Academics
University, College, and Accreditation Requirements
The general education and engineering science, are chosen to meet the interests of the student, the requirements of the University, and ABET, the national Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology. ABET requires that all civil engineers have both depth and breadth in their general education. The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) has designed a variety of two course sequences that will satisfy both the University's general education requirements and the ABET depth and breadth requirement. The current and complete list of these courses appears in the UNH Undergraduate Catalog. There are other course sequences that might also satisfy this ABET requirement and a student can petition the CEPS Dean's Office to substitute a different pair of general education courses.
ABET also requires each civil engineering student to take an engineering science elective. The engineering science elective is a course taken from an engineering department other than civil engineering. Students must have the proper prerequisites for the course they select. A complete and current list of the engineering science electives are available from the Civil Engineering Department. General education requirements are listed in the UNH Undergraduate Catalog.
Requirements for a BS in Civil Engineering
The first two years of the program provide the necessary technical knowled
ge in mathematics, chemistry, and physics, while introducing and developing problem-solving techniques in seven courses tailored to civil engineering students. The junior year provides courses in each of the civil engineering sub-disciplines, providing students with skills in each and allowing students to determine which they wish to pursue further. The senior year is flexible, allowing students to choose where to focus attention by selecting from more than thirty elective courses in civil and environmental engineering.
The required curriculum includes eight writing-intensive courses, thereby not only satisfying but exceeding the University’s writing requirement. (See University Academic Requirements.)
Electives
Approximately one-third of the major’s total credits and more than half of the senior-level courses are elected by the student. Of these, there are Discovery Program electives required by the University and other electives required by the department in order to satisfy departmental objectives and accreditation requirements.
The Discovery Program is described in University Academic Requirements. Courses required by the civil engineering major fulfill requirements in Inquiry (CIE 402); Writing Skills (ENGL 401); Quantitative Reasoning (MATH 425); Physical Sciences (PHYS 407); Laboratory Coursework (PHYS 407); Environment, Technology, and Society (CIE 402); and a Senior Capstone Experience (CIE 784/788). Therefore, students select electives to satisfy Discovery requirements in Biological Science, Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities, Historical Perspectives, World Cultures, and Social Science.
Civil engineering majors wishing to participate in exchange programs must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better in all MATH, PHYS, CHEM, CIE, and ENE courses taken to date at the end of each of the second and third semesters prior to their exchange semester.
In the senior year, students take four courses specific to civil engineering sub-disciplines, and a senior technical elective. Students can use these electives to focus on a particular civil engineering area or can acquire a broader perspective by taking courses in a variety of areas. At least one of these four elective courses must qualify also as a civil engineering design elective, and no more than three courses may be taken in one sub-discipline. Lists of courses that fulfill these electives are available from the department.
Additional program policies and requirements
1. To transfer into the civil engineering major, a student must have the following:
a. an overall grade point average of 2.33 or greater;
b. an overall grade point average of 2.33 or greater for all CIE and ENE courses taken to-date;
c. a grade point average of 2.33 in courses taken to-date of MATH 425, PHYS 407, CHEM 405 or CHEM 403, CIE 525 or ME 525, and CIE 526 or ME 526;
d. a minimum grade of C+ in courses taken to-date of CIE 525 and CIE 526.
2. Students who are transferring into the civil engineering major may only transfer in the following:
a. a maximum of 20 credits for CIE and ENE 600- and 700-level coursework,
b. CIE and ENE 600- and 700-level courses in which the student has received a grade of C- or better.
3. To continue as a civil engineering major, a student must adhere to the following restrictions:
a. a maximum of two CIE or ENE courses may be repeated (though each of these may be repeated more than once),
b. a semester grade-point average lower than 2.0 may be earned for a maximum of two consecutive semesters,
c. a cumulative grade-point average of less than 2.0 for CIE and ENE courses may be earned for a maximum of any two semesters.
4. CIE and ENE 600- and 700-level courses are intended for CIE and ENE majors only. All others may enroll in these courses only with the permission of the instructor, but others may take no more than 20 credits of these courses.
5. To enter the required 600-level courses in the junior year, students must achieve the following:
a. the completion of CIE 525, CIE 526, MATH 425, PHYS 407, and CHEM 405 or CHEM 403,
b. an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or greater for these courses,
c. a grade of C or better in each of CIE 525 and CIE 526 (ABET Grading Rubric).
6. To graduate with a bachelor of science in civil engineering, a student must achieve the following:
a. 130 or more credits,
b. credit for the civil engineering program’s major and elective courses,
c. satisfaction of the University’s Discovery Program requirements,
d. satisfaction of the University’s writing intensive course requirements,
e. a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or better for all courses,
f. a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or better for all CIE and ENE courses.
The following schedule is the suggested program of study for civil engineering students. This schedule subscribes to the guidelines of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The department has been continuously accredited by ABET since the early part of this century. The program also provides the flexibility for majors to elect roughly one third of the total credits required for graduation.
Example Schedule for BS in Civil Engineering:
The following example schedules are available in printable PDF format:
Year Enrolled: 2013-2014
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