Bachelor's Degree (BS) in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Kentucky

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky prepares students to design, construct, operate, and maintain infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, airports, water systems, and tunnels. It suits students interested in applying mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering analysis, and problem-solving to areas including structural, transportation, environmental, geotechnical, construction, and water-resources engineering.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students begin with the First-Year Engineering Experience, developing an understanding of engineering disciplines while taking courses such as EGR 102 – Fundamentals of Engineering Computing, MA 113 – Calculus I, and CHE 105 – General College Chemistry I. The second semester adds MA 114 – Calculus II, PHY 231 – General University Physics, and PHY 241 – General University Physics Laboratory, establishing the mathematical and scientific foundation for civil engineering.

Second Year: Students move into core civil engineering skills through CE 106 – Computer Graphics/Commun, CE 211 – Surveying, and EM 221 – Statics, while continuing advanced mathematics and science. Courses including EM 302 – Mechanics of Deformable Solids, MNG 303 – Deformable Solids Lab, and CE 218 – Sustainable Engineering introduce structural mechanics, laboratory experience, and sustainability.

Third Year: Students begin applying engineering principles to major civil engineering systems through CE 341 – Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, CE 381 – Civil Engineering Materials I, and CE 303 – Introduction to Construction Engineering. They then expand into CE 331 – Transportation Engineering, CE 351 – Introduction to Environmental Engineering, and CE 482 – Structural Analysis and Design, covering transportation, environmental systems, materials, construction, and structural design.

Fourth Year: The final year develops advanced technical and design capabilities through CE 461G – Water Resource Engineering, CE 471G – Soil Mechanics, and discipline-specific design and technical electives. Students complete CE 401 – Seminar and CE 429 – CE Systems Design, integrating their civil engineering knowledge into professional systems and design work.

Focus areas: Construction engineering and project management, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, materials engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, water resources engineering, surveying, and sustainability engineering.

Learning outcomes: Civil engineering analysis and design, sustainable and ethical engineering solutions, infrastructure planning, problem-solving, technical communication, teamwork, professional practice, preparation for professional licensure, and lifelong learning.

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 and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Kentucky’s Pigman College of Engineering was ranked No. 63 among U.S. public engineering schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2025 and No. 1 in Kentucky; the college also reports that 72% of its students gain co-op or internship experience before graduation and that its graduates have an average starting salary of $65,829.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky emphasizes hands-on research, internships, cooperative education, service opportunities, and real-world engineering experience. Students have access to specialized teaching and research laboratories in construction, geotechnical engineering, hydrosystems, materials, structures, surveying, transportation, and water resources, while the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) provides undergraduate students with opportunities to participate in transportation research and multidisciplinary projects.

Students can develop practical skills through:

Construction Engineering and Management Laboratory: Provides specialized facilities for students to develop construction engineering and management skills, including four constant-temperature environmental chambers for kinetic and process evaluations.
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory: Students can work with equipment including a slope inclinometer, cone penetrometer, truck-mounted drill rig, 1-meter-radius centrifuge, data-acquisition systems, advanced image analysis, and automated monotonic/cyclic triaxial testing equipment.
Hydrosystems Laboratory: The nearly 3,800-square-foot laboratory supports hydraulic and hydrologic experiments using a 40-foot tilting flume, water-distribution network, pipe-surge apparatus, rainfall hydrograph table, and groundwater tank and is used for undergraduate instruction and research.
Materials Engineering Laboratories: Students gain experience evaluating construction materials using a 300,000-pound universal testing machine, curing rooms, freeze-thaw durability testing equipment, and computer-controlled data-acquisition systems.
Structural Engineering Laboratory: The 2,000-square-foot structural laboratory supports full-scale structural-model testing and includes a heavy-duty loading floor, cranes, jacking and loading equipment, and strain-measuring apparatus.
Surveying and Photogrammetry Laboratories: Students have access to surveying instruments including electronic distance meters, optical transits, theodolites, and self-leveling and tilting levels, as well as photogrammetry equipment such as stereo-plotters and stereoscopes.
Transportation Engineering Laboratory: Students can engage with transportation research supported by traffic and safety equipment, vehicle classifiers, weigh-in-motion equipment, automatic traffic recorders, speed meters, video equipment, and specialized traffic-flow software.
Water Resources Laboratory: Provides workstations, GIS software, maps, and digitizers for spatial analysis of hydrologic datasets and water-resources applications.
Kentucky Transportation Center: Undergraduate civil engineering students can participate in transportation research projects involving areas such as pavement, materials, structures, traffic and safety, geotechnical engineering, construction management, environmental analysis, and intelligent transportation systems.
Undergraduate research: Interested undergraduates can participate in hands-on faculty-supervised research, applying classroom knowledge to real-world problems such as wastewater treatment, dam security, bridge repair, and rail-system efficiency.
Internships and cooperative education: The department specifically emphasizes internships and real-world experience, while the College of Engineering provides support for finding internships, co-ops, and full-time engineering positions.
Digital engineering tools: First-Year Engineering students receive access to MATLAB and Microsoft 365 at no additional cost, with students required to bring a laptop to FYE classes.
Civil Engineering facilities: The Oliver H. Raymond Building houses Civil Engineering classrooms, laboratories, and computing facilities, alongside the Kentucky Transportation Center.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky prepares graduates for careers across construction, engineering and architectural firms, utilities, energy, telecommunications, manufacturing, consulting, railroads, and government agencies. The program’s technical areas and ABET-accredited curriculum also provide a foundation for professional licensure and continued study in civil engineering.

Typical job roles: Civil Engineer, Construction Engineer/Manager, Structural Engineer, Environmental Engineer.

Career development and professional opportunities include:

Career services: The Engineering Career & Co-Op Office connects students with employers through co-op and internship opportunities, while the Pigman College of Engineering holds Engineering and Computer Science Career Fairs and a dedicated Civil Engineering Career Expo twice each year.
Internships and co-ops: The Civil Engineering department specifically emphasizes internships and real-world experience, with employers able to recruit students for semester or summer co-ops and internships.
Employment and salary: The department cites U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing $95,890 median pay for civil engineers and 6% projected job growth; the cited figures are U.S.-wide occupational statistics rather than University of Kentucky graduate outcomes.
Industry connections: Students benefit from the department's connection with the Kentucky Transportation Center, which is housed within the Pigman College of Engineering and serves as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s research and training arm.
Industry engagement: Employers can participate in UK’s Recruiter in Residence, career fairs, G.R.I.P. (Get Resume and Interview Practice) events, presentations, workshops, and student-organization activities to connect directly with engineering students.
Graduation outcomes: The department states that its civil engineering graduates are prepared to excel in civil engineering or related careers, create ethical and sustainable solutions, pursue professional licensure, and continue lifelong learning.
Professional accreditation: The BS in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for engineering education and supporting preparation for professional engineering practice.
Graduate research environment: The department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering, with specializations including construction engineering and project management, environmental, geotechnical, materials, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS, students can progress to the M.S. in Civil Engineering or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky, with research opportunities across the department’s seven technical areas. The university also offers Accelerated Master’s Pathways (AMP) that can allow eligible students to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years rather than six.