DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Undergraduate Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

FAMU-FSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Website

Chair: Lisa Spainhour; Professors: AbdelRazig, Abichou, Chen, Huang, Jung, Moses, Mtenga, Rambo-Roddenberry, Sobanjo, Spainhour, Tawfiq, Zhang; Associate Professors: Choi, Dulebenets, Ozguven, Tang; Assistant Professors: Alamdari, Elwardany, Farner, Fernández-Cabán, Guo, Sharma, Wasman; Teaching Faculty III: Adalier, Ahmad, Pamuk; Teaching Faculty II: Nnaji; Teaching Faculty I: Park; Professor of Practice: Martin; Professors Emeriti: Dzurik, Ping, Wekezer

Mission

The mission of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is to teach the fundamentals of civil engineering science, analysis, design, and management in order to empower students to assume careers as professional engineers; to conduct basic and applied research in order to improve the state of knowledge of civil engineering; to serve as a source of information and advice to the community on engineering matters; and to assist in the continuing education of professional engineers and other interested individuals. The department has a special mission to provide an opportunity for a civil engineering education for under-represented groups in the profession.

Programs Offered

The department offers a program of study for the Bachelor of Science (BS) in civil engineering, which is accredited by ABET, Inc, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD, 21202-4012, phone (410) 347-7700. The civil engineering major is broad-based, emphasizing all aspects of civil engineering practice, including structural geotechnical, construction, transportation, hydraulics, water resources, and environmental engineering. Within the civil engineering program, the environmental engineering major is a course of study that focuses primarily on environmental engineering, hydraulics, hydrology, water resources, and water quality.

Regardless of focus, all students learn to apply state-of-the-art technologies to solve problems in these areas.

The department offers graduate programs leading to Master's and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in civil engineering. In addition to the thesis-based Master of Science (MS) degree, a courses-only Master of Engineering (MEng) option is available. These programs provide areas of concentration in structural, geotechnical, environmental/water resources, construction/infrastructure, and transportation engineering.

Admission to graduate programs requires a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) in the last two years of undergraduate school and an acceptable score on the graduate record exam (GRE). For the MEng option, evidence of passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) or Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam or holding PE licensure may be used in lieu of the GRE. For more details, refer to the Graduate Bulletin or the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering website.

Opportunities and Facilities

Many opportunities exist in the field of civil engineering that encompass planning, designing, and managing a variety of projects. Your work could be on site at a project or at a computer workstation. Civil and environmental engineers often find themselves involved in many of the public work projects funded by federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as those projects undertaken by the private sector. As a structural engineer, you might analyze and design structures out of steel, concrete, aluminum, timber, plastic, and other new materials that are able to support required loads and withstand natural disasters. An environmental engineer, with a background in either physical, chemical, or biological science, helps to prevent and solve environmental problems. Engineers in the geotechnical area apply technology, field test information, and laboratory analyses related to mechanics and mathematics to create the infrastructure facilities within and on top of the earth. The structure and stability of soils determine how and where to construct tunnels, pipelines, and deep foundations as well as highways and other buildings. In hydraulic and water resources engineering, you might design, construct, or maintain facilities related to the quality and quantity of water, flood prevention, wastewater treatment, and waterfront erosion protection. As a professional in transportation engineering, your purpose is to move people and things in a safe and efficient manner locally and through mass transportation systems. Transportation facilities include highways, airfields, railroads, and seaports. Several courses are also offered in construction engineering.

Instructional equipment available in the CEE department includes the MTS structures and material testing systems with computer control for data acquisition and analysis, equipment for in situ and laboratory measurements of engineering properties of soils and rocks, including triaxial, bearing, and shear testing equipment and seismographs; and a self-contained glass-sided tilting flume for investigations of flow phenomena and sediment transport. A complete stand-alone automated data acquisition and analysis system is available for undergraduate student laboratory work and research. A fully equipped water quality testing lab as well as portable field testing kits are used both for classroom teaching as well as for student research and design projects.

Students have access to a large number and variety of computer systems. A network of nearly 700 computing devices is available for the academic and research efforts of the college.

The college computers are connected to a high-speed, switched, fiber-optic LAN and to the Internet via the Florida State University connection to the NSF v BNS network.

Additional information about the department can be obtained from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering homepage.

B.S. Master's Pathway

This pathway provides academically talented undergraduate students an opportunity to complete both a bachelor's and a master's degree in five years. Upon approval, this pathway allows 6 graduate hours to be counted toward both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The student will earn the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree upon completion of the undergraduate program and the master's degree upon completion of the graduate program.

The program requirements for the graduate portion of this pathway are identical to the M.Eng. or M.S. program requirements. The only difference is that the pathway students take 24 hours of coursework instead of 30 hours, because six graduate hours were already taken while completing the undergraduate degree.

