BS Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Program Overview

The BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a 128-credit program that builds strong foundations in mathematics, science, mechanics, computing, engineering design, and civil engineering while allowing students to develop depth through a primary and secondary area of study. It suits students interested in designing and improving infrastructure and solving challenges involving construction, structures, transportation, water resources, environmental systems, geotechnical engineering, and sustainable infrastructure.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their engineering foundation through CEE 190 – Project-Based Introduction to CEE, MATH 221 – Calculus I, and CHEM 102 – General Chemistry I, followed by CS 101 – Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci, PHYS 211 – University Physics: Mechanics, and SE 101 – Engineering Graphics & Design. This combination introduces students to civil engineering, computing, mathematical analysis, physical sciences, and engineering visualization.

Second Year: Students move into engineering systems and mechanics through CEE 201 – Systems Engrg & Economics, CEE 202 – Engineering Risk & Uncertainty, TAM 211 – Statics, TAM 212 – Introductory Dynamics, and TAM 251 – Introductory Solid Mechanics. They also continue advanced mathematics and physics with MATH 241 – Calculus III, MATH 257 – Linear Algebra with Computational Applications, and PHYS 212/213 – University Physics.

Third Year: The curriculum shifts strongly toward civil engineering, with students taking TAM 335 – Introductory Fluid Mechanics or CEE 331 – Fluid Dynamics in the Natural and Built Environment, together with civil engineering core courses and CEE 300 – Behavior of Materials or CEE 340 – Energy and Global Environment. Students begin building the technical breadth needed for their chosen specialization while developing further analytical skills through MATH 285 – Intro Differential Equations and science electives.

Fourth Year: Students deepen their expertise through advanced technical courses in a primary and secondary field, alongside CEE 495 – Professional Practice. Depending on their chosen area, courses can include CEE 421 – Construction Planning, CEE 449 – Environmental Engineering Lab, CEE 465 – Design of Structural Systems, CEE 484 – Applied Soil Mechanics, CEE 415 – Geometric Design of Roads, or CEE 453 – Urban Hydrology and Hydraulics.

Focus areas: Construction Engineering and Management, Construction Materials Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Science, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Water Resources Engineering and Science, Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems, Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability, Societal Risk and Hazard Mitigation.

Learning outcomes: Apply scientific, mathematical, and computational principles to civil engineering problems; design civil engineering systems while considering realistic constraints; analyze materials, structures, fluids, infrastructure, and environmental systems; communicate technical information; work collaboratively; and develop the foundation for professional practice and graduate study.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The BS in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under its General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil Engineering, providing recognized quality assurance for the engineering curriculum and professional preparation.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Civil Engineering undergraduate program is #3 in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings, according to the university's September 2026 announcement; CEE also reports that its 2024–25 undergraduate exit survey found 100% of respondents had secured a first destination, with 61% employed and 39% continuing education, and an average starting salary of $82,408.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign gives students practical engineering experience through integrated design projects, physical laboratory work, research opportunities, and exposure to professional engineering environments. The curriculum specifically requires an integrated design experience using engineering standards and realistic economic, social, and political constraints, while students also complete physical laboratory experiences where they can directly make observations and apply engineering concepts.

Students can extend this classroom learning through CEE’s extensive research infrastructure, including structural, transportation, hydrosystems, environmental, materials, and geotechnical facilities. Undergraduate students may participate in faculty research through coursework, the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, or other faculty collaborations.

Practical learning opportunities and facilities include:

Integrated design projects: Students complete engineering design work based on knowledge acquired earlier in the curriculum, incorporating engineering standards and realistic economic, social, and political constraints.
Physical laboratories: The BS curriculum requires physical laboratory experience, including laboratory components in courses such as chemistry, physics, and TAM 335 – Introductory Fluid Mechanics, plus at least one core or advanced technical CEE course with a physical laboratory.
Newmark Structural Engineering Laboratory: The 30,000-square-foot facility provides large-scale testing capabilities, including a 130-foot strong floor, 30-foot reaction wall, load frames, instrumentation, machine and welding shops, a wood shop, environmental chamber, and concrete laboratory for structural and materials research.
Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory: This 11,000-square-foot facility supports teaching and research in open-channel hydraulics, sediment transport, hydraulic structures, environmental fluid mechanics, and related areas, with flumes, sedimentation equipment, particle image velocimetry, 3D acoustic velocimetry, and other specialized systems.
Advanced Transportation Research and Engineering Laboratory (ATREL): Located at the Illinois Center for Transportation in Rantoul, ATREL provides transportation education and research facilities for airport, highway, and rail systems. Its ATLAS system can simulate aircraft, truck, and rail traffic while testing full-scale pavement systems.
Kavita and Lalit Bahl Smart Bridge: The instrumented pedestrian bridge connecting the CEE Building with Newmark Lab/Yeh Center functions as a living laboratory, providing real-world data that can be used in classes and research.
Environmental Engineering & Science laboratories: Students working in environmental areas can engage with facilities containing mass spectrometry, optical and surface-area analyzers, organic-carbon analyzers, ICP, ion chromatography, liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography. Research applications include water quality, air quality, pathogens, environmental microbiology, remediation, resource recovery, and data science.
Research experience: Undergraduate students can participate in CEE research with faculty through coursework, the Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program, and other faculty collaborations, covering infrastructure design and repair, clean water, transportation systems, and other civil-engineering challenges.
Industry exposure: The CEE Spring Break Job Shadow Program allows students to spend a day with a professional engineer at a participating company, office, jobsite, or laboratory, providing direct exposure to professional practice and industry connections.
Career and internship connections: CEE hosts two career fairs each year, in spring and fall, with approximately 75 companies at each fair seeking CEE students for first professional employment, summer positions, and internships.
Student collaboration facilities: The M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Center provides classrooms, conference rooms, and open collaboration spaces, while the CEE Building includes teaching laboratories and additional collaboration areas.
Engineering study and digital resources: The Center for Academic Resources in Engineering (CARE) occupies 20,000 square feet of Grainger Engineering Library and provides computer workstations, group-study areas, tutoring, study groups, course study halls, workshops, presentation practice, and videoconferencing facilities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign prepares graduates for professional careers spanning infrastructure design, construction, transportation, structural systems, water resources, and environmental engineering. Recent CEE outcomes show 61% of graduates entering employment and 39% continuing their education, with reported positions ranging from Civil Engineer and Project Engineer to Structural, Transportation, Drainage, and Water Resources Engineer.

Typical career roles: Project Engineer, Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Design Engineer.

Career support: CEE provides two dedicated job fairs each year, with 90+ companies attending each fair, alongside professional-development seminars and networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals.
Employment outcomes: Among CEE undergraduates responding to the 2024–2025 Illini Success survey, 100% secured a first-choice destination, with 61% employed and 39% continuing education. The reported average starting salary was $82,408.
Salary potential: The Grainger College of Engineering reports an $82,640 average starting salary for civil and environmental engineering graduates for 2024–2025, with an average signing bonus of $3,750.
Industry connections: CEE's career fairs connect students directly with employers including Burns & McDonnell, AECOM, Kiewit, Turner Construction Company, Kimley-Horn, Alfred Benesch & Company, Ardmore Roderick, BNSF Railway, Civiltech Engineering, and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Professional preparation: The program's educational outcomes explicitly develop students' ability to solve complex engineering problems, design solutions considering public safety and environmental factors, work effectively in teams, conduct experiments, analyze data, and apply new knowledge—skills aligned with progression into professional engineering practice.
Professional licensure value: CEE at Illinois reports a 94.5% Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam pass rate, compared with a 68% national pass rate, while its Principles & Practice of Engineering (PE) exam pass rate is 84.5%, compared with 63.5% nationally. The FE is the first step toward U.S. professional-engineer licensure, while the PE exam is required for becoming a Professional Engineer in the United States.
Accreditation: The BS Civil Engineering curriculum states that its learning outcomes are aligned with the ABET accreditation process, providing a professional quality framework for the engineering education and supporting preparation for engineering practice and further professional development.
Graduation destinations: Recent CEE graduates have entered positions such as Project Engineer, Civil Engineer, Assistant Construction Manager, Assistant Structural Engineer, Design Engineer, Drainage Engineer, Engineer–Water Resources, Hydrologist, Research Assistant, and Transportation Design Engineer. Graduates have also continued to institutions including UIUC, UC Berkeley, and Cornell University.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's and doctoral study in civil engineering and related areas such as structural engineering, transportation engineering, construction engineering and management, geotechnical engineering, water resources, environmental engineering, and sustainable infrastructure. The recent CEE outcomes show that 39% of surveyed graduates continued their education, demonstrating a substantial pathway from the bachelor's degree into advanced study and research.