B.S. in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Texas Tech University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University is a 4-year, 129-credit on-campus program that prepares students to identify, analyze, and solve complex engineering problems while designing solutions that address public health, safety, environmental, social, and economic considerations. Students build a broad civil engineering foundation and progress into areas including structural, geotechnical, environmental, water resources, and transportation engineering, combining engineering science with practical design and professional preparation.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students establish the mathematical, scientific, communication, and engineering foundations needed for the degree through courses such as MATH 1451 – Calculus I with Applications, CHEM 1307 – Principles of Chemistry I, and ENGR 1315 – Introduction to Engineering. The first year also introduces engineering graphics and foundational physics, preparing students for increasingly specialized civil engineering coursework.

Second Year: Students begin applying foundational mathematics and science to civil engineering through CE 2301 – Statics, CE 2201 – Materials for Constructed Facilities, and CONE 2302 – Surveying. Coursework in engineering statistics and construction-related subjects further develops the analytical and practical skills required to understand materials, measurements, loads, and constructed systems.

Third Year: The curriculum advances into core civil engineering analysis with subjects such as CE 3303 – Mechanics of Solids, CE 3305 – Mechanics of Fluids, and CE 3340 – Structural Analysis I. Students use these foundations to understand stresses and strains, fluid behavior, and the analysis of structural systems before progressing into more specialized design topics.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes advanced civil engineering design and specialized applications, including areas such as environmental engineering, hydrology and water systems, structural design, and transportation engineering. Courses such as CE 3309 – Environmental Engineering, CE 3354 – Engineering Hydrology, and CE 3372 – Water Systems Design help students integrate engineering principles into solutions for infrastructure and environmental challenges.

Focus areas: Structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, water resources engineering, transportation engineering, infrastructure planning and design.

Learning outcomes: Complex engineering problem solving; engineering design considering public health, safety, welfare, and environmental and economic factors; effective communication; ethical and professional judgment; collaborative teamwork and leadership; experimentation and data analysis; and continued acquisition and application of engineering knowledge.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The Civil Engineering BS is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Reputation (employability rankings): Texas Tech University’s official Civil Engineering materials report 248 bachelor’s students enrolled in Civil Engineering in Fall 2024 and 116 bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2023; the department also identifies career opportunities across government, private firms, and construction companies. An official Texas Tech source does not state a current program-specific QS or Guardian employability ranking, so no ranking is included rather than using an external or unrelated ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University combines engineering theory with practical design, experimentation, research, and collaborative problem-solving. Students have access to dedicated civil engineering computing facilities, departmental research projects, and specialized laboratories and equipment supporting areas such as environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water-resources engineering; the department also provides opportunities for undergraduate research and professional internships.

Students can develop practical skills through:

Civil Engineering Computer Labs: The department maintains dedicated computer laboratories in Civil Engineering Rooms 218 and 220, with 30 computers in Room 218 and 24 computers in Room 220, supporting engineering coursework and computational work.
Hands-on laboratory work: The Civil Engineering BS emphasizes design experiences, hands-on laboratories, and experimentation, allowing students to apply engineering principles to practical civil engineering problems.
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory: The department’s 2,300-square-foot geotechnical laboratory contains equipment for soil characterization, shear testing, and consolidation testing, supporting practical investigation of soil and foundation behavior.
Environmental Engineering Laboratory: The Maddox Engineering Research Center contains approximately 30,000 square feet of environmental engineering space, including 12,000 square feet of laboratory space, with analytical equipment such as gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, ICP-MS, and other environmental analysis instruments.
Wind engineering research: Students involved in research can access a specialized field facility featuring a 160-foot meteorological tower, a 30 × 45-foot test building, wind sensors, and wind-tunnel and tow-tank facilities for investigating wind effects on structures.
Undergraduate research: Civil engineering undergraduates have opportunities to participate in research projects conducted by the department, giving students experience with investigation, experimentation, data analysis, and engineering judgment.
Team-based engineering: The program specifically develops students’ ability to work effectively on teams, establish goals, plan tasks, provide leadership, and create collaborative environments while addressing engineering problems.
Internships and career opportunities: The department maintains an internship and career opportunities resource and directs students toward internship, co-op, and engineering employment opportunities through the Whitacre College of Engineering Job Grid.
Computational resources: Texas Tech’s computing facilities provide access to engineering computer workstations and software through campus computer labs, while the department’s research facilities include Dell Precision 7920 workstations, high-speed internet, data storage, and cloud-storage resources.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Building: The program is housed within the university’s Civil & Environmental Engineering Building, the main facility for the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the B.S. in Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University can pursue roles across infrastructure, construction, transportation, environmental, structural, and project engineering. The department specifically identifies career paths such as Civil Engineer, Field Engineer, Project Engineer, Design Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Construction Engineer, and Civil Analyst.

Career opportunities and progression include:

University career services: The University Career Center provides internship and full-time job boards, an internship placement program, career appointments, employment-data resources, résumé support, interview preparation, and the Career Closet. The Engineering Opportunities Center also connects engineering students with employers through job fairs, internships, co-ops, information sessions, and recruiting activities; the department holds a dedicated Infrastructure Job Fair for Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering.
Employment outcomes: Texas Tech’s Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering department currently reports a 98% employment rate upon graduation for Civil Engineering and an average starting salary of $73,000 per year.
Salary data: Texas Tech’s broader Whitacre College of Engineering alumni dataset reports an average estimated salary of $83,791 for 9,497 alumni graduating from 2016–2025; the dataset covers multiple engineering majors, including Civil Engineering, so it should not be interpreted as a civil-engineering-specific salary.
University–industry connections: The department maintains a Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering Industry Advisory Board comprising engineers, business professionals, and entrepreneurs from industry. Texas Tech also facilitates employer engagement through engineering job fairs, including the dedicated infrastructure fair for civil, environmental, and construction engineering.
Professional networks: Students can participate in organizations including American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Chi Epsilon, Society of Environmental Professionals, and Structural Engineers Association of Texas, providing opportunities for professional development, industry interaction, competitions, and networking.
Long-term accreditation value: The Civil Engineering BS is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, with Texas Tech listing its current accreditation review as 2023–2024 and the next review as 2029–2030. This provides an established professional-accreditation framework for the undergraduate engineering program and supports graduates pursuing professional engineering development and licensure pathways.
Graduation outcomes: The department states that its Civil Engineering graduates are prepared to meet employer expectations and continue professional development through graduate study and continuing education. Texas Tech also offers an Accelerated B.S. to M.S. in Civil Engineering, allowing qualified students to apply graduate coursework toward both degrees and potentially reduce the time and tuition required for the combined pathway.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Civil Engineering, students can continue into Texas Tech’s M.S. in Civil Engineering, including the accelerated B.S.-to-M.S. pathway for qualified students. The department also supports continued professional development through graduate study and continuing education, while civil engineering graduates can progress toward professional registration through the applicable FE/PE examination and experience requirements.