To apply, students in term five or six of their undergraduate program (the Junior year) according to the CEE Undergraduate Academic Map should submit an on-line application to the combined degree pathway. An overall GPA of 3.2 as well as area-specific requirements must be met.

During the last year as an undergraduate, the student applies to the master's program. The admission requirements for this step are identical to the master's admission requirements.

Additional information and the online application are available on the CEE Bachelor’s - Master’s (BS-MEng) Pathway webpage.

Program Educational Objectives

Consistent with the mission and goals of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and based upon the input and needs of its constituents, the Civil Engineering program will produce graduates who achieve the following program educational objectives (PEOs) several years after graduation:

Progress in successful professional careers in civil and environmental engineering or related fields, and/or enroll in studies at the graduate level;
Apply engineering principles to address the needs of society, including sustainability, and practice effective management, communication, and leadership skills;
Respond to the rapid pace of change in civil and environmental engineering by becoming professionally licensed, engaging in ongoing continuing education, and participating in professional society activities; and
Contribute to workforce diversity as members and leaders of multi-disciplinary teams.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the time students graduate from the Civil Engineering program, they will attain the following outcomes and attributes:

An ability to identify, formulate, and solve civil engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics;
An ability to apply both analysis and synthesis in the engineering design process, resulting in designs that meet desired needs;
An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions;
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 recognize the ongoing need for additional knowledge and locate, evaluate, integrate, and apply this knowledge appropriately;
An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.

Engineering Design

Following engineering design criteria established by ABET, the civil engineering curricula provide excellent design experiences for students. The faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has carefully integrated design components into the curriculum with increased complexity as students progress toward graduation. These design components offer opportunities for students to work individually and in teams on meaningful engineering design experiences building upon the fundamental concepts of mathematics, basic sciences, humanities, social sciences, engineering topics, and oral and written communication skills. Design components in engineering coursework help students develop an appreciation for and apply the knowledge of the wide variety of courses they have studied. Consequently, they participate in meaningful solutions and effective design development for practical engineering problems.

The majority of the design experiences are integrated into junior and senior level courses, culminating in a capstone design project. The project is implemented through a two-course sequence, CGN 4800 Senior Design I, and CGN 4802 Senior Design II, taken by students in both majors. The capstone design sequence provides significant, culminating design experiences in which students working in interdisciplinary teams to apply realistic constraints to an actual engineering scenario.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites in Civil Engineering

The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting the Florida Postsecondary Academic Library Network page.

FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Civil Engineering. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit the Civil Engineering General Requirements page of the Common Prerequisites Manual.

Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in civil and environmental engineering satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C” or higher in CGN 3326, Civil Engineering Graphics & Design Tools.

Oral Communication Competency

If a grade of “C” or better is earned in the following two courses, the Oral Communication Competency requirement as defined in the “Undergraduate Degree Requirements” section of this General Bulletin will be satisfied. If the oral communication competency requirement of either course is not met, the student will not earn an overall grade of “C” or better in the course, regardless of how well the student performs in the remaining portions of the course.

CGN 4800 Senior Design I (3)

CGN 4802 Senior Design II (3)

Upper-Division Writing

The Upper-Division Writing (UDW) requirement at FSU is met by CGN 4800 Senior Design I, which is a required course for Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering majors. To fulfill FSU's Upper-Division Writing requirement, the student must earn a “C” or higher in the course and earn at least a “C” average on the required writing assignments. If the student does not earn a “C-” or higher in the required writing assignments, the student will not earn an overall grade of “C” or higher in the course, no matter how well the student performs in the remaining portion of the course. Note that the UDW requirement is not the same as the State-Mandated Writing requirement, and that students must meet both requirements.

Scholarship in Practice/Formative Experience

CGN 4800 Senior Design 1, which is a required course for Civil and Environmental Engineering majors, has been approved as meeting the Scholarship-in-Practice requirement, and thus is designed to help the student become a critical thinker, a creative user of knowledge, and an independent learner. To fulfill FSU's Scholarship-in-Practice requirement, the student must earn a “C” or higher in the course.

