BS in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Florida State University

Program Overview

The BS in Civil Engineering at Florida State University, offered through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, is a 4-year, on-campus bachelor’s program for students who want to design, analyze, construct, and manage infrastructure while addressing environmental and societal needs. Students build expertise across structural, geotechnical, construction, transportation, hydraulics, water resources, and environmental engineering, with the flexibility to develop a focus through upper-level electives.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students establish the mathematical and scientific foundation required for engineering through courses such as MAC 2311 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry I, CHM 1045 – General Chemistry I, and PHY 2048C – General Physics with Laboratory I. EGN 1004L – First Year Engineering introduces students to engineering study and prepares them for progressively specialized civil engineering coursework.

Second Year: Students move into fundamental engineering analysis through MAC 2312 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry II, EGM 3512 – Engineering Mechanics, and EGN 3331 – Strength of Materials. They also begin civil-specific study through CEG 2202 – Introduction to Geomatics Engineering and CEG 2202L – Introduction to Geomatics Engineering Lab, developing skills in measurement, engineering mechanics, and materials behavior.

Third Year: The curriculum becomes strongly focused on civil engineering applications through CCE 3101 – Construction Materials, CEG 3011 – Soil Mechanics, and CES 3100 – Structural Analysis. Students also study CWR 3201 – Hydraulics, EES 3040 – Introduction to Environmental Engineering, and TTE 3004 – Transportation Engineering, giving them broad exposure to major civil engineering disciplines.

Fourth Year: Students deepen their specialization through courses such as CEG 4801 – Geotechnical Design, CES 4605 – Steel Design or CES 4702 – Concrete Design, alongside advanced construction, transportation, environmental, or water-resources electives. The program culminates in CGN 4800 – Senior Design I and CGN 4802 – Senior Design II, where students complete a team-based interdisciplinary engineering design project with industry and professional participation.

Focus areas: Structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, construction engineering, transportation engineering, hydraulics, hydrology, water resources, environmental engineering, and water quality.

Learning outcomes: Apply mathematics, science, and engineering principles; analyze and design civil engineering systems; use engineering graphics and computational tools; conduct laboratory testing and interpret data; address professional and societal constraints; communicate engineering solutions; and work effectively on interdisciplinary design projects.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The BS in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering states that all of its undergraduate engineering degree programs are EAC-ABET accredited.

Reputation (employability rankings): Florida State University is ranked #546 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, with a QS Employer Reputation score of 32.7 and Employment Outcomes score of 30.2. FSU’s Career Center also reports 29,610 employers in NoleNetwork since 2020 and that 75% of graduating seniors engage with career services.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Civil Engineering at Florida State University, offered through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, integrates practical learning through geomatics, materials testing, hydraulics, environmental engineering, computer-aided drafting and design, and a two-semester senior design sequence. Students work with laboratory equipment, conduct ASTM-standard materials testing, use computational and CADD tools, and complete team-based projects addressing real civil engineering problems with industry sponsors and professional mentors.

Students gain hands-on experience through:

Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory: CGN 3508L – Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory provides hands-on testing of soils, concrete, timber, and steel, including specimen preparation and instrumentation, test execution, data acquisition, and statistical interpretation of results according to ASTM standards.
Geomatics laboratory: CEG 2202L – Intro to Geomatics Engineering Lab gives students practical experience in geomatics alongside the related CEG 2202 – Intro to Geomatics Engineering course.
CADD and computational tools: CGN 3326 – CE Graphics & Design Tools develops skills in computer-aided drafting and design (CADD), rapid sketching, civil engineering-specific mathematical skills, and computational tools.
Geotechnical design software: In CEG 4801 – Geotechnical Design, students use Rocscience Slide 2 for slope-stability analysis and design and develop their own software for retaining-wall analysis and design. The course also includes instrumentation and computer laboratory requirements and design projects.
Material and structural testing facilities: The CEE Laboratory for Material and Structural Testing includes material-testing frames and actuators, concrete-testing equipment, a strong floor for full-scale structural testing, and hydraulic actuators capable of dynamic and cyclic loading.
Environmental Engineering Laboratory: Students have access to a research environment supporting work in water treatment, landfilling, resource recovery, and bioremediation, equipped for fundamental and applied environmental engineering research.
Transportation Engineering Laboratory: The laboratory uses specialized equipment and software for research involving connected and automated vehicles, smart cities and urban mobility, freight logistics, traffic operations, and transportation safety.
Team-based Senior Design: CGN 4800 – Senior Design I and CGN 4802 – Senior Design II form a two-semester capstone sequence. Students work in teams with industry partners and faculty mentors on sponsored, real-world civil engineering projects and present their solutions during Senior Design Day.
Industry-sponsored projects: Recent civil engineering projects have included roadway and subdivision design, transportation structures, water treatment, wastewater treatment, drainage, and infrastructure rehabilitation, giving students experience responding to practical engineering constraints.
Research and institutes: Civil engineering students can engage with research environments including the Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response Center (RIDER) and the Rural Safe Efficient and Advanced Transportation (R-SEAT) Center, which focus on infrastructure resilience and transportation challenges.
Internship opportunities: The department's undergraduate advising materials direct students to Career Services and the College of Engineering for internship opportunities, allowing students to supplement their academic experience with professional exposure.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BS in Civil Engineering can move into professional roles across construction, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulic, structural, transportation, and water-resources engineering. The program also provides a foundation for professional engineering licensure and further study through graduate programs in civil and environmental engineering.

Typical job roles: Civil Engineer, Construction Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Structural Engineer

Career development and progression are supported through:

Career services: The FSU Career Center provides civil-engineering students with career advising, a dedicated career liaison, mock interviews, résumé support, NoleNetwork, career/internship fairs, and connections to employers. FSU’s civil-engineering career page specifically identifies opportunities with Leon County Government, FDOT, Norfolk Southern, Brasfield & Gorrie, and Kimley-Horn.
Employment opportunities: FSU reports that 75% of graduating seniors engage with Career Services, while its Career Center lists 29,610 employers in NoleNetwork since 2020. The university also reports an average alumni salary of $88,738 across the university; this is an FSU-wide figure, not a civil-engineering-specific salary.
Civil-engineering salary information: FSU's Civil Engineering Career Blueprint lists an experienced salary range of $121,030–$144,810; this figure is presented by FSU as additional salary information for the civil-engineering career field.
Industry connections: Students can connect with employers through FSU's Engineering Job & Internship Fair, which historically attracts 1,500+ students each semester, along with employer résumé-review events and engineering interview days.
Professional experience: FSU identifies FDOT, Norfolk Southern, Brasfield & Gorrie, Kimley-Horn, and Leon County Government among civil-engineering-related internship opportunities, while NoleNetwork connects students with internship opportunities nationally and internationally.
Long-term professional value: The B.S. in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. FAMU-FSU states that EAC/ABET-accredited engineering degrees are accepted by all U.S. states as meeting the education component for Professional Engineer licensure, although individual states have additional licensure requirements.
Graduation outcomes: The department identifies graduates as prepared for careers in construction, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulic, structural, transportation, and water-resource engineering, providing several directions for professional progression.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS, students can continue into the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.), Master of Science (M.S.), or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. The department also offers a BS-to-Ph.D. pathway for exceptionally qualified students, allowing eligible graduates to enter doctoral study directly from the bachelor's degree.