Civil & Environmental Engineering
Program Chart (PDF)
Department Web Site
T. El-Korchi, Head
Professors: T. El-Korchi, F. L. Hart, J. C. O'Shaughnessy, M. Ray
Associate Professors: L. D. Albano, J. Bergendahl, P. Jayachandran, R. Mallick, P. P. Mathisen, R. Pietroforte, J. D. Plummer, G. F. Salazar
Assistant Professor: M. Tao
Adjunct Faculty: J. Hall, L. Malloy
Emeritus Profesors: F. DeFalco, R. Fitzgerald
Mission Statement
The Civil Engineering program at WPI prepares graduates for careers in civil engineering, emphasizing professional practice, civic contributions, and leadership, sustained by active life-long learning. The curriculum combines a project based learning environment with a broad background in the fundamental principles of civil engineering. Students have the flexibility to explore various civil engineering disciplines and career opportunities.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates a few years out of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Program should:
- be global citizens and stewards for the planet with an appreciation for the interrelationships between basic knowledge, technology, and society, while solving the challenges facing civil engineers in the 21st century.
- be able to apply the fundamental principles of mathematics, science and engineering to analyze and solve problems and to produce creative sustainable design.
- have the ability to engage in life-long learning, enhance their technical skills through graduate studies and continuing education, and through relevant experience.
- exhibit leadership in the civil engineering profession, be engaged in professional societies, demonstrate understanding of ethical responsibility, and have a professional demeanor necessary for a successful civil engineering career.
Program Outcomes
- Preparation for engineering practice, including the technical, professional, and ethical components.
- Preparation for the future changes in civil engineering.
- A solid understanding of the basic principles of civil engineering.
- An understanding of appropriate scientific concepts, and an ability to apply them to civil engineering.
- An understanding of the engineering design process and an ability to perform engineering design, which includes the multidisciplinary aspects of the engineering design process, the need for collaboration and communications skills, plus the importance of cost and time management.
- Demonstration of an ability to set up experiments, gather and analyze data, and apply the data to practical engineering problems.
- Demonstration of in-depth understanding of at least one subarea within civil engineering.
- Understanding of options for careers and further education, and the educational preparation necessary to pursue those options.
- An ability to learn independently.
- The broad education envisioned by the WPI Plan, and described by the Goal and Mission of WPI.
- An understanding of civil engineering profession in a societal and global context.
Program Distribution Requirements for the Civil Engineering Major
The normal period of undergraduate residency at WPI is 16 terms. In addition to the WPI requirements applicable to all students, students wishing to receive the ABET accredited degree designated "Civil Engineering" must satisfy certain distribution units of study in the areas of mathematics, basic science, and engineering science and design as follows:
| Requirements | Minimum Units |
|---|---|
| 1. 1. Mathematics and Basic Science (Notes 1,2). | 4 |
| 2. Engineering Science and Design (including the MQP) (Note 3,4,5,6). | 6 |
Notes:
- Mathematics must include differential and integral calculus, differential equations, and probability and statistics.
- Must include at least one course in physics, two courses in chemistry, and one course in an additional science area.
- A minimum of 4 units of work must be within the Civil Engineering area. All CE courses including the MQP, ES 2503, ES 2800, and ES 3004 are acceptable within the Civil Engineering area.
- The curriculum must include at least one engineering science course outside the major discipline area. Courses acceptable to satisfy the requirement of outside-of-discipline course are those taught in other engineering departments. The course must be 2000-level or above and cannot include ES 2501, ES 2502, ES 2503, ES 2800, and ES 3004.
- All students are required to include an appropriate laboratory experience as part of their overall program. This experience can be met by the completion of two undergraduate CE lab courses, selected from among the following: CE 2020, CE 3024, CE 3026, CE 4046, CE 4054, and CE 4060. Alternately, an appropriate laboratory experience could also be accomplished by a student through careful planning of course, project and laboratory work and approval by petition through the Department Program Review Committee.
- Must include 1/3 unit of Capstone Design Experience.
Program Development and Course Selection
Students must meet distribution requirements for the Civil Engineering major; however, no unique courses are specifically required. Students should consult with their academic advisor to develop a program of study that meets WPI and ABET requirements. In addition, students should achieve breadth across the civil engineering discipline by taking courses in at least four subareas, depth within subareas of interest, and an understanding of the civil engineering profession. Lastly, a concentration in the environmental subarea is available. The program chart can aid students in developing their plan of study.
Subareas of Civil Engineering
Civil and environmental engineers plan, design, build and maintain the facilities that are paramount to modern society - facilities that provide for a high quality of life. These include buildings, transportation systems, waterways, and water and wastewater treatment systems, to name a few. Today, these facilities are designed using modern information systems and the principles of sustainability. Several subareas of civil and environmental engineering are available for study. Students are encouraged to take courses in multiple areas and develop an understanding for the interrelationships between these subareas that are involved in most civil engineering problems.
Structural and Geotechnical Engineering
(L. Albano, T. El-Korchi, P. Jayachandran, R. Mallick, M. Ray, M. Tao)
The practice of structural engineering involves the analysis and design of buildings, bridges and other components of our infrastructure. An understanding of mechanics and the engineering properties of construction materials serves as a foundation for study in this area. Geotechnical engineering focuses on the engineering behavior of earth materials. The design, analysis and construction of subsurface facilities includes a broad array of applications - including building foundations, pavement subgrades, tunnels, dams, landfills, and groundwater development.
