Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies, BSCE

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Northeastern University

Program Overview

Northeastern University’s Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies, BSCE combines a full civil engineering education with architectural studies, preparing students to address the built environment from both structural and design perspectives. It suits students interested in resilient infrastructure, sustainable buildings, urban development, and the connection between engineering performance and architectural design, with opportunities for co-op experience and preparation for further architectural study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their engineering and scientific foundation through Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering, General Chemistry for Engineers, Physics for Engineering 1, and Cornerstone of Engineering. The four-year sample plan also introduces the mathematical, scientific, writing, and engineering skills needed for later civil engineering and architectural coursework.

Year 2: The program brings engineering and architecture together through Fundamental Architectural Representation, Fundamental Architectural Design, Statics and Solid Mechanics, and Site, Space, Program. Students also develop technical knowledge through Materials for the Built Environment, Structural Analysis, Environmental Engineering: Principles, Technology, and Sustainability, and Energy Systems: Science, Technology, and Sustainability.

Year 3: Students progress into more specialized built-environment subjects including Urban Housing, Environmental Systems, Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics, and Geotechnical Engineering with its laboratory component. The curriculum also includes Modern Architecture, Concrete Structure Design, and a civil engineering technical elective, strengthening the connection between architectural design and structural engineering.

Year 4: The final year focuses on professional application through Senior Design Project—Structural, a civil engineering project elective, a civil engineering technical elective, and two architectural electives. Students can select advanced architectural subjects such as Advanced Architectural Communication, Integrated Building Systems, Design Tactics and Operations, or Option Studio, depending on their academic goals.

Focus Areas: Civil infrastructure, structural engineering, architectural design, built-environment systems, urban development, sustainable and resilient design, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, building technology, architectural history, and integrated engineering-architecture practice.

Learning Outcomes: Design and represent the built environment in two and three dimensions; analyze the relationship between buildings, cities, communities, and global contexts; apply sustainable, resilient, health, safety, and welfare principles; collaborate and communicate on complex projects; understand construction systems and building technologies; conduct research on complex environments; recognize professional practices and regulations; and understand ethical responsibilities in the built environment.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): ABET accredited; the BSCE provides rigorous civil engineering preparation while the architectural component adds design and architectural knowledge. Northeastern states that the combined coursework may also enable advanced placement in an accredited Master of Architecture program, including Northeastern’s, for students who later pursue architectural licensure.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Northeastern reports No. 1 for Co-op/Internships in 2026 and No. 35 among Undergraduate Engineering Schools in 2026 in U.S. News & World Report rankings. Northeastern also reports that 97% of 2024 undergraduate students were employed or enrolled in graduate school within nine months, while 58% received a job offer from a co-op employer. These are university-wide/College of Engineering figures rather than rankings specific to the BSCE Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies major.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Northeastern University’s Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies, BSCE gain hands-on experience by combining structural and civil engineering with architectural design, building systems, and environmental studies. The program includes dedicated engineering laboratories, architectural studios, structural testing facilities, design projects, and Northeastern’s cooperative education model, giving students opportunities to connect technical engineering knowledge with real built-environment projects. The curriculum includes laboratory-based courses such as Materials for the Built Environment, Geotechnical Engineering, and Water Treatment Systems Design, along with a required Senior Design Project—Structural:

Architectural Design Studios: Fundamental Architectural Design and Site, Space, Program provide hands-on architectural design experience, while Advanced Architectural Communication, Integrated Building Systems, and Design Tactics and Operations offer advanced design and building-focused options.
Materials Laboratory: Materials for the Built Environment with Lab gives students practical experience investigating construction materials and their engineering properties. Northeastern’s Soils and Materials Teaching Lab includes ADMET materials-testing machines used to test material strength and mechanical properties.
Geotechnical Laboratory: Geotechnical Engineering with Lab provides practical laboratory experience related to soils and geotechnical engineering.
Structural Testing: The STReSS Laboratory (Structural Testing of Resilient and Sustainable Systems) supports full-scale testing of buildings, bridges, and structural systems, including a 2,000-square-foot reinforced-concrete strong floor with 416 tie-down anchors.
Structural Research: Students can participate in research examining structural resilience and sustainable systems; Northeastern has highlighted BSCE Architectural Studies students working as research assistants in the STReSS Laboratory.
Senior Design: Senior Design Project—Structural is a required five-credit culminating engineering project, allowing students to integrate structural engineering knowledge into a substantial design experience.
Water Engineering: Students can choose Water Treatment Systems Design with Lab, providing an applied pathway into water-treatment engineering and laboratory work.
Engineering Design: Cornerstone of Engineering courses and engineering design/problem-solving coursework introduce students to applied engineering methods and project-based learning.
Architectural Systems: Environmental Systems and Integrated Building Systems connect architectural design with building performance, environmental conditions, and technical systems.
Co-op: Students have the opportunity to complete cooperative education, gaining professional engineering experience while fulfilling Northeastern’s experiential-learning requirement. The College of Engineering describes co-op as providing professional experience, industry contacts, and career-management skills.
Construction Experience: Northeastern has documented civil engineering co-op experiences involving construction-site inspection, material checking, progress documentation, and coordination with subcontractors, providing a direct example of how students can apply classroom knowledge in industry.
EXP Facility: EXP is an eight-story, 357,000-square-foot interdisciplinary facility with teaching and research laboratories, computational research space, and approximately 15,000 square feet of makerspace for prototyping and project development.
Interdisciplinary Learning: The combined major itself brings together Northeastern’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and School of Architecture, allowing students to approach buildings and infrastructure from both structural-engineering and architectural-design perspectives.

Progression & Future Opportunities

For students combining engineering with architectural design, Northeastern’s Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies, BSCE can lead to careers across structural/civil engineering, building design, construction, infrastructure, and the broader built environment. The program combines an ABET-accredited civil engineering degree with architectural studies, while Northeastern’s co-op model gives students opportunities to apply their engineering and design knowledge in professional settings before graduation.

Typical Career Roles: Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Construction Engineer, Architectural/Building Design Specialist

Co-op Experience: Students typically gain six months of professional experience through Northeastern’s co-op program, with dedicated co-op coordinators supporting the search, employer matching, and work experience.
Civil Engineering Employers: Northeastern lists co-op partners including Barletta Engineering Corp., CDM, DN Tanks, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Suffolk Construction, Tetra Tech Rizzo, Turner Construction, and VHB for Civil & Environmental Engineering.
VHB Partnership: VHB has hired Northeastern co-op students for decades, with the university reporting more than 500 co-op students hired and approximately 200 later becoming full-time VHB engineers since the late 1980s.
Career Services: Northeastern’s co-op and career infrastructure connects students with employer partners, professional opportunities, and work experiences in the United States and internationally.
Employment Outcomes: Among Northeastern’s Class of 2025, 92% of full-time employed undergraduates reported jobs related to their major within nine months of graduation.
Overall Graduate Outcomes: Northeastern reports that 96% of graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school within nine months; the university-wide figure covers graduates across programs, not specifically this BSCE.
Salary Information: Northeastern’s latest university-wide salary distribution reports 15.8% earning $60,000–$69,999, 15.8% earning $70,000–$79,999, 11.3% earning $80,000–$89,999, and 13.9% earning $120,000 or more; these figures are across Northeastern graduates rather than specifically Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies graduates.
Professional Accreditation: The civil engineering component is ABET-accredited, providing an important professional foundation for students pursuing civil engineering careers and eventual Professional Engineer licensure. Northeastern states that many graduates pursue PE licensure within a few years of graduation.
Architectural Progression: The architectural studies coursework may provide advanced placement opportunities in an accredited Master of Architecture program, including Northeastern’s, for students who later choose to pursue architectural licensure.
Professional Development: Students can participate in engineering organizations including NUASCE (Northeastern University American Society of Civil Engineers), Chi Epsilon, and Solar Decathlon, extending professional and project-based engagement beyond coursework.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSCE, students can continue into Northeastern’s PlusOne master’s pathways available to Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies students, allowing them to complete a bachelor’s degree followed by a master’s degree. Students interested in architecture can also pursue an accredited Master of Architecture, while those continuing in engineering can pursue graduate study in civil engineering or related fields.