Civil Engineering

This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.ndsu.edu.

Major Requirements

Major: Civil Engineering

Degree Type: B.S.C.E.
Minimum Credits Required for Degree: 132

University Degree Requirements

  1. Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
  2. Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework.  Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
  4. A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
  5. At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
  6. Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institution. 
    1. Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU resident credits as defined in #7.
    2. Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
  7. At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits.  Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.

For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.

University General Education Requirements

Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits39
  •  A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.

 Major Requirements

Civil Engineering Core Requirements
CE 111Introduction to Civil Engineering1
CE 112Computer Applications in Civil Engineering1
CE 204Surveying3
CE 212Civil Engineering Graphic Communications3
CE 303Civil Engineering Materials2
CE 303LCivil Engineering Materials Laboratory1
CE 309Fluid Mechanics3
CE 310Fluid Mechanics Laboratory1
CE 316Soil Mechanics3
CE 343Structural Engineering and Analysis4
CE 370Introduction to Environmental Engineering3
CE 371Environmental Engineering Laboratory1
CE 404Reinforced Concrete3
CE 408Water Resources and Supply3
CE 418Transportation Engineering4
CE 444Structural Steel Design3
CE 483Contracts and Specifications3
CE 489Senior Design3
MATH Courses Required: 1
MATH 128Introduction to Linear Algebra1
MATH 165Calculus I (May satisfy general education category R)4
MATH 166Calculus II4
MATH 259Multivariate Calculus3
MATH 266Introduction to Differential Equations3
Other Required Courses :
CHEM 121
121L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
4
CHEM 122
122L
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
4
ENGR 402Engineering Ethics and Social Responsibility1
ENGR 311History of Technology in America (May satisfy general education category A)3
ENGR 312Impact of Technology on Society (May satisfy general education category B)3
ENGL 321Writing in the Technical Professions (May satisfy general education category C)3
GEOL 105Physical Geology (May satisfy general education category S and G)3
IME 440Engineering Economy2
IME 460Evaluation of Engineering Data3
ME 221Engineering Mechanics I 13
ME 222Engineering Mechanics II 13
ME 223Mechanics of Materials 13
ME 350Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer 23
PHYS 252University Physics II4
Technical Electives Required: Select 12 credits from the following:12
Structures:
Design of Pre-stressed Concrete (Design Credits 1.0)
Bridge Evaluation and Rehabilitation (Design Credits 1.5)
Timber and Form Design (Design Credits 1.5)
Finite Element Analysis (Design Credits 1.0)
Advanced Steel Design (Design Credits 1.0)
Basic Dynamics of Structures (Design Credits 1.0)
Stability of Structures (Design Credits 1.5)
Bridge Engineering and Management (Design Credits 1.5)
Water Resources:
Open Channel Flow (Design Credits 1.5)
Groundwater Sustainability Design (Design Credits 1.5)
Watershed Modeling (Design Credits 1.5)
Applied Hydrology (Design Credits 1.5)
Environmental:
Water and Wastewater Engineering (Design Credits 1.5)
Environmental Nanotechnology (Design Credits 1.5)
Solid Waste Management (Design Credits 1.0)
Air Pollution (Design Credits 1.5)
Water Quality Management (Design Credits 1.5)
Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment (Design Credits 1.5)
Special Topics (Design Credits 1.5)
Transportation:
Pavement Design (Design Credits 1.5)
Geometric Highway Design (Design Credits 2.0)
Airport Planning and Design (Design Credits 1.0)
Railroad Planning and Design (Design Credits 1.5)
Pavement Management Systems (Design Credits 1.0)
Bituminous Materials and Mix (Design Credits 1.5)
Special Topics (Design Credits 1.0)
Geotechnical:
Slope Stability and Retaining Walls (Design Credits 1.5)
Foundation Engineering (Design Credits 1.5)
Designing with Geosynthetics (Design Credits 1.0)
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering (Design Credits 1.5)
Advanced Soil Mechanics (Design Credits 1.0)
Advanced Materials:
Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials (Design Credits 0.0)
Seminar
Undergraduate Research
Total Credits114

 Degree Requirements and Notes

  • Students must complete courses in a minimum of three technical areas with a minimum of 6 credits in design for a minimum total of 12 technical electives.
  • Transfer students are required to take ENGR 311 History of Technology in America or ENGR 312 Impact of Technology on Society regardless of General Education completion.

Note: Department permission required for graduate level courses. Credit may be earned only at the undergraduate level. Department permission is also required for some undergraduate courses. There are specific prerequisites and grade requirements to be allowed to take certain courses.