Environmental Engineering
(J. Bergendahl, F. Hart, P. Mathisen, J. O'Shaughnessy, J. Plummer)
Environmental engineering involves protection of natural ecosystems as well as protection of public health. The practicing environmental engineer is concerned with planning, design, construction, operation and regulation of water quality control systems related to water supply and treatment, wastewater collection and treatment, and water resources protection. The environmental engineer is also concerned with hazardous waste remediation, pollutant migration and modeling, solid waste management, public health, radiological health, and air pollution control.
Transportation Engineering
(T. El-Korchi, R. Mallick, M. Ray, M. Tao)
Transportation engineers focus on the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. In particular, transportation engineers plan, design, construct, and operate highways and other facilities, such as transit systems, railways, and airports. The transportation infrastructure in the U.S. plays an important role in commerce, and the development of systems to carry large volumes of traffic safely and securely is important. Thus, the transportation engineer is concerned with roadway development, pavement engineering, drainage systems, traffic engineering, roadside safety, and travel demand modeling.
Urban and Environmental Planning
(P. Mathisen, J. Plummer)
The Urban and Environmental Planning area involves evaluating relationships between community development and both the natural and built environment. Planners seek to improve the quality of life in communities, with particular emphasis on environmentally conscious and sustainable solutions. Through the analysis and presentation of relevant data, planners inform and guide the public decision-making process while balancing economic, political, environmental, and social concerns. By exploring methods in community master planning, environmental impact analysis, growth management, and land use regulation, students can develop a comprehensive understanding of the framework within which civil engineers address urban and environmental planning problems.
Construction Engineering and Project Management
(L. Albano, R. Pietroforte, G. Salazar)
The construction engineering and project management subarea is directed to students whose interests lie in the design and construction engineering process but who are also concerned with engineering economics, social science, management, business, labor and legal relations, and the interaction of governmental and private interests as they relate to major construction projects. Engineers in this subarea plan, estimate, schedule and manage the construction of engineered facilities using modern tools - including information technologies and control systems.
Environmental Concentration
Civil Engineering majors may choose to focus their studies by obtaining an Environmental concentration. An Environmental concentration in the CEE Department focuses on the planning, design, construction, operation and regulation of water quality control systems related to water supply and waste treatment. Additional areas of focus include hydrology, hydraulics, water resources, solid and hazardous waste management, waste minimization, public health and air pollution control.
Students electing to pursue the Environmental concentration follow a general curriculum in Civil Engineering, with emphasis on the environmental engineering subarea. Such preparation leads to an ABET accredited degree, and is an excellent start for entry-level professional placement or graduate study in environmental engineering.
The Environmental concentration is earned by completing six courses from the following list (or alternate courses through petition) plus an MQP in the environmental area. Typical MQPs include the analysis and design of innovative water and wastewater treatment systems, water quality monitoring and pollutant control, water resources analysis and groundwater studies.
CE 3059 Environmental Engineering
CE 3060 Water Treatment
CE 3061 Wastewater Treatment
CE 3062 Hydraulics
CE 3070 Urban and Environmental Planning
CE 3074 Environmental Analysis
CE 4060 Environmental Engineering Laboratory
CE 4061 Hydrology
CE 4071 Land Use Development & Controls
CE 4600 Hazardous and Industrial Waste Management
CHE 3201 Kinetics and Reactor Design
CHE 3920 Air Quality Management
Projects
A great variety of projects are available to civil and environmental engineering students. Students may select project topics which are related to their subarea of emphasis, or may develop interdisciplinary projects that incorporate multiple subareas. Projects exemplify the type of work students will encounter in their post-graduate pursuits. Project activities can include a combination of design, construction planning, sponsored research, laboratory investigations, field work, and internship activities with governmental agencies and private industry. Students should plan their Major Qualifying Project activity during the junior year, in consultation with a faculty advisor. The MQP should include analysis of a comprehensive civil engineering problem, consideration of alternative solutions, and optimization of a solution. A major objective of the MQP is the development of sound engineering judgment, incorporating engineering economics and social factors into problem solving.
Each civil engineering student must complete a capstone design experience which draws on past course work, involves significant engineering design, and relates to the practice of civil engineering. Normally, this is accomplished as part of the MQP. At the time of registration for the MQP, the project advisor indicates whether the project meets the capstone requirement. If not, the advisor will provide an additional 1/3 unit of capstone design (not MQP) work to meet the requirement. Alternatively, another MQP which meets the requirement could be selected.
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
The first step to becoming a licensed professional engineer is passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. Licensure is used to ensure public safety by requiring practicing consultants to demonstrate their qualifications based on education, experience, and examinations, including the FE exam. Engineers who attain licensure enjoy career benefits that allow them to offer consulting services and rise to positions of responsibility. All Civil Engineering majors are strongly encouraged to take the FE exam during their senior year. The exam is offered in October and April each year.
Combined Bachelor/Master's Program
Continued studies beyond the bachelor's degree are valuable for career advancement and professional engineering licensure. Combined Bachelor/Master's degree programs offer the advantage of double-counting up to four courses for both the Bachelor's and Master's degree requirements. Programs leading to the Master of Science and Master of Engineering are available. Students should consult with their academic advisor to discuss program options, admission requirements, and course planning.
