The Civil Engineering Technology program at RIT supports the growing need for civil engineers to analyze, design, build, and retrofit new and existing infrastructure needs. The program focuses on developing modern technical innovations to address sustainable practices that are protective of the environment.
When infrastructure works, no one notices. But when clean water fails to come out of faucets, when roads and bridges crumble, or when dams break and flood communities, suddenly our attention shifts to infrastructure and how its failure significantly impacts our lives.
The people who make infrastructure their top priority are civil engineers who are charged with analyzing problems and designing solutions to our nation’s growing infrastructure needs. In RIT’s civil engineering technology degree, you’ll learn to design bridges and buildings, analyze traffic flow, manage the construction of complex structures, and address environmental issues such as clean drinking water and effective wastewater management.
RIT’s civil engineering technology degree supports the growing need for civil engineers to analyze, design, build, and retrofit new and existing infrastructure needs. There is also demand for civil engineers to develop and integrate modern technical innovations into their infrastructure solutions to address sustainable practices that are protective of the environment.
In the civil engineering technology major, you’ll begin with a foundation in structural mechanics, physics, calculus, and the liberal arts. In the first two years of the program, technical subjects are taught concurrently with mathematics and science, helping you to understand applications while studying scientific fundamentals. The third and fourth years expand on these fundamentals with advanced course work in structural design, water and wastewater management and treatment, transportation systems, foundation engineering, and additional liberal arts courses. In the fifth year, you'll complete a capstone project that includes the complete design of a major civil engineering project.
With a choice of professional electives, you can complete course sequences in structural design, construction management, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources management. Electives also are available in other technical disciplines. The major allows you to specialize while also obtaining a broad background in civil engineering and construction management.
While an option is not required, you may choose to pursue one of three professional options to gain a deeper understanding in one of these areas:
With four required cooperative education experiences, you’ll gain full-time, hands-on career experience working for a range of companies and organizations in construction, transportation, water/wastewater management, renewable energy, and more. You’ll gain the practical theory, knowledge, and hands-on technical skills you’ll need to become an expert in applying today’s technologies to the solution of civil engineering and construction problems.
Throughout the civil engineering degree, you’ll spend time in labs where you’ll use experimental methods to solve engineering challenges and actively put theory and technology to work. You’ll work on state-of-the-art equipment and in sophisticated laboratories that allow for a wealth of hands-on experience. You’ll have access to laboratories and equipment for soil mechanics, construction materials, surveying, water and wastewater analysis and treatment, hydraulic systems, and mechanics. You’ll also have access to our Design and Drafting Laboratory with state-of-the-practice hardware and software such as AutoCAD, Revit, STAAD, HydroCAD, Civil3D, and much more.
With a BS degree in civil engineering technology, you’ll also be prepared to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, the first step in becoming licensed as a professional engineer (PE).
Two dynamic areas of study, both with outstanding outcomes rates. Which do you choose?
What’s the difference between engineering and engineering technology? It’s a question we’re asked all the time. While there are subtle differences in the course work between the two, choosing a major in engineering vs. engineering technology is more about identifying what you like to do and how you like to do it.
Today’s careers require advanced degrees grounded in real-world experience. RIT’s Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees enable you to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years of study, all while gaining the valuable hands-on experience that comes from co-ops, internships, research, study abroad, and more.
+1 MBA: Students who enroll in a qualifying undergraduate degree have the opportunity to add an MBA to their bachelor’s degree after their first year of study, depending on their program. Learn how the +1 MBA can accelerate your learning and position you for success.
| Project Manager | Civil Engineer |
| Design Engineer | Electronic Transmission Engineer |
| Estimating Engineer | Pavement Engineer |
| Construction Material Engineer | Field Engineer |
| Geotechnical Engineer | Project Engineer |
| Structural Engineer | Traffic Engineering |
| Transportation Engineer | Water Engineer |
| Principal Investigator | Consultant |
| Transportation Safety Specialist | Transit Operator |
| Metropolitan Transportation Planner |
What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top companies in every single industry. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart. It’s exposure–early and often–to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, and industries.
Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Your engineering co-ops will provide hands-on experience that enables you to apply your engineering knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.
Students in the civil engineering technology degree are required to complete four co-op blocks. This typically includes one spring, one fall, and two summer blocks. You'll alternate periods of full-time study with full-time paid work experience in your career field. In some circumstances, other forms of experiential education (e.g., study abroad, research, military service) may be used to fulfill part of the co-op requirement. Each student is assigned a co-op advisor to assist in identifying and applying to co-op opportunities.
Civil engineers are in demand. Our nation’s growing infrastructure needs–coupled with a focus on addressing the environment as a key component in infrastructure solutions–have created ample career opportunities for civil engineers. And, with an exceptional outcomes rate, graduates of our degree in civil engineering technology are employed with top organizations in areas as diverse as environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, engineering management, transportation engineering, water resources engineering, and more.
RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education hosts a civil engineering career fair that connects civil engineering technology majors with employers in civil engineering, infrastructure, construction, and more. During this event, you’ll be able to network with company representatives and interview directly for open co-op and permanent employment positions.
Rochester Institute of Technology (Dubai) is a branch campus of the renowned Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States. Located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, a special economic zone for knowledge and innovation, RIT Dubai offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs in various fields, including engineering, business, computing, and design. The institution is committed to providing students with a high-quality American education in a dynamic and international setting.
RIT Dubai provides a wide array of services to support student success, including:
RIT Dubai fosters a vibrant and inclusive campus community where students can engage in a variety of activities and experiences, including:
RIT Dubai offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including:
The BS in civil engineering technology major is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org. Visit the college's accreditation page for information on enrollment and graduation data, program educational objectives, and student outcomes.