CGN 4802 Senior Design II, which is a required course for Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering majors, has been approved to meet CoreFSU Curriculum Formative Experience requirement and develops the student's ability to develop and use knowledge by engaging in a hands-on experience outside of the classroom. To fulfill FSU's FE requirement, the student must earn a “C” or higher in the course.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering: Civil Engineering Major

In addition to college requirements, a candidate for the BS degree in civil engineering will be expected to successfully complete the following requirements:

Mathematics and Basic Engineering Sciences

CEG 2202 Introduction to Geomatics Engineering (3)

CEG 2202L Introduction to Geomatics Engineering Lab (1)

EGM 3512 Engineering Mechanics (4)

EGN 1004L First Year Engineering Lab (1)

EGN 3331 Strength of Materials (3)

EGN 3613 Principles of Engineering Economy (2)

EEL 3003 Introduction to Electrical Engineering (3)

EML 3100 Thermodynamics (2)

STA 2023 Fundamental Business Statistics (3)

STA 2122 Introduction to Applied Statistics (3)

STA 3032 Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists (3)

Note: The 128 credit hours required for CEE degrees is calculated using EEL 3003. Students who take EML 3100 should see their advisor or academic coordinator to ensure that their degree will be a minimum of 128 credit hours total.

Group A Science Elective: An additional three-credit hour science elective course is required to allow students to develop increased breadth in the basic sciences, while completing existing curricular requirements. Students should select one course from the following group.

BSC 1005 General Biology for Nonmajors (3)

BSC 2010 Biological Science (3)

GLY 1030 Environmental Issues in Geology (3)

GLY 2010C Physical Geology (4)

MET 3231 Intro to Atmospheric Thermodynamics and Dynamics

PCB 3043 General Ecology (3)

OCE 4008 Principles of Oceanography (3)

Additional options may be available. See department for a list of approved Group A electives.

Civil Engineering Core Courses

CCE 3101 Construction Materials (3)

CEG 3011 Soil Mechanics (3)

CES 3100 Structural Analysis (4)

CGN 3326 CE Graphics & Design Tools (3)

CGN 3508L Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory (1)

CWR 3200L Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory (1)

CWR 3201 Hydraulics (3)

EES 3040 Introduction to Environmental Engineering (3)

TTE 3004 Transportation Engineering (3)

Civil Engineering Design and Professional Courses

Students must take the courses in the following areas plus four additional electives* for a total of 24 hours credit. To meet the requirement, students may select elective courses (as indicated below) to specialize their degree program to suit their individual objectives.

Structures

CES 4605 Steel Design (3)

CES 4702 Concrete Design (3)

Geotechnical

CEG 4801 Geotechnical Design (3)

Construction/Transportation

CCE 4XXX Construction elective (3)

TTE 4XXX Transportation elective (3)

Environmental/Water Resources

ENV 4XXX Environmental Engineering (3)

CWR 4XXX Hydraulics, Hydrology, or Water Resources elective (3)

Additional Electives

Group B Electives (9 credits total)

Engineering/Math/Science Elective: Any three 4000-level courses (CCE 4XXX, CEG 4XXX, CES 4XXX, approved or selected CGN 4930 courses, CWR 4XXX, ENV 4XXX, TTE 4XXX) offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that are not being used to meet another requirement. Specified 3000- or 4000-level courses selected from engineering, math, or science departments may be used for one Group B elective. See department for a list of approved Group B electives.

Group C Elective (3 credits)

Professional/Technical Elective: A course outside of the CEE department emphasizing professional development, computing, and other professional/technical skills. See department for a current list of approved Group C electives.

Major Design Experience

CGN 4800 Senior Design Project I (3)

CGN 4802 Senior Design Project II (3)

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering: Environmental Engineering Major

In addition to college requirements, a candidate for the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in civil engineering with a major in environmental engineering will be expected to successfully complete the following course requirements.

Mathematics and Basic Engineering Sciences

CEG 2202 Introduction to Geomatics Engineering (3)

CEG 2202L Introduction to Geomatics Engineering Lab (1)

CHM 1046/L General Chemistry II and Laboratory (4)

MCB 2004 Microbiology for Health Services and Laboratory (4)

EGM 3512 Engineering Mechanics (4)

EGN 1004L First Year Engineering Lab (1)

EGN 3331 Strength of Materials (3)

EGN 3613 Principles of Engineering Economy (2)

EML 3100 Thermodynamics (2)

EEL 3003 Introduction to Electrical Engineering (3)

STA 2023 Fundamental Business Statistics (3)

STA 2122 Introduction to Applied Statistics (3)

STA 3023 Applied Statistics for Engineers and Scientists (3)

Group A Science Elective: An additional three-credit hour science elective course is required to allow students to develop increased breadth in the basic sciences, while completing existing curricular requirements. Students should select one course from the following group.

BSC 1006 General Biology for Nonmajors (3)

BSC 2010 Biological Science (3)

GLY 1030 Environmental Issues in Geology (3)

GLY 2010C Physical Geology (4)

MET 3231 Intro to Atmospheric Thermodynamics and Dynamics (3)

PCB 3043 General Ecology (3)

OCE 4008 Principles of Oceanography (3)

Additional elective options may be available. See department for a list of approved Group A electives.

