Civil Engineering, B.S. (Engineering)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

The Civil Engineering, B.S. (Engineering) at Penn State University Park is a 127-credit undergraduate program that builds strong foundations in civil engineering principles and design while allowing students to develop expertise across construction, environmental, geotechnical, materials, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering. It suits students interested in designing resilient infrastructure and solving real engineering problems, with learning delivered through classroom, laboratory, field, interdisciplinary, and capstone experiences.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their engineering and scientific foundation through courses such as EDSGN 100: Cornerstone Engineering Design, MATH 140: Calculus With Analytic Geometry I, CHEM 110: Chemical Principles I, and PHYS 211: General Physics: Mechanics. The year also introduces communication, economics, and the broader General Education curriculum while beginning the mathematics, science, and design preparation required for advanced civil engineering study.

Second Year: The curriculum moves into core engineering mechanics and computational skills through EMCH 211: Statics, EMCH 212: Dynamics, EMCH 213: Strength of Materials, and CMPSC 200: Programming for Engineers with MATLAB or CMPSC 201: Programming for Engineers with C++. Students also study GEOSC 1: Physical Geology, MATH 251: Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations, and PHYS 212: General Physics: Electricity and Magnetism, strengthening the analytical tools needed for civil engineering applications.

Third Year: Students begin focused civil engineering study with CE 310: Surveying, CE 321: Highway Engineering, CE 335: Engineering Mechanics of Soils, CE 336: Materials Science for Civil Engineers, and CE 340: Structural Analysis. They also study CE 360: Fluid Mechanics, CE 370: Introduction to Environmental Engineering, and CE 337: Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory, while beginning civil engineering technical electives that allow greater specialization.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes professional communication, advanced technical electives, and the application of engineering knowledge through the Civil Engineering Capstone Design experience. Students complete ENGL 202C: Effective Writing: Technical Writing, select Civil Engineering and broader technical electives, and use their accumulated knowledge to address actual engineering problems in the capstone course.

Focus areas

Construction/management, environmental engineering, materials and pavement design, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering.

Learning outcomes

Graduates are prepared to solve complex engineering problems, design solutions considering public health and safety, communicate with diverse audiences, recognize professional and ethical responsibilities, work effectively in teams, conduct experiments and interpret data, and acquire new knowledge using appropriate learning strategies.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

ABET accreditation: The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Penn State is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. The program also prepares students for professional licensure pathways, with Penn State providing state-specific professional licensure information.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Penn State: Penn State is tied at No. 92 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and has received a 5-star QS rating for employability, alongside its overall five-star rating. Penn State also reports that its 2026 QS subject rankings placed the university in 49 of 55 subjects, although the official ranking information does not state a separate current QS Civil Engineering employability ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Penn State University Park is designed around practical, project-based learning, taking students from foundational engineering design to advanced civil engineering applications. Students gain experience through classroom, laboratory, and field exercises across construction, environmental, geotechnical and materials, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering, while also developing computational and artificial intelligence skills. The program culminates in a capstone design experience where students apply their technical knowledge to actual engineering problems.

Hands-on opportunities and facilities include:

Cornerstone design: Students begin with hands-on engineering design and team projects, building practical skills that are developed throughout the degree and eventually applied in the senior capstone.
Civil engineering capstone: Senior students complete capstone projects aligned with civil engineering focus areas. Projects involve teamwork, report writing, oral presentations, and open-ended problem solving, with designs required to consider performance, cost, environmental impacts, ethics, and legal or regulatory factors.
Industry-sponsored projects: Many civil engineering capstone projects involve external partners that help formulate projects or provide project data. Alumni and local professionals also participate as judges at the end-of-semester capstone showcase.
Computational tools: The curriculum includes computational and artificial intelligence tools, while CE 402: Computing Methods for Civil and Environmental Engineering develops practical skills in Python, scientific and technical visualization, numerical methods, interpolation, curve fitting, linear systems, and differential equations.
Learning Factory: Students can use the Penn State Learning Factory for design, prototyping, and fabrication activities. Facilities include CNC and manual machining, 3D printing, welding, metrology, and CAD/CAM, supporting coursework, capstone projects, research, and student organization projects.
Aramco High Bay Structural Testing Laboratory: This facility provides large-scale structural testing capabilities for civil infrastructure and buildings, allowing students and researchers to investigate structural systems and construction-related engineering problems.
Research experience: Engineering undergraduates can work with faculty on research projects involving areas such as sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and other engineering challenges, providing an opportunity to develop technical and problem-solving skills outside regular coursework.
Civil engineering laboratories: The department provides tours of its CEE laboratories and facilities during its Open House, giving students opportunities to see research and student work in the department’s practical learning environment.
Internship opportunities: Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant offers engineering-related internships involving planning, design, construction, project coordination, site visits, construction observations, budgeting, procurement, and project data management, providing a direct connection between engineering study and professional practice.
Professional organizations: Civil engineering students can participate in organizations including American Society of Civil Engineers, Chi Epsilon, American Concrete Institute, Engineers in Action, Engineers Without Borders, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and National Association of Home Builders, providing opportunities for teamwork, leadership, and discipline-specific activities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Penn State prepares graduates for careers in consulting, construction, government, infrastructure, research, and related engineering industries. Students can develop expertise across construction, environmental, geotechnical and materials, structural, transportation, and water-resources engineering, creating pathways into roles such as Civil Engineer, Project Engineer, Structural Engineer, and Transportation Engineer.

Career development and employment opportunities: Penn State combines specialized engineering career support, employer recruitment, internships, and professional networking to help students move from the classroom into engineering careers:

Engineering career services: Penn State Engineering provides undergraduate students with career-planning guidance beginning in the first year, résumé and cover-letter resources, job-search support, Nittany Lion Careers, internship and co-op resources, and access to Engineering Career Envoys who can share experience from their own internships and co-ops.
Industry recruitment: Hundreds of technical employers recruit at Penn State each year, participate in engineering career events, and connect with faculty and research centers. Employers can also post internship, co-op, and entry-level positions through Nittany Lion Careers and arrange interviews with engineering students.
Employment and salary figures: Penn State Engineering's 2024–25 voluntary survey reports an average Civil Engineering starting salary of $77,101, based on 41 respondents. The same survey reports an average Civil Engineering internship/co-op salary of $21.08 per hour, based on 52 respondents.
Internships and co-ops: Engineering internships and co-ops allow students to develop real-world technical and teamwork skills, build professional networks, and gain experience that can be highlighted when seeking employment after graduation. Penn State notes that these experiences are generally optional rather than required for engineering graduation.
Industry connections: Penn State's College of Engineering maintains relationships with industry and government employers through career events, recruiting, course sponsorship, partner programs, and targeted student engagement. The college's Recruiting Partners Program provides participating employers with opportunities for recruiting events, interviews, professional-development programming, and connections with student organizations.
Civil engineering industry exposure: The Construction Engineering and Management area has an industry advisory board whose participation provides real-world industry perspectives, while industry partners have offered students opportunities involving real-world projects, internships, guest lectures, and mentorships.
Professional accreditation: The B.S. 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. This accreditation provides an established quality framework for the engineering program and is relevant to graduates pursuing professional engineering careers and further professional development.
Graduation outcomes: Penn State's program educational objectives specifically prepare graduates to begin and sustain careers in consulting, industry, and local, state, or federal government, work in interdisciplinary teams designing sustainable and resilient infrastructure, pursue lifelong professional development and advanced degrees, and obtain and maintain professional licensure and relevant specialist certifications.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced study through Penn State's integrated B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.Eng. or M.S. in Civil Engineering, with the graduate component available at University Park. The program also prepares students for advanced degrees more broadly, including graduate study aligned with areas such as construction, environmental, geotechnical and materials, structural, transportation, and water-resources engineering.