2024-2025 Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Study

professor and helper in MicroNEER laboratory

Professor Shaily Mahendra (right) and helper prepare experiment materials and review documentation in the Microbial and Nano-Enzymatic Environmental Remediation (MicroNEER) Laboratory.

Civil Engineering BS

The civil engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Capstone Major

The Civil Engineering major is a designated capstone major. In each of the major field design courses, students work individually and in groups to complete design projects. To do so, they draw on their prior coursework, research the needed materials and possible approaches to creating their device or system, and come up with creative solutions. This process enables them to integrate many of the principles they have learned previously and apply them to real systems. In completing their projects, students are also expected to demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills, as well as their ability to work productively with others as part of a team.

Educational Objectives

Aligning with the department mission of engineering sustainable infrastructure for the future, civil engineering graduates are expected to: (1) pursue careers in private practice or in the public sector, and advance to leadership positions in fields that utilize the technical skills and diverse knowledge provided by their UCLA education; (2) use their solid technical foundation and critical thinking skills to achieve success in graduate education and research, should they opt to pursue a postgraduate degree; (3) solve problems that address the interrelationships between built environment, natural systems, and human agency in global, societal, environmental, and sustainability contexts; and (4) exhibit effective communication, teamwork, and practical engineering skills to practice ethically and responsibly.

Learning Outcomes

The Civil Engineering major has the following learning outcomes:

Preparation for the Major

Complete 16 courses as follows:

Chemistry

Complete the following three courses:

Civil Engineering

Complete the following course and Civil and Environmental Engineering M20 or Computer Science 31:

Civil Engineering M20 or Computer Science 31

Select one course from:

Mathematics

Complete the following five courses and Mathematics 33B or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 82:

Mathematics 33B or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 82

Select one course from:

Physics

Complete the following four courses:

Natural Science

Select one course from:

The Major

Complete 23 courses as follows: 12 required courses, three technical breadth courses, and at least eight field elective courses.

Required

Complete 12 courses: 7 required courses and one course from each of the five options as follows:

Chemical Engineering 102A or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 105A

Select one course from:

Civil Engineering 91 or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 101

Select one course from:

Civil Engineering C104 or Materials Science and Engineering 104

Select one course from:

Civil Engineering 107 or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103

Select one course from:

Civil Engineering 110 or C111

Select one course from:

Technical Breadth Courses

Complete three technical breadth courses (12 units) selected from approved lists available on the technical breadth web page.

Field Electives

Select at least eight major field elective courses (32 units) from the lists below with at least two design courses, one of which must be a capstone design course and two of which must be laboratory courses. The laboratory courses must be taken from two distinct areas (both 120L and 129L may be taken to satisfy the two-laboratory requirement). Courses applied toward the required course requirement may not also be applied toward the major field elective requirement.

Civil Engineering Materials
Laboratory
Environmental Engineering
Laboratory
Capstone design
Geotechnical Engineering
Laboratory
Design
Capstone Design
Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering
Laboratory
Design
Capstone Design
Structural Engineering and Mechanics
Laboratory
Design
Capstone Design
Transportation Engineering

Policies

The Major Policies

It is recommended that students take Civil and Environmental Engineering 109EW to satisfy the schoolwide ethics and writing requirements.

Approved lists of technical breadth courses are available on the technical breadth web page.

For information on UC, school, and general education requirements, see Requirements for BS Degrees or the GE Requirement web page.

Environmental Engineering Minor

The Environmental Engineering minor is designed for students who wish to augment their major program of study with an exposure to engineering methods applied to key environmental problems facing modern society in developed and developing countries. The minor also offers students a brief experience and understanding of the roles that environmental engineering methods play in solving environmental problems.

Admission

To enter the minor, students must be in good academic standing (2.0 grade-point average or better) and file a petition in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, 6426 Boelter Hall.

The Minor

Complete one lower-division course and six upper-division courses as follows:

Required Lower-Division Course (4 units)

Select one course from:

Required Upper-Division Courses (24 units minimum)

Complete Civil Engineering 153 and five elective courses as follows:

Electives

Select five courses from:

The Minor Policies

Credit for Chemical Engineering 102A and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 105A is not allowed.

A minimum of 20 upper-division units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor, and at least 16 units applied toward the minor must be taken in residence at UCLA. Transfer credit for any of the above is subject to departmental approval; consult with the undergraduate counselors before enrolling in any courses for the minor.

Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each and an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.