Civil Engineering BS

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University at Buffalo SUNY

Program Overview

The Civil Engineering BS at the University at Buffalo (SUNY) gives students a broad foundation in civil engineering through mathematics, science, mechanics, materials, computer-aided design, and the major civil engineering disciplines, preparing them for professional practice or further study. It is well suited to students who want to design and improve infrastructure, with opportunities to develop deeper expertise in environmental, geotechnical, structural, or transportation systems engineering during the later stages of the degree.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their mathematical, scientific, and engineering foundations through subjects such as MTH 141 College Calculus 1, CHE 127 Chemistry 1, and PHY 107 Physics 1. They also begin applying these fundamentals to civil engineering through CIE 177 Civil Engineering CAD, while Earth science and engineering-impact coursework introduce the natural and societal context of infrastructure.

Year 2: Students progress into core engineering mechanics and civil engineering methods, studying areas such as EAS 209 Mechanics of Solids, CIE 327 Civil Engineering Materials, and CIE 324 Introduction to Structural Design. The curriculum also develops practical capabilities in areas including graphics, CAD, BIM, programming, and mechanics, building the technical base required for advanced civil engineering courses.

Year 3: Students study the principal civil engineering sub-disciplines through sequences in structural, geotechnical, water resources, transportation, and environmental engineering, supported by hands-on laboratory work. Courses such as CIE 323 Structural Analysis, CIE 334 Soil Mechanics, and CIE 343 Hydraulic Engineering allow students to apply engineering theory to structures, soils, and water systems.

Year 4: Students move into advanced design, professional practice, and the senior capstone sequence while using technical electives to develop a specialization. Options include CIE 428 Steel Design, CIE 429 Reinforced Concrete Design, CIE 436 Traffic Operations and Design, CIE 442 Treatment Process Engineering, CIE 475 Geometric Design of Highways, and CIE 476 Design and Construction of Earth Structures.

Focus areas: Environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation systems engineering; students can also pursue the general civil engineering degree through their technical-elective choices.

Learning outcomes: Students develop the ability to solve complex engineering problems, design solutions while considering public health, safety, environmental and economic factors, communicate effectively, work collaboratively, recognize ethical and professional responsibilities, conduct experiments and interpret data, and acquire new knowledge throughout their careers.

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. UB also states that the program is registered by the New York State Education Department and meets the educational requirements for professional-engineer licensure in New York State.

Reputation (employability rankings): In the 2026 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings, UB’s civil engineering program was ranked No. 34 nationally among civil engineering programs, while UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences ranked No. 30 among public universities nationwide. For undergraduate engineering, UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences ranked No. 32 among public universities and No. 57 nationally in the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Civil Engineering BS at the University at Buffalo (SUNY) gives students extensive hands-on experience alongside classroom learning, with practical work built into areas such as materials, soil mechanics, hydraulics, environmental engineering, and structural engineering. Students can use teaching and research laboratories, engineering software, computing facilities, internships, co-ops, undergraduate research, and senior design projects to apply civil engineering principles to real engineering problems. UB also places students in the same laboratory environments used by graduate researchers, allowing undergraduates to observe and participate in research-oriented work.

Practical learning opportunities and facilities include:

