Undergraduate Programs

Welcome

Welcome to the civil and environmental engineering department site devoted to undergraduate students. Our main emphasis is on the future of our students’ education combined with consistently meeting industry needs by developing cutting-edge technology in earthquake and structural engineering, transportation systems, and water resources and environmental systems.

Our philosophy is to create and maintain partnerships with our students, as well as with industry colleagues, to engineer the future at UC Irvine. As an undergraduate student, you will have the opportunity to take classes from world-class scholars, and additionally, you will have the chance to participate in research projects. Students who are interested in the opportunity to collaborate side-by-side with researchers should indicate their interest on their UC Irvine application.

• Major in Civil Engineering

• Major in Environmental Engineering

[Link to the General Catalogue for more information]

Civil Engineering

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Undergraduate Programs
Civil Engineering Mission & Goals

Civil Engineering Mission & Goals

Educational Mission of the Civil Engineering Program

The educational mission of the Civil Engineering undergraduate program is to provide students with an multidisciplinary curriculum that is fundamental, yet broad and flexible, to produce graduates who are well-grounded in mathematical, scientific, and technical knowledge; have the ability to analyze, evaluate, and design civil engineering systems; have the ability to communicate effectively; have had meaningful opportunities for undergraduate research; and who have acquired an understanding and appreciation for global and societal issues and are thus prepared for a career path toward leadership in industry, government, and academia.

Undergraduate Major in Civil Engineering

Program Educational Objectives:


Graduates of the program will (1) be knowledgeable of the historical context, the state-of-the-art, and emerging issues in the field of civil engineering and its role in contemporary society; (2) demonstrate critical reasoning and requisite quantitative skills to identify, formulate, and resolve civil engineering problems, and to create designs that reflect economic, environmental, and social sensitivities; (3) display a systems viewpoint, critical thinking, effective communication and interpersonal skills, a spirit of curiosity, and conduct reflecting a professional and ethical manner; (4) exhibit a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development, involvement in professional activity and public service, and achievement of professional licensure; (5) reflect a broad intellectual training for success in multidisciplinary professional practice, in civil engineering or diverse related careers, and toward achieving leadership roles in industry, government, and academia. (Program educational objectives are those aspects of engineering that help shape the curriculum; achievement of these objectives is a shared responsibility between the student and UCI.)

Program Outcomes for Undergraduate Students in Civil Engineering:

Program outcomes describe what students are expected to know or be able to do by the time of graduation. They relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that student acquire while completing the academic program. Program outcomes are formulated to foster attainment of program objectives. Our graduates are expected to have:

1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics through differential equations; probability and statistics; calculus-based physics; general chemistry; and engineering science in the context of civil engineering applications.
2. An ability to design and conduct laboratory experiments, as well as to critically analyze and interpret data, in two or more recognized major civil engineering areas, such as structures, transportation, water resources, and environmental.
3. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, constructability, and sustainability.
4. An ability to function in multidisciplinary teams.
5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve civil engineering problems in a minimum of four recognized major civil engineering areas.
6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities of civil engineers in relation to public and private institutions and in the context of civil engineering infrastructure systems.
7. An ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
8. A broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
9. A recognition of the need for professional licensure and life-long learning.
10. Knowledge of contemporary issues.
11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for civil engineering practice, and an understanding of professional practice issues such as project management and interactions between the development, design, and construction professions.

Environmental Engineering

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Civil Engineering Mission & Goals
Environmental Engineering Mission & Goals

Environmental Engineering Mission & Goals

Educational Mission of the Environmental Engineering Program

The educational mission of the Environmental Engineering undergraduate program is to prepare students to begin a research or professional practice career path in Environmental Engineering or related discipline by a three-pronged approach: (1) Fundamentals. Provide a strong educational foundation of engineering fundamentals (mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering sciences), (2) Environmental Topics. Introduce students to land, air, and water resources; physical, chemical, and biological entities and processes important to these resources; and the legal, social, ecological, and economic frameworks within which these resources must be managed, (3) Analysis and Design. Develop analysis and design skill for land, air, and water resources that build upon Fundamentals and Environmental Topics. 

Undergraduate Major in Environmental Engineering

Program Educational Objectives: Graduates of the program will (1) be knowledgeable of the historical context, the state-of-the-art, and emerging issues in the field of environmental engineering and its role in contemporary society; (2) demonstrate critical reasoning and requisite quantitative skills to identify, formulate, and resolve environmental engineering problems, and to create designs that reflect legal, social, ecological, and economic sensitivities; (3) display a systems viewpoint, critical thinking, effective communication and interpersonal skills, a spirit of curiosity, and conduct reflecting a professional and ethical manner; (4) exhibit a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development in industry, government, and/or academia; (5) recognize the multidisciplinary nature of environmental engineering and the limitations of disciplinary perspectives in the context of environmental analysis, design, engineering, policy, and management. (Program educational objectives are those aspects of engineering that help shape the curriculum; achievement of these objectives is a shared responsibility between the student and UCI.)

Program Outcomes for undergraduate students in Environmental Engineering:

Program outcomes describe what students are expected to know or be able to do by the time of graduation. They relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that student acquire while completing the academic program. Program outcomes are formulated to foster attainment of program objectives. Our graduates are expected to have:

1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics through differential equations, probability and statistics, calculus-based physics, general chemistry, an earth science and biological science relevant to environmental engineering, and fluid mechanics in the context of environmental engineering.
2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data in more than one environmental engineering focus area such as: air, water, land or environmental health.
3. An ability to design an environmental engineering system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, social, ethical, political, constructability, and sustainability.
4. An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems in more than one environmental engineering focus area such as: air, water, land or environmental health.
6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities of environmental engineers in relation to public and private institutions and in the context of environmental systems (e.g., drinking water distribution, waste management, etc).
7. An ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
8. A broad education necessary for understanding the societal and economic impacts of engineering solutions to environmental problems at both regional and global scales.
9. Recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
10. Knowledge of contemporary issues.
11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice, an understanding of the importance of licensure for professional practice, and an introduction to administrative business (planning, contracting, etc.) of professional practice.