Civil Engineering, BS

Civil engineering students are interested in how buildings are designed, how they are built, and how they stand up against the forces of nature. They are concerned about the environment and how to provide clean water and improve air quality. They want to be part of the solution for traffic congestion and improve how to move people and goods locally, nationally, and globally. They want to better protect people, their belongings, their homes and businesses from natural disasters and help to create a sustainable and resilient future through creative and technical solutions.

Program Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the University of Alabama’s Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCivE), program is to have graduates who, within a few years of graduation, are in demand and lead fulfilling professional careers, in their chosen area of professional practice, through their demonstrated abilities to:

1. Apply foundational knowledge of mathematics, science, humanities, and social sciences; and
2. Synthesize technical knowledge of engineering analysis and design to identify, formulate, and solve problems; and
3. Employ their professional practice skills.

Student Outcomes

Students, upon completion of the BSCivE, program, will be able to:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that met specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
5. 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.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to require and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

All students are strongly encouraged to prepare for and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination prior to graduation.

• The undergraduate international admissions office will review the applicant’s transcripts within the context of the school, curriculum and country.
• GPA will be calculated on all coursework, not just core subjects. UA considers applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission.
• UA will accept unofficial transcripts for admission purposes. These can be emailed or uploaded by the student. 
  • If a student applies with unofficial documents, we MUST receive the official documents directly from the school or testing authority by July 1 for Fall admission and November 1 for Spring admission. 
  • Any student who does not provide official copies will not be able to enroll for courses. 
  • If a student’s official documents are not available by that time, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting an exception must email [email protected] before the deadline to be considered.
• For academic admission, students must meet the English proficiency requirement. For more information see UA’s English Language Proficiency page. 
• Students who meet the academic and financial qualifications, but do not meet the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score requirement may apply for conditional admission.
  • Conditionally admitted students will begin their studies in the English Language Institute and then enter directly into their academic coursework once they have satisfied English proficiency. 
  • For more information see UA’s conditional admission page.
• Students requiring F-1 and J-1 visas must also send documentation in order to secure an I-20 or DS-2010.
• Successful candidates for UA will have completed a college preparatory curriculum.

• The undergraduate international admissions office will review the applicant’s transcripts within the context of the school, curriculum and country.
• GPA will be calculated on all coursework, not just core subjects. UA considers applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission.
• UA will accept unofficial transcripts for admission purposes. These can be emailed or uploaded by the student. 
  • If a student applies with unofficial documents, we MUST receive the official documents directly from the school or testing authority by July 1 for Fall admission and November 1 for Spring admission. 
  • Any student who does not provide official copies will not be able to enroll for courses. 
  • If a student’s official documents are not available by that time, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting an exception must email [email protected] before the deadline to be considered.
• For academic admission, students must meet the English proficiency requirement. For more information see UA’s English Language Proficiency page. 
• Students who meet the academic and financial qualifications, but do not meet the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score requirement may apply for conditional admission.
  • Conditionally admitted students will begin their studies in the English Language Institute and then enter directly into their academic coursework once they have satisfied English proficiency. 
  • For more information see UA’s conditional admission page.
• Students requiring F-1 and J-1 visas must also send documentation in order to secure an I-20 or DS-2010.
• Successful candidates for UA will have completed a college preparatory curriculum.

Civil engineering provides a broad spectrum of career opportunities including water resources engineer, structural engineer, transportation engineer, environmental engineer, geotechnical engineer, construction engineer, site or urban planning engineer and architectural engineer. In addition, civil engineering graduates can use their technical knowledge and skills for entry into other professions such as medicine or law.

Types of Jobs Accepted

Graduates are design engineers and field engineers. They work in engineering sales and technical support. From small local firms to large multi-national firms, from specialty consulting to full-service design-build, from industry to government to public service, graduates accept offers from many different types of employers. Many get graduate degrees in civil or environmental engineering or go on to medical or law school.

Jobs of Experienced Alumni

Civil engineers often become community leaders. Understanding the built environment and how to make cities and structures more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable, alumni are well positioned to lead society in resolving many of the issues important to the future. Graduates often own design firms, move into corporate management, become civic leaders through state and federal public service, become research and development engineers and are entrepreneurs in business development.

Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center

• Copy of your passport
• Relevant visa and immigration documents (This includes PR card, current visa, or F-1/ J-1 visa request and supporting documents)
• Unofficial transcript copies from every secondary school you have attended. This includes academic transcripts, mark sheets, grade reports, diplomas or certificates, national standardized examination results, or other academic course work.
  • Include an English translation for all documents not written in English. If you need assistance translating your documents into English, we recommend using the American Translators Association to find a certified translator.
  • Students graduating high school in Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, The Gambia or Sierra Leone must submit a copy of their WASSCE results and scratch card information (serial number and PIN) in order to complete their application.
• Students that graduated 6 or more months ago should also provide a brief statement listing any academic activities since graduation (including any post-secondary coursework at institutions inside or outside of the US, English language programs, study abroad programs, etc.) List name(s) of the institutions and dates of attendance. If you have no additional academic activities, please write a short statement that speaks to your activities during the gap period. In the statement, please include the following and send to International Admissions at [email protected]:
  • Full Name
  • Address
  • High School/Secondary School
  • Graduation Date