Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Carnegie Mellon University

Program Overview

Carnegie Mellon University’s Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering combines a strong foundation in mathematics, science, computing, and engineering with hands-on project work focused on designing and maintaining built environments such as buildings, transportation networks, water systems, and energy infrastructure. The program suits students who want to solve complex engineering challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration, data-driven methods, sustainable design, and practical engineering experience.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build their engineering foundation through courses such as 12-100 Exploring CEE: Infrastructure and Environment in a Changing World, 21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus, and 33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students. The spring semester develops this foundation further through 21-122 Integration and Approximation, 33-142 Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students, and 09-101 Introduction to Experimental Chemistry, alongside general education and introductory engineering study.

Second Year: Students move into core civil engineering concepts through 12-200 CEE Challenges: Design in a Changing World, 12-212 Statics, and 12-233 CEE Infrastructure Systems in Action, while also developing computing skills through 15-110 Principles of Computing. They then progress to 12-231 Solid Mechanics, 12-234 Sensing and Data Acquisition for Engineering Systems, and 12-271 Computation and Data Science for Civil & Environmental Engineering, supported by Experiential Learning I and II.

Third Year: The curriculum becomes increasingly applied through 12-301 CEE Projects: Integrating the Built, Natural and Information Environments, 12-351 Environmental Engineering, and 12-355 Fluid Mechanics, including the hands-on 12-356 Fluid Mechanics Lab. Students also develop advanced technical capabilities through 12-335 Soil Mechanics, 12-371 Advanced Computing and Problem Solving in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and 12-333 Experimental & Sensing Systems Design and Computation for Infrastructure Systems.

Fourth Year: Students bring their engineering knowledge together in 12-401 CEE Design: Imagine, Build, Test, a major design experience that emphasizes applying engineering knowledge to real problems. 12-411 Project Management for Engineering and Construction adds professional project-management skills, while upper-level electives allow students to develop greater depth in their selected civil engineering interests.

Focus areas: Structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, infrastructure systems, transportation, computing in civil engineering, smart cities, materials, environmental systems, and sustainable built environments.

Learning outcomes: Graduates develop the ability to solve complex engineering problems, design solutions considering public health and safety, communicate effectively, work collaboratively in teams, conduct and interpret experiments, recognize professional and ethical responsibilities, and acquire new engineering knowledge.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. Carnegie Mellon notes that graduating from an ABET-accredited engineering program is an important requirement for students pursuing professional engineer licensure, alongside the applicable state testing and work-experience requirements.

Reputation (employability rankings): Carnegie Mellon’s official Civil and Environmental Engineering program page states that the BS in Civil Engineering is ranked #10 by U.S. News & World Report. The department also reports that graduates have gone on to companies including Deloitte, ExxonMobil, Kimley-Horn, and Stantec, demonstrating pathways into engineering, consulting, infrastructure, and industry.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University combines engineering fundamentals with hands-on design, laboratory work, computational methods, and interdisciplinary problem-solving. Students gain practical experience through laboratory courses, design projects, research opportunities, and access to specialized facilities where they can investigate structures, transportation systems, environmental processes, materials, and infrastructure. The program’s curriculum also allows students to connect civil engineering with areas such as robotics, sustainability, computational engineering, and public policy.

Students can build this practical experience through several program-specific opportunities:

