Program Overview
Civil Engineering Program
Introduction
The Civil Engineering program at Vanderbilt University is designed for students who are passionate about solving big problems and improving cities. The program focuses on providing students with the tools to begin careers in designing transit and autonomous vehicle infrastructure, clean drinking water systems, sustainable and smart buildings, and cities.
Course Work
The program's curriculum is intentionally interwoven with engineering problem-solving in the first-year classes and throughout the four-year experience. Building on a solid foundation in math and basic sciences, students learn about sustainable design, information systems, and transportation in their second year. The junior year involves core courses in structural, environmental, water resources, and geotechnical engineering with hands-on laboratory experiences. The senior year allows maximum flexibility for students to tailor their courses to their selected interest while they undertake a real-world senior design project mentored by a practicing engineer.
Some of the innovative courses offered include:
- Sustainable Design in Civil Engineering
- Energy Systems Engineering
- Infrastructure Systems Engineering
- Risk, Reliability, and Resilience Engineering
- History, Innovation, and Artistry of Civil Engineering Structures
Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate students have opportunities to hone their research skills while working with faculty research groups. A summer research program has been popular and beneficial. Some examples of faculty research in civil engineering include:
- Autonomous vehicle impacts on traffic
- Transportation vulnerabilities due to flooding events
- Nano-modified environmentally friendly concrete
- Evaluating water system sustainability and resilience
- Cyber-physical systems for smart cities
- Nuclear environmental systems
Other Special Opportunities
Study Abroad
Many students arrange their courses so that they can study abroad one semester during their undergraduate years in such places as Copenhagen, France, Australia, and Ireland. Study abroad is encouraged because it adds breadth to the educational experience. Courses are also offered that embed travel during Spring Break, such as the History, Innovation, and Artistry of Structural Engineering in Italy and Paris. Immersion experiences have enabled students to travel abroad to implement their senior design projects.
Experiential Learning
Students may travel to Sterling Ranch, Colorado to study the design and construction of a new community. Other students may travel to Orlando, Florida to see innovations in structural engineering and get behind-the-scenes tours of theme parks.
Internships
Vanderbilt CEE faculty actively supports students in finding summer internships. Most students participate in internships after their sophomore and junior years. Students engage in internships in transit planning, construction management, site design, structural design, and more.
Student Organizations
An active chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) creates a close community. Students gain real-world knowledge through weekly professional speakers and travel to competitions such as the concrete canoe races. ASCE also assists students in connecting with the local engineering community through their annual career fair. Students are also active in the Water Professionals and Institute of Transportation Engineers.
Other Majors and Minors
Our recent graduates have earned second majors and numerous minors in areas such as computer science, mathematics, climate studies, architecture and the built environment, and economics. Minors in these same areas plus engineering management are feasible and popular. A major and minor in environmental engineering is available.
Careers
Nearly 100% of our graduating seniors for the last twelve years knew their post-graduate plans as they walked across the graduation stage. Approximately 30% of our CE graduates will begin work on advanced degrees soon after graduation, while 70% go directly into full-time employment. Others will earn advanced degrees years later after earning their B.E. Roughly 40% of our CE graduates earn some type of advanced degree during their successful careers.
Leading civil engineering consulting firms, construction companies, business consulting firms, CE graduate programs, MBA and law programs across the U.S. and internationally clamor to attract our graduates. Some of the places our students have gone are Stanford University, MIT, Cornell University, Kimley Horn, Thornton-Tomasetti, Deloitte, Johns Hopkins, WSP, HNTB, and AECOM.
Faculty
Nearly 30 teaching and research faculty together provide a stimulating teaching and research balance. Our professors are caring and knowledgeable and consistently rank among the School of Engineerings most highly respected educators.
Clean water using recycled materials, multifunctional materials, green energy sources and green concrete, sustainability, reliability, resilience, infrastructure improvements, 3D printing of infrastructure (some of which even store energy), smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and other exciting innovations are the focus of research and teaching efforts for our faculty. Our graduates will be leaders in advancing these innovations and discovering new ones.