Civil engineering laboratories: Students have access to dedicated facilities for geotechnical engineering, materials and mechanics, hydraulics, and environmental engineering, with several spaces serving both teaching and research purposes.
Materials and Mechanics Laboratory: In CIE 327 Civil Engineering Materials, students mix and test their own concrete, while laboratory equipment is used to test concrete, polymers, steel, and wood for strength and durability.
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory: Students in CIE 334 Soil Mechanics conduct experiments involving soil classification, compaction, permeability, direct shear testing, and cyclic triaxial testing using modern geotechnical equipment.
Hydraulics Laboratory: Students work with a large water flume, pipe-flow equipment, pumps, laminar-flow demonstrations, and sediment-settling experiments to investigate hydraulic jumps, flow rates, head losses, pump performance, and fluid behavior.
Environmental Engineering Laboratory: The facility includes wet-chemistry space, water-flow experiments, scale models, and a rotating laboratory containing a scale model of Lake Ontario; the rotating laboratory and large water flume are also used for Great Lakes research.
Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory: Located in 116 Ketter Hall, this facility supports structural research for UB and provides research and development services for industry, giving students exposure to advanced structural engineering research environments.
Engineering software: CSEE computing laboratories provide engineering software including AutoCAD Civil, ArcGIS, Bentley OpenSTAAD, CSI Bridge, EPA SWMM, EPANET, HEC-RAS, MATLAB-related tools, Python, SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, RAM Structural System, Rocscience software, and LabVIEW, among others.
Computing laboratories: The CSEE department provides dedicated computing spaces in 208 Ketter Hall and 1018 Furnas Hall, with department students receiving access and computers updated on a regular cycle.
Internships: CIE 496 Civil Engineering Internship allows students to earn academic credit while working on an engineering project in practical settings such as private design or consulting firms, construction companies, government agencies, and construction sites.
Co-op opportunities: EAS 496 Engineering Co-op can be used for an extended industry experience, allowing students to spend a semester or two away from regular coursework while gaining professional engineering experience.
Senior design: UB’s engineering senior design experience places students in groups to tackle real-world engineering design problems, with multidisciplinary teams and opportunities for projects sponsored by industry partners.
Undergraduate research: Civil engineering undergraduates can undertake research under faculty mentorship, while the department’s teaching laboratories allow students to work in environments shared with graduate researchers.
Industry interaction: The department runs a Job and Internship Seminar Series where students can interact with professionals from the civil and environmental engineering industries.
Field trips and global experience: The Scott and Jo Ann Weber Family Fund supports undergraduate opportunities including conferences, group field trips, study abroad, and other experiential learning activities.
Civil engineering institutes: Students benefit from a research environment that includes the Institute of Bridge Engineering, geotechnical facilities, and the Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory, with research addressing bridge infrastructure, structural health monitoring, extreme events, and infrastructure resilience.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Civil Engineering BS at the University at Buffalo (UB) prepares graduates for professional careers across consulting, construction, transportation, environmental, structural, geotechnical, and government engineering. Graduates can enter roles such as Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, and Construction Engineer, while others continue into graduate study or research.

Career and progression opportunities:

Career services: UB’s Career Design Center supports students with internship opportunities, resume and cover-letter development, LinkedIn guidance, networking, interviewing, job-search resources, career fairs, employer information sessions, and access to Bullseye, a virtual platform connecting students with employers for jobs, internships, and networking.
Internships and professional exposure: Students can take CIE 496 Civil/Env. Engineering Internship as a technical elective after the junior year, gaining practical experience with private design and consulting firms, construction companies, government agencies, and construction sites. The department also conducts a Job and Internship Seminar Series where students interact with civil and environmental engineering professionals.
Employment outlook and salary: UB’s official admissions page reports a $107,050 mean annual wage for civil engineers based on 2024 U.S. Department of Labor data and describes the occupation as having a “Rapid Growth” outlook. The department reports that UB civil engineering alumni work in computational engineering, CAD, construction engineering and management, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, highway design, water resources, structural engineering, and transportation engineering.
Industry connections: Companies identified by UB as actively recruiting civil engineering students for internships and/or full-time positions include Bergmann Associates, Clark Patterson Lee, Erdman Anthony, Kiewit Construction, NYS Department of Transportation, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Turner Construction, TYLin International Group, URS Corporation, Popli Design, and Watts Engineers.
Professional accreditation: The Civil Engineering BS is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs criteria. UB states that the program is also registered by the New York State Education Department and meets the educational requirements for professional-engineer licensure in New York State, providing an important foundation for students pursuing the PE pathway.
Professional development: The program’s educational objectives specifically include continued professional development through professional licensure, continuing education, and/or graduate study. UB also incorporates feedback from alumni, employers, and industry professionals into its assessment and continuous-improvement process.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates can enter private consulting, construction, government agencies, research and development, and other engineering environments. UB also notes that many civil engineering students pursue advanced degrees, with the department offering MS and PhD programs in Civil Engineering and a combined BS Civil Engineering/MBA pathway.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS, students can continue into UB’s MS in Civil Engineering or PhD in Civil Engineering, pursue the combined BS Civil Engineering/MBA pathway where applicable, or undertake graduate study at another institution. The undergraduate program specifically identifies graduate study as part of its continuing professional-development pathway, while the ABET-accredited degree provides the educational foundation for progressing toward professional engineering licensure.