University Catalog

Civil Engineering - Undergraduate Programs

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uta.edu/.

Undergraduate Programs

The following sections apply to each student majoring in any undergraduate program housed in the Civil Engineering Department: Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Construction Management. In these sections, "program" refers to any of these programs and "student" refers to any student (UCOL, Intended, or Professional Program) majoring in any one of these programs.

Refer to the College of Engineering section of this catalog for additional information concerning the following topics: Admission to the College of Engineering, Advising, Admission into the Professional Program, College of Engineering Academic Regulations, Honors Degrees in Engineering, Professional Engineering Licensure, and Cooperative Education.

Admission Requirements

Admission as an Architectural Engineering major, a Civil Engineering major, or a Construction Management major is subject to the relevant requirements and policies of the University of Texas at Arlington and of the UTA College of Engineering.  The Civil Engineering Department does not impose additional requirements.

Transfer Credit

When a student transfers, a loss of credit can occur that may require change in academic plans. A course, that appears to be similar, may be different in either content or level of difficulty and, as a result, cannot be used for degree credit. Another course may have no equivalent in a particular degree plan. More than one transferred course may satisfy a degree requirement when only one is required. The UTA Civil Engineering Department encourages students interested in our programs to make early contact with our advisors so that we can help avoid these problems.

A student must earn a grade of C or better for a course to be transferred.  Any course that is offered under the Texas Common Course Numbering system is accepted as equivalent to the corresponding UTA course.  It is the responsibility of the student to establish the equivalence of any other course or courses to a course required in a program. The student should be prepared to provide a syllabus or similar documents to establish equivalence. To be acceptable as equivalent, at a minimum, a transferred course must have no less credit value than the corresponding course and contain substantially equivalent course content. To be accepted in transfer, junior and senior level courses must be taken at a college or university with the same accreditation as UTA in the area offering the course. For example, a Civil Engineering course must come from an ABET accredited Civil Engineering program.

When a student's record or performance indicates weakness in certain areas of study, they may be required to retake courses or to take additional courses.

Before enrolling in a course at another institution to transfer for credit toward a program degree, a student should consult with a program advisor to verify that the course can be used in the student's degree plan and to obtain the necessary written permission.

Advising

Academic advisement is required for every undergraduate student before class enrollment each semester.

A new student with fewer than 24 hours of transferrable credit, including any student entering directly from high school, is advised in the University Advising Center of University College. After one or more semesters and sufficient progress in the degree program, this student is released by the University Advising Center to the program advisors.

Prior to enrollment, a new student with 24 or more hours of transferrable credit must make an appointment with the transfer advisor of their program. However, if all of the student's transfer credit was earned at a Texas community college, an appointment may be scheduled with any advisor for their program. The advising appointment should be scheduled as soon as possible after admission, but certainly prior to registration. A transfer student should not make an advising appointment with a transfer advisor after the initial evaluation of their transfer credit is complete.

During each long semester, a specified period is set aside for the academic advisement of continuing students. Each continuing student is responsible for meeting with their program advisor during this advising period. Continuing students will receive instructions prior to each advising period related to preparing for and making an advising appointment. Academic advising will be available at other times but a student who does not meet with their program advisor during the regular advising period may have fewer alternatives when selecting courses.

Academic Rules, Regulations, and Policies

In addition to the rules, regulations, and policies established below and in the individual program sections, each student is subject to the rules, regulations, and policies of the University of Texas at Arlington and of the UTA College of Engineering. Each student should become familiar with these. The rules, regulations, and policies of the University of Texas at Arlington and of the UTA College of Engineering are set forth in other sections of this catalog. It is the responsibility of each student to follow the applicable published rules. Failure to follow these rules may be grounds for dismissal from the program.

CE Department Course Requisites

  • A student must have the written approval of their program advisor to register for any course that will satisfy a requirement of their degree program.
  • A student must have specific written permission of their program advisor to register at a different institution for any course that will satisfy a requirement of their degree program.
  • A student may not attempt a CE Department course without satisfying all current requisite requirements. A prerequisite course requirement is satisfied by earning a grade of C or better. A co-requisite course requirement is satisfied by earning a grade of C or better or by concurrent enrollment in the course at UTA.
  • A student may not drop a course which is co-requisite to a CE Department course without also dropping the CE Department course.
  • No professional program courses may be attempted until the student is admitted into the professional program or obtains the written permission of the program advisor for one semester or obtains the written permission of the program advisor and Department Chair for any subsequent enrollment.

Repeating Courses

A student may not attempt any course more than three times and apply that course toward a program degree. Enrollment in a course for a period of time sufficient for assignment of a grade, including a grade of W, is considered an attempt.

