Civil Engineering

Civil engineering, the oldest and broadest of the divisions of engineering, implements a range of public and private projects for improving society’s physical infrastructure and the environment. The civil engineer integrates scientific principles with engineering experience to plan, design, and construct networks of highways and railroads, airports, bridges and dams, environmental pollution control systems, industrial structures, water purification and distribution systems, and urban transportation systems that maintain, protect, and enhance the quality of life. Civil engineers are trained to consider the social effects as well as the physical and environmental factors that constrain the planning, design, construction, and operation of their projects. Environmental engineering, a technical specialization with its origins in civil engineering, is a growing discipline dedicated to the protection of the environment.

The undergraduate program gives students the theoretical background, instruction in engineering application of scientific principles, and professional attitude to serve the public. It typically leads to entry-level positions or to graduate work in technical specialties (e.g., environmental, geotechnical, structural, and transportation), business administration, or other professions.

Courses that address the behavior and design of steel and reinforced concrete structures, environmental pollution, control systems, water resources systems, foundations, and surface transportation systems are integrated into the curriculum, culminating in a series of senior-level professional design courses. These simulate the design processes used in the major areas of civil engineering and prepare students for entry-level positions. Most faculty members are licensed professional engineers. KU graduates have successful records in professional practice, research in academic institutions, government and private laboratories, and in managing firms and corporations of all sizes.

Students take required courses and select electives that best fulfill their personal goals from the following general areas of study. A total of 132 credit hours is required for graduation.

Undergraduate Concentrations

Students may identify broad concentrations in either general civil engineering or environmental engineering. Within these, students may choose elective courses to permit additional exposure to selected areas of civil or environmental engineering such as transportation, structural, geotechnical, environmental, and water resources engineering. In environmental engineering, electives may be selected to focus on water quality and treatment, bioremediation, solid and hazardous wastes, air quality, and air pollution control.

Freshmen must:
 
1. Provide evidence of high school graduation with a curriculum that would prepare you for university studies in your home country

Credentials and Requirements by Country for Freshman Addition to the College of LIberal Arts and Sciences

2. Have a GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale;

3. Submit English proficiency test scores (used to estimate students' placement in appropriate level of ESL course, as needed. All international students are screened after arrival on campus and prior to enrollment by the KU Applied English Center).

The University of Kansas will accept both the new SAT and the old SAT. We will use concordance tables to compare your scores and determine your highest scores on either the new SAT or the old SAT. At this time, any SAT scores listed are based on the new SAT (after March 2016).  

In addition to transcripts or marksheets, you must present an official diploma or graduation certificate, official examination results, or other proof of graduation particular to your country.  We use equivalent admission criteria for applicants from all countries.  Meeting the minimum grade point average does not guarantee admission.

The KU School of Engineering and its departments each year award additional scholarships to entering freshmen, transfer students and continuing undergraduate students. This is on top of offers from the university. Much of that support is made possible through generous donations from successful alumni and friends of the school who want to ensure others have access to the same great opportunities they had here. All students are strongly encouraged to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by March 1 to ensure they are considered for all scholarship dollars for which they are eligible.