Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Northeastern University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University prepares students to conceptualize, design, and build sustainable infrastructure while addressing challenges involving resilient cities, clean water, environmental protection, transportation, and structural systems. It suits students who want a broad civil engineering education with opportunities to explore environmental and water systems, structural engineering, transportation, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, construction management, civil infrastructure security, environmental health, and sustainable resource engineering.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1: Students establish their engineering foundation through mathematics, science, communication, and design-oriented coursework, including MATH 1341 Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering, MATH 1342 Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering, CHEM 1151 General Chemistry for Engineers, and GE 1501/GE 1502 Cornerstone of Engineering. Physics and first-year writing are also introduced through PHYS 1151 Physics for Engineering 1 and ENGW 1111 First-Year Writing, preparing students for the more specialized civil engineering subjects that follow.

Year 2: Students move into the core mechanics and built-environment subjects that form the foundation of civil engineering practice, including CIVE 2221 Statics and Solid Mechanics, CIVE 2260 Materials for the Built Environment, and CIVE 2320 Structural Analysis. The curriculum also introduces CIVE 2334 Environmental Engineering: Principles, Technology, and Sustainability, GE 3300 Energy Systems: Science, Technology, and Sustainability, and MATH 2341 Differential Equations and Linear Algebra for Engineering, connecting engineering analysis with environmental and sustainability challenges.

Year 3: Students develop more advanced civil engineering capabilities through CIVE 2324 Concrete Structure Design, CIVE 2331 Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics, and CIVE 2340 Geotechnical Engineering, supported by the associated geotechnical laboratory. Students also complete CIVE 3464 Probability and Engineering Economy for Civil Engineering and begin applying their technical knowledge through Northeastern’s cooperative education structure.

Year 4: The final year emphasizes professional-level design, technical specialization, and integration of knowledge through a Civil Engineering Project Elective, multiple Civil Engineering Technical Electives, and a Senior Design Project. Students can select project work such as CIVE 4765 Senior Design Project—Environmental, CIVE 4767 Senior Design Project—Structural, or CIVE 4768 Senior Design Project—Transportation, while electives can include areas such as water treatment, foundation engineering, highway design, and hydrologic and hydraulic design.

Focus areas: Environmental and water systems, structural engineering, transportation engineering, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, construction management, civil infrastructure security, environmental health, sustainable resource engineering.

Learning outcomes: Graduates are prepared to contribute as civil engineers and in other technically oriented professions; communicate effectively; recognize ethical and professional responsibilities; evaluate global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts; work effectively in collaborative teams; conduct experiments and interpret data; and acquire and apply new knowledge using appropriate learning strategies.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The BS 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. Northeastern states that the program's educational objectives include preparation for professional engineering careers, with many graduates expected to pursue Professional Engineer licensure and graduate study.

Reputation (employability rankings): Northeastern’s official College of Engineering data reports #1 for Co-op/Internships in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, while the College of Engineering reports 97% of undergraduate students were employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation for the Class of 2024. The university also reports 3,147 co-op employer partners during AY2023–26, providing a strong university-wide experiential-learning environment for engineering students.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University is built around learning by doing, combining classroom study with laboratory work, field experience, project-based learning, research, and Northeastern’s signature cooperative education program. Students complete a semester-long senior capstone in which they address a real-world civil engineering design problem, while the department provides specialized teaching and research facilities for structures, soils, materials, fluids, surveying, construction, environmental engineering, infrastructure, sensing, and robotics.

The program also gives students opportunities to apply their knowledge through professional co-ops, global projects, service learning, and student organizations, creating practical experience before graduation. The following opportunities make the civil engineering experience particularly hands-on:

Co-op experience: Undergraduate civil engineering students can typically complete two co-op periods in the four-year BS pathway, with each undergraduate co-op generally lasting six months. Students work full-time on professional projects and receive support from a dedicated co-op coordinator throughout the search and placement process.
Civil engineering employers: Northeastern lists civil and environmental engineering co-op partners including Suffolk Construction, Tetra Tech Rizzo, Turner Construction, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, CDM, Inc., Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., and Barletta Engineering Corp.
Professional software: Civil engineering students gain exposure to industry software through co-op and project work. A Northeastern civil engineering student used AutoCAD and Revit during a structural engineering co-op at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, while Northeastern’s Engineers Without Borders students have used AutoCAD and WaterGEMS to design and model a real-world water distribution system.
Senior capstone project: The curriculum culminates in a major semester-long capstone design project, where students work on a real-world design problem and develop feasible engineering solutions, bringing together the technical knowledge gained throughout the degree.
Civil engineering laboratories: Students have access to teaching laboratories for surveying, construction materials, structures, fluids, soil mechanics, and environmental engineering, providing opportunities to work with laboratory equipment and investigate civil engineering systems experimentally.
Infrastructure and structures facilities: The department includes a CEE Infrastructure Engineering Laboratory, Construction Robotics Laboratory, Sensor Technology Laboratory, Shake Table for Dynamic Simulation, and Seismic Monitoring Station, supporting hands-on work involving infrastructure, robotics, sensing, and structural behavior.
Design and fabrication facilities: The CEE Design Studio, CEE Innovation Studio, and fully outfitted and staffed machine shop give students spaces for design development, prototyping, fabrication, and collaborative engineering work.
Water and environmental research: Northeastern provides specialized facilities including the Water and Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Environmental Chemistry/Process Laboratory, Environmental Analytical Laboratory, Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, and Environmental Sensors Laboratory, supporting research and practical work in water, environmental processes, and sensing.
Global field experience: Through Engineers Without Borders, Northeastern civil engineering students have worked on potable-water projects in countries including Uganda and Honduras. The student organization reports that its projects have designed and constructed water systems in six communities and directly affected more than 2,000 people.
International learning: Northeastern’s experiential-learning model also includes Dialogue of Civilizations, allowing students to study civil and environmental engineering topics in an international setting; one documented civil engineering example involved a sustainable waste-management program focused on European resource-recovery and environmental-protection practices.
Student engineering projects: Students can participate in organizations such as NUASCE, Engineers Without Borders, and Concrete Canoe, where they apply civil engineering principles to practical design and construction challenges. The ASCE student chapter’s Concrete Canoe activity involves teams building canoes entirely from concrete.
Research and digital innovation: Northeastern CEE research includes projects using data analytics, sensing, visualization, and AI for infrastructure resilience. One department project with software company Kitware is developing an Urban Visualization and Data Analysis Toolkit to analyze interconnected infrastructure and climate-related threats in Boston.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University combines civil engineering fundamentals with the university’s signature cooperative education model, allowing students to connect classroom learning with substantial professional experience. Graduates can move into roles such as Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, and Construction Engineer/Manager, while the program also provides a pathway toward professional licensure and advanced graduate study.

Career development services: Northeastern’s Experiential Education and Career Development center supports students with resume and cover-letter reviews, interview preparation, career exploration, co-op and job-search guidance, employer events, career fairs, Forage simulations, and the Talent Connect and Husky Treks programs.
Employment and salary outcomes: Northeastern reports that 97% of undergraduate students were employed or enrolled in graduate school within nine months of graduation for the Class of 2024, while 58% received a job offer from a previous co-op employer. Northeastern also reports that its students have a 33% higher starting salary than the national average; the university’s career platform provides occupation-specific annual earnings based on BLS/OES data, although a Civil Engineering-specific starting-salary figure is not stated on the official program page.
University–industry partnerships: Northeastern’s Civil & Environmental Engineering co-op network includes employers such as AECOM, CDM Smith, DN Tanks, HDR Engineering, Jacobs Engineering, MassDOT, Parsons, Skanska, Stantec, Suffolk Construction, Turner Construction, VHB, and WSP. The department also reports hundreds of employer partners in Boston, across the U.S., and internationally, giving students opportunities to apply civil engineering knowledge in professional settings.
Industry experience: The four-year BS program offers a two-co-op option, with undergraduate co-ops typically lasting six months and involving full-time professional employment. Civil engineering students have completed co-ops with organizations such as Suffolk Construction, Walker Consultants, and DN Tanks, gaining experience in areas including construction management, structural engineering, scheduling, staffing, and field operations.
Industry engagement: Northeastern’s College of Engineering maintains an Industrial Advisory Board for Civil & Environmental Engineering, helping faculty connect academic programs with current and emerging industry needs. The College also works with employers through co-op hiring, workforce development, research and innovation, and other industry partnerships.
Long-term accreditation value: The BS 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. Northeastern states that many graduates progress toward becoming licensed Professional Engineers, while others pursue graduate degrees in civil engineering and related fields.
Graduation outcomes: Northeastern’s Class of 2025 career-outcomes data shows 92% of full-time employed undergraduate respondents reported jobs related to their major, with 78.0% employed full-time and 13.2% pursuing additional education within the reporting period. Across the university, the 2025 outcome snapshot reports 96% of graduates employed or in graduate school within nine months, based on Northeastern’s post-graduation destination reporting methodology.

Further Academic Progression: After the BS, students can pursue Northeastern’s MS in Civil Engineering or related graduate programs, with areas including environmental and water systems, structural engineering, transportation, geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, construction management, civil infrastructure security, environmental health, and sustainable resource engineering. The department specifically identifies graduate education in civil engineering and other fields as a progression available to BS graduates, while the ABET-accredited undergraduate preparation can also support the longer-term pathway toward Professional Engineer licensure.