Civil Engineering laboratories: Students work with experimental methods and engineering equipment through courses covering areas such as mechanics, materials, fluids, and environmental engineering, developing skills that complement classroom theory.
Structural engineering: The department provides facilities and research environments for structural engineering and materials research, allowing students to investigate structural behavior, materials performance, and infrastructure systems.
Environmental engineering: Students can gain laboratory experience related to water quality, environmental processes, and treatment technologies through CMU’s environmental engineering research facilities.
Transportation engineering: Coursework and projects address transportation systems and infrastructure, giving students opportunities to apply engineering principles to real-world mobility and transportation challenges.
Design projects: Civil engineering students apply their technical knowledge through engineering design work, where they develop solutions to practical infrastructure and built-environment problems rather than relying solely on theoretical coursework.
Computational tools: CMU’s civil engineering curriculum incorporates computational approaches and engineering analysis, preparing students to use mathematical and computational methods for modeling and solving civil engineering problems.
Interdisciplinary opportunities: Through Carnegie Mellon’s broader engineering ecosystem, civil engineering students can connect their studies with areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, sustainability, materials science, and computational engineering, creating opportunities to approach infrastructure challenges from multiple technical perspectives.
Undergraduate research: Students can participate in faculty-led research and work alongside researchers on projects in areas including structures, transportation, environmental engineering, materials, and infrastructure systems.
Project-based learning: Team-based engineering projects allow students to practice collaboration, technical communication, problem-solving, and engineering decision-making while working toward defined design outcomes.
CMU research ecosystem: Students benefit from access to Carnegie Mellon’s interdisciplinary research institutes and engineering facilities, creating opportunities to work beyond the traditional boundaries of civil engineering.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University prepares graduates for careers designing sustainable infrastructure and solving complex challenges across the built, natural, and information environments. The program’s project-based curriculum, interdisciplinary approach, internships, and industry connections can support careers such as Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, and Infrastructure/Project Engineer. Carnegie Mellon reports that 97% of its Class of 2025 Civil & Environmental Engineering graduates were employed or in graduate school six months after graduation, with an average salary of $80,955.

Career development: Students have access to CMU’s Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC), Handshake, career fairs, employer networking, and CEE-specific career support:

Career services: The CPDC supports career exploration, professional development, experiential learning, and employment assistance, while Handshake provides access to job and internship opportunities.
CEE career support: The CEE career consultant helps students identify and pursue internships, and the department holds an annual career fair specifically for civil and environmental engineering students.
Employment outcomes: 97% employed or in graduate school and $80,955 average salary were reported for the Class of 2025, six months after graduation, on CMU’s Civil & Environmental Engineering undergraduate admissions page.
Industry partnerships: CEE’s Industry Partnership Program provides recruitment events, career fairs, networking sessions, Handshake postings, access to the student résumé book, and opportunities for companies to host students. Partners can also engage with CEE research and course projects.
Industry exposure: The annual CEE Industry Workshop brings academic and industry experts together around emerging issues such as AI-enabled construction, resilient infrastructure, transportation, and smart communities; the 2026 event featured professionals from NVIDIA, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Bentley Systems, Synopsys, ITE, and TrunkTools.
Real-world connections: CEE research and industry collaborations include work with Fujitsu on digital-twin technologies for aging infrastructure and collaboration with water utilities on AI-supported PFAS treatment design.
Internship opportunities: Students can pursue summer internships in research and industry, while CEE also offers an 8-month cooperative internship option during the junior year; students using the longer option ordinarily graduate after an additional semester.
Accreditation value: The Civil Engineering B.S. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. CMU notes that graduation from an ABET-accredited engineering program is part of the pathway toward professional engineer licensure, alongside applicable state testing and work-experience requirements.
Graduation outcomes: CEE graduates can enter industry, government, or continue their education. CMU’s program objectives emphasize graduates becoming innovative and adaptive professionals capable of leadership and developing sustainable solutions across conventional and emerging engineering challenges.
Alumni network: The CEE Alumni-Undergraduate Mentorship Program connects current students with alumni for guidance on career exploration and post-CMU pathways, while the department’s alumni network includes professionals at organizations such as Clark Construction, Pennoni Associates, Gannett Fleming, Tetra Tech, WSP, and Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into Carnegie Mellon’s Integrated Master’s/Bachelor’s program, which allows eligible students to earn both degrees without applying separately and is typically completed in eight to ten full academic semesters. Students can also pursue a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering or progress toward doctoral study, depending on their research and professional goals; CMU’s CEE department offers graduate pathways across areas including intelligent engineered systems, climate-resilient environmental systems, sustainable energy and transportation, and mechanics, chemistry and materials.