition to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.  List of approved Professional Electives

Civil Engineering Electives: These nine credits are to be selected from the array of civil engineering electives provided.  Courses which fulfill civil engineering elective requirements are indicated with a superscript “c”: (…)^c.  List of approved Professional Electives

Cooperative Education: Students may request to substitute up to six credits of GE 481 through GE 483 for the Professional and Technical Elective.  All courses are graded S/U only.

Technical Elective: The Technical Elective may be met by taking a course from an approved list of courses.  All courses are graded S/U only.

Science Elective: The Science Elective requirement is met by taking a course from the approved list of courses. List of approved Science Electives

World Language/Diversity Electives: Students will take three credits from either world language courses at the 102 level or above or from the diversity list.  List of approved World Language/Diversity Electives

Humanities, Social Science, Theology Electives: Students may take six credits from the approved list of Humanities courses, Social Science courses, or Theology courses.  Courses may be from the same area or from different areas.  List of approved Humanities, Social Science, Theology Electives

Computer Specifications: When looking for a computer to use for engineering classes, click here for the specifications.

The Civil Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Educational Objectives

Program Educational Objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years of graduation. They are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies. The Program Educational Objectives help to direct and measure the success of the civil engineering program in accomplishing its mission. Review of the Program Educational Objectives is an integral part of the annual assessment process.

Within a few years of graduation, civil engineering alumni will be expected to have:

1. A position within the civil engineering community through which they are able to make a positive contribution to the engineering profession and society as a whole
2. Participated in continuing education activities, such as courses taken for advanced degrees, seminars, workshops, and conferences, demonstrating their commitment to life-long learning
3. Advanced in their profession. Advancement may be demonstrated through achievements such as promotions and licensure.

Student Outcomes

Student Outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program. The Student Outcomes help to direct and measure the success of the civil engineering program in accomplishing its mission. Review of the Student Outcomes is an integral part of the annual assessment process.

The civil and environmental engineering department will demonstrate that graduates from the civil engineering program at Valparaiso University have attained the following outcomes:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Enrollment and Graduation Data

The College of Engineering tracks its enrollment and graduation data, click the link below to view our data over the past five years.