Environmental Engineering Core Courses

CCE 3101 Construction Materials (3)

CEG 3011 Soil Mechanics (3)

CGN 3326 CE Graphics & Design Tools (3)

CGN 3508L Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory (1)

CWR 3200L Environmental and Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory (1)

CWR 3201 Hydraulics (3)

EES 3040 Introduction to Environmental Engineering (3)

TTE 3004 Transportation Engineering (3)

Environmental Engineering Design and Professional Courses

Students are required to take courses in the following areas plus four additional electives for a total of 24 credit hours. To meet the requirement, students may select elective courses (as indicated below) to specialize their degree program to suit their individual objectives.

Environmental

ENV 4001 Environmental Engineering (3)

ENV 4500 Environmental Unit Processes and Operations (3)

Water Resources

CWR 4XXX Water Resources, Hydraulics or Hydrology elective (3)

Geotechnical

CEG 4801 Geotechnical Design (3)

Construction /Transportation:

TTE 4XXX Transportation elective (3)

CCE 4XXX Construction elective (3)

Additional Electives

Group B Electives (9 credits total)

Group C Elective (3 credits)

Major Design Experience

CGN 4800 Senior Design Project I (3)

CGN 4802 Senior Design Project II (3)

Department Policies

Pre-Engineering students must adhere to the policies set by the College of Engineering, including standards on declaring Civil Engineering as a major. Students must achieve a grade of “C–” or better in all transfer courses and in all courses that are prerequisites to any required or elective engineering course. In addition, students are required to earn a “C–” or better in all engineering courses that apply toward the degree. In extenuating circumstances, a maximum of one “D” may be waived. The waiver shall not be applied to Senior Design, nor to a course that is a prerequisite for a subsequent course in the student's degree program.

Pre/Corequisite Course Policy

It is the policy of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that a student must receive grades of “C–” or better in all prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in a CEE course. Concurrent registration in a course and its prerequisites is not allowed. All prerequisites of the prerequisite course must be completed. Failure to abide by this policy can result in the cancellation of your enrollment in any course at any time during the term and with no refund of fees. Corequisite courses must be taken concurrently or prior to enrolling in the course. Registering for and remaining in a course without having completed all pre- and corequisite courses as well as all their prerequisites can result in the Department or the College of Engineering administratively canceling your course enrollment at any time during the term and with no refund of fees. Changes to prerequisites will be accompanied by a phase-in period: in such cases the CEE undergraduate committee shall serve as the authority regarding the implementation of such changes.

Course Repeat Policy

Criteria

A student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will be placed on probationary status if the student falls into any of the following situations:

Accrued two grades below “C–” in a single engineering course that is required under his/her curriculum, or in MAC 2313, MAP 3305/2302, or PHY 2049C, or CHM 1045/1046, or in any Group A, B, C, D Electives.
Accrued a total of three grades below “C–” in all engineering courses that are required under his/her curriculum, MAC 2313, MAP 3305/2302, and PHY 2049C, or CHM 1045/1046, or in any Group A, B, C, D Electives.
Has an overall GPA below 2.0

Consequences

A student who meets the above criteria will be placed on academic probation during the subsequent term and will be required to sign an academic probation/readmit contract with the department. A student may not graduate while on probation.

Reinstatement

To be reinstated, the following conditions must be met:

The student will have one term (the probationary term) to raise his/her GPA above 2.0
The student must retake all courses that were the cause for probation according to an agreed upon schedule (during the probationary term, if available) and achieve a grade of “C–” or better.

Dismissal

A student on probation will be permanently dismissed from the CEE program and will not be eligible for further reinstatement upon the following conditions:

If a student who is on probation does not raise his/her GPA above 2.0 and/or achieve a grade of “C–” or better in all courses taken during the probationary term.
If a student who has been reinstated to the program subsequently falls below an overall GPA of 2.0 and/or fails to achieve a grade of “C–” or better in any math, science, or engineering course.
A student who has already reached or exceeded the course repeat limits stated above prior to declaring the civil or environmental major is considered on reinstatement and must achieve a grade of “C–” or better in all subsequent courses to avoid permanent dismissal.

Fundamentals of Engineering Exam

All undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam in the civil engineering discipline during their senior year.

Honors in the Major

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers Honors in the Major to encourage students to undertake independent and original research to enhance their undergraduate experience. For requirements and more information, see the “University Honors Office and Honor Societies” chapter of this General Bulletin.

Requirements for Optional Minor in Environmental Engineering Science

An optional minor in environmental engineering science requires a minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework in environmental engineering, including EES 3040 and ENV 4001 plus six additional hours in courses with prefixes EES or ENV at the 3000 level or above, with no more than one of the following courses counting towards the minