BS Engineering in Civil Engineering with Civil and Environmental Practice

The BSE in Civil Engineering at the University of Iowa combines classroom learning with hands-on laboratory work, engineering design, research, internships, and professional experiences. Students can work with specialized civil and environmental engineering equipment, use industry software such as Autodesk Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Pro/ENGINEER, participate in undergraduate research, and gain field-based experience through internships and co-ops.

Students can build practical skills through:

• Civil and Environmental Engineering Tools: CEE:2015 – Civil and Environmental Engineering Tools introduces Autodesk Civil 3D, GIS, AI, earthwork analysis, cost estimating, and life-cycle cost analysis, giving students direct exposure to tools used in professional civil and environmental engineering.
• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Lab: The CAD Lab provides 17 networked workstations with AutoCAD, Pro/ENGINEER, and structural, hydraulic, transportation, and environmental engineering software for design projects.
• Environmental Engineering Teaching Laboratory: Students gain hands-on experience in water laboratory testing and analysis through laboratory-based undergraduate courses.
• Geomechanics Laboratory: Students work with equipment for soil density, grain-size distribution, hydraulic conductivity, liquefaction, consolidation, shear strength, triaxial compression, and soil compaction testing.
• Structures, Mechanics, and Materials Laboratory: Students conduct experiments on the physical and mechanical properties of metals, aggregates, concrete, and asphalt, connecting engineering theory with material testing.
• Hydraulics Laboratory: Students conduct experiments using flumes and pipe systems and instruments measuring discharge, pressure, velocity, and temperature to study open-channel and closed-conduit flows.
• IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering: Students have access to major research infrastructure including a 100-meter towing tank, wave basin, flumes, field hydrologic instrumentation, hydraulic modeling laboratories, flow-measurement and visualization equipment, and computational facilities.
• Research Experience for Undergraduates: The CEE Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) provides a one-semester research opportunity in which undergraduate students can work up to 15 hours per week with faculty on disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or educational research.
• Internships and co-ops: Engineering Career Services coordinates the College of Engineering’s co-op and internship program, employer outreach, and engineering career fairs. A recent Iowa civil and environmental engineering student internship included Civil 3D design work and visits to six active construction projects, demonstrating the direct connection between coursework and professional field experience.
• Collaborative design projects: Civil and environmental engineering students have worked on real campus projects; for example, students in Project Design and Management in Civil Engineering collaborated with the Living Labs Working Group to develop proposals for transforming the Biology Building courtyard, incorporating stormwater management, accessibility, sustainability, and educational-use concepts.
• Seamans Center: The department’s home in the Seamans Center provides tech-equipped classrooms, laboratories, collaborative spaces, research facilities, the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, Engineering Design and Fabrication facilities, and student workspaces.
• Environmental research facilities: The Environmental Engineering and Science Laboratories support work in contaminant fate and transport, drinking-water treatment, wastewater treatment, bioremediation, phytoremediation, analytical chemistry, microscopy, computer modeling, and bench- and pilot-scale simulated environments. 

The BSE in Civil Engineering prepares graduates for professional roles in infrastructure, construction, transportation, water resources, environmental protection, and consulting, while also providing a foundation for professional licensure and advanced study. The University of Iowa reports a 93–98% rate of graduates employed in their field of study or pursuing advanced education within seven months of graduation, while the department’s educational objectives also emphasize careers as practitioners, entrepreneurs, researchers, or teachers.

Typical job roles: Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Environmental Engineer — with opportunities across consulting, government, infrastructure, construction, and environmental practice.

Career development and professional opportunities:

• Engineering Career Services: Students receive individual advising and class presentations covering résumé and cover-letter preparation, job and internship searches, interviewing, and job-offer evaluation. The service also coordinates the College of Engineering’s co-op and internship program, employer outreach, and engineering career fairs.
• Pomerantz Career Center: Students can use Handshake to find internships, co-ops, and full-time positions, while the Career Center provides employer connections, career fairs, advising, and on-campus recruiting. In 2024–25, the center reported 161,147 opportunities posted on Handshake, 950 recruiting employers, 5,462 career-fair attendees, and 4,824 student advising sessions.
• Employment outcomes: The University of Iowa’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department reports a 98% placement rate within seven months of graduation and a $77,370 mean annual wage in Iowa, citing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
• University-wide graduate outcomes: Among Iowa graduates, 96% were employed, continuing education, or not seeking employment within six months, with a reported median salary of $55,000; 21% continued their education and 93% reported employment related to their career goals.
• Employer connections: Engineering Career Services actively works with employers through career fairs, interviews, Handshake, employer outreach, and senior-design project sponsorship opportunities, creating direct channels between civil engineering students and industry.
• Professional accreditation: The Civil Engineering undergraduate program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil Engineering, providing an established professional accreditation framework relevant to engineering practice and licensure pathways.
• Graduation outcomes: The program’s educational objectives specifically prepare graduates to contribute to the civil engineering profession, pursue professional licensure and advanced study, continue learning as engineering develops, and address public health, safety, welfare, and environmental responsibilities.
• Industry-facing senior design: The department highlights a Senior Design Experience involving more than 200 projects in 80 communities, giving students opportunities to apply civil engineering knowledge to real community needs.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into the University of Iowa’s graduate programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering, including MS and PhD study, or pursue other advanced engineering education. The BSE’s curriculum and professional objectives also provide a foundation for professional licensure and continuing specialization in civil engineering.