Specializations in Civil Engineering
– Construction engineering
– Geotechnical engineering
– Structural engineering
– Land development
– Transportation engineering
– Structural engineering
– Environmental engineering
– Water resources engineering
Work Environment
– Variety of locations and conditions
– Dealing with non-engineers and different technical disciplines
– Training in organizational relationships, cost, and time
– Time spent outdoors at construction sites
– Blend of in-office and on-location work
Education and Licensing
– Graduation from a post-secondary school with a degree in civil engineering
– Strong background in mathematics and physical sciences
– Licensure requirements in many countries
– Further education opportunities for master’s, engineer, doctoral, and post-doctoral degrees
– Restriction on using the title of civil engineer without a license
Civil Engineering in Different Regions
– Belgium: Civil Engineer (Ir.) is a legally protected title, distinction between civilian and military engineers, strong mathematical and scientific base in the formation of civil engineers
– Scandinavia: Civil engineer degree is approximately equivalent to a Master of Science in Engineering, origin of the distinction between civilian and military engineers, mandatory courses in mathematics and physics for civil engineers
– Spain: Different degrees (Ingeniero Técnico de Obras Públicas and Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos), technical and legal ability to design projects in various fields
– Eastern Europe: Various sub-professions studied in separate faculties or military engineering academies, different fields of study leading to a degree in construction engineering, machinery engineering degrees covering different fields
Professional Associations
– ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers): Represents more than 140,000 members worldwide, provides updates on news, projects, and methods related to civil engineering, helps civil engineers stay connected and informed
– ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers): Represents more than 80,000 members worldwide, provides training, recruitment, publishing, and contract services, supports the civil engineering profession
– CSCE (Canadian Society for Civil Engineering): Represents members of the Canadian civil engineering profession, provides updates on news, projects, and methods related to civil engineering Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructure that may have been neglected.
 Tennessee Valley Authority civil engineers monitoring water flow on a scale model of Tellico Dam | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Civil engineer |
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Design and management of structures, transportation systems, infrastructure |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Technical knowledge, management skills, mathematical analysis |
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines because it deals with constructed environment including planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
The term "civil engineer" was established by John Smeaton in 1750 to contrast engineers working on civil projects with the military engineers, who worked on armaments and defenses. Over time, various sub-disciplines of civil engineering have become recognized and much of military engineering has been absorbed by civil engineering. Other engineering practices became recognized as independent engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.
In some places, a civil engineer may perform land surveying; in others, surveying is limited to construction surveying, unless an additional qualification is obtained.
