Civil Engineering
Program Description
Civil engineers apply science in planning, designing, constructing, operating, or managing airports, buildings, bridges, harbors, highways, flood control structures, transit systems, water supply and distribution systems, waste collection and storm drainage, and other public works. Today, civil engineers are asked to meet the challenges of pollution, deteriorating urban infrastructure, traffic congestion, energy needs, urban development, and community planning.
Civil engineering offers an unlimited range of career opportunities to satisfy individual interests, aptitudes, and goals. Civil engineers can specialize in one field or a combination of many technical specialties. They can direct their efforts into planning, design, construction, research, teaching, sales, or management.
The University of Alberta curriculum provides the preparation required for a career in civil engineering. All students take a core program that provides the basis for professional practice in the Civil Engineering disciplines of construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, surveying, transportation, and water resources. Students then select elective courses in the fourth year to permit some specialization in these disciplines.
Common Work Term Tasks
On their work terms, civil engineering students can contribute to / perform the following tasks:
- Materials testing
- Surveying
- Project coordination
- Structural design/analysis
- Commissioning
- AutoCAD
- Contract administration
- Project reporting and scheduling
- Updating catalogues and drawings
- Slope stability studies
- Contractor liaison
- Field inspections
- Project estimating and tendering
- Site grading
- Spreadsheet/database applications
Environmental Engineering Option
In addition to the tasks listed under Civil Engineering above, co-op students specializing in the Environmental Engineering Option can contribute to / perform the following tasks:
- Environmental impact studies
- Reclamation/remediation site
- Assessment and inspection
- Field sampling and lab testing
- Field measurements
- Surveying
- AutoCAD
- Proposal and report writing
- Data gathering and analysis
- Project coordination
- Water quality studies and Optimization
- Wastewater and effluent studies
- Regulatory compliance reviews
- Tailings disposal planning
- Leak detection
Last update: August 2, 2018