Admission to the Professional Program

Requirements for admission to the professional program in each program are in accordance with those of the College of Engineering with the following added stipulations:

  • Application to the professional program is to be made to the CE Department during the semester that the advancement requirements are being completed.
  • Each student must complete all pre-professional courses stipulated under "Requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in" the program with a minimum grade of C in each course and a minimum GPA of 2.25 in: a) all courses, b) in all math, science, and engineering courses, and c) in all program specific courses.
  • Upon receipt of the application, a student's record is individually reviewed including grades, academic and personal integrity, record of drops and course withdrawals, the order in which courses have been taken, the number of times a student has attempted a course for credit, and any other aspect of the student's record that may be deemed pertinent to admission.

The student must be admitted to the professional program and have an approved degree plan on file in order to graduate. The degree plan is generated upon entry to the professional program. Graduating seniors should apply to graduate during the next-to-last semester.

Grounds for Dismissal from the CE Program

A student whom the UTA Office of Student Conduct has found to have violated the UTA Code of Student Conduct a second time is subject to dismissal from the CE program.

Minor Field of Study

The Civil Engineering Department does not support the option of pursuing a minor in Architectural Engineering, in Civil Engineering, or in Construction Management by other engineering or non-engineering majors. 

Educational and Professional Career Paths

Civil engineering is the oldest and broadest of the engineering disciplines. A civil engineer works with a wide spectrum of individuals in both the public and private sectors to meet today's challenges of pollution, infrastructure rehabilitation, traffic congestion, floods, earthquakes, and urban development. Civil engineers plan, design, construct, maintain, manage, and operate facilities essential to modern, civilized human life. Projects requiring civil engineering expertise vary widely in nature, size, and scope, such as: bridges, tunnels, transportation systems, airports, storm water drainage systems, dams, buildings, foundations, water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, hazardous waste treatment, environmental remediation, environmental protection, and air pollution control.

Civil engineering graduates are prepared for advanced graduate degrees and a wide range of career paths in civil engineering including consulting, governmental agencies, and industry. In addition to the traditional careers in civil engineering, graduates may take advantage of their strong, broad-based engineering education to pursue careers in professions such as medicine, law, business, or teaching.

Fast Track Program for Master's Degrees in Civil Engineering

The Fast Track Program enables outstanding senior undergraduate Civil Engineering students to receive undergraduate and graduate credit for up to six hours of coursework. Technical electives which are dual-listed as graduate courses will satisfy both bachelor's and master's degree requirements. Students pursuing an MECE or MSCE degree may take up to two courses for dual credit.

Interested undergraduate Civil Engineering students should apply for admission to the Fast Track Program when they are within 30 hours of completing their bachelor's degree (and before graduation). For admission consideration, they must have completed at least 30 hours at UT Arlington and have an overall and College of Engineering GPA of at least 3.00 (in both) for the MECE option and the MSCE option. Additionally, they must have completed a set of specified, basic undergraduate foundation courses with a grade of B or higher in each course and a GPA of at least 3.30 in these foundation courses. The specific foundation courses vary according to the student's desired specialty area for the master's degree.

In their final semester as an undergraduate, Fast Track students in good standing will be automatically admitted to graduate school with consent of the Graduate Advisor. No fees, transcripts, or test scores will be required. Students must start their master’s program the long semester or summer semester immediately following their graduation or the next long semester. For further information about this program, contact an undergraduate advisor or the Graduate Advisor in Civil Engineering. Descriptions of CE Fast Track degree options and a list of approved, required departmental courses are also available in the CE Advising Office.

Civil Engineering BS Degree at UT Arlington

At the undergraduate level, the department offers a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree designed to provide a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and engineering science; technical competence in multiple areas of civil engineering practice; and an understanding of the importance of ethics, safety, professionalism, and socioeconomic concerns in resolving technical problems through synthesis, planning, and design. Elements of design are introduced at the freshman level. This is followed by an analysis and design component in professional program courses, culminating in a comprehensive design experience.

The UT Arlington Civil Engineering BS degree has been accredited since October 1967 by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. ABET is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the sole agency responsible for accreditation of educational programs leading to degrees in engineering. Graduation from an ABET accredited program is an important factor in attaining registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and other states.

Educational Objectives of the Undergraduate Program

Most alumni of the CE program will attain the following Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) within a few years after graduation:

  • Obtain professional position and practice civil engineering, or pursue graduate studies.
  • Be involved in continuing education and professional development activities.
  • Obtain PE licensure or other professional certification.

Student Outcomes of the Undergraduate Program

In order to produce graduates who will achieve the Program Educational Objectives a few years after graduation, it is expected that the undergraduate students will attain the following Student Outcomes by the time of graduation:

  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  • an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  • an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  • an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  • an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  • an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  • an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies