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Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Undergraduate Program Description
Civil Engineering includes the location, design, construction, and the operation and maintenance of highways, airports, buildings, bridges, dams, water supply and distribution systems, waste water collection systems and treatment plants, irrigation and drainage systems, river and harbor improvements and many other infrastructure facilities essential in modern life.
First year engineering students are introduced to engineering design in GE 101, Introduction to Engineering, where they learn about the creative process through exposure to "real world" examples illustrating each step of the design process. Through the sophomore and junior courses, exposure to design experiences is gradually increased to demonstrate how knowledge gained in the engineering sciences can be used to solve engineering problems, promote original thought, illustrate the work expected of engineers and stimulate interests and enthusiasm for design. As students enter the senior year, the design experiences in the core courses become more complex and open-ended. Design experience culminates in CEE 464-465, Senior Design Project I and II, where desing teams work on comprehensive, open-ended projects involving scope and definition, evaluation of alternatives on the basis of economics, safety, ethical implications, and other factors, concluding with the preparation of a functional design, plans, specifications and final cost estimates.
Electives are provided to broaden knowledge in the social-humanistic area and to provide the opportunity for technical specialization. A minimum number of credits of Humanities/Arts and Social Sciences are required and must be selected to satisfy the System General Education Core and the SDSU Institutional Graduation Requirements under the Graduation Requirements in this catalog. Students should consult with their academic adviser or the department head for guidance on humanities and arts and social science electives. Technical specialization is obtained through selection of technical electives within Civil Engineering and related desciplines. Nine credits are required and must be obtained from at least two different sub-disciplines to provide breadth in the student's technical education. The sub-disciplines within Civil Engineering at SDSU include Enviromental, Geotechnical, Structural, Surveying, Transportation, and Water Resources engineering. All technical electives must be approved by the adviser or department head.
In addition to the Graduation Requirements and Academic Performance Requirements specified in this catalog, the following grade requirements must be met to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering: a combined average of "C" or better in the Civil Engineering courses and a minimum grade of "C" in all Engineering Mechanics (EM) designated courses. Students will not be permitted to enroll in subsequent Civil Engineering courses for which any of the EM courses are prerequisites until the minimum "C" grade requirement has been met. Students must follow course prerequisite requirements.
The department will assist those interested to arrange cooperative work-study programs with consulting and testing firms, governmental agencies and industry. Credit may be obtained for the work experiences by registering for CEE 494 Internship, CEE 496 Field Experience, or CEE 497 Cooperative Education. These credits, upon approval of the department, may fulfill part of the technical-elective requirements.
The Civil Engineering program at South Dakota State University has been continuously accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission/Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET) since 1936.
To make the transition easier for high school students interested in a career in Civil Engineering, the following guidelines are suggested: study as much mathematics as available, including trigonometry and calculus (if possible), one year of physics, one year of chemistry, and four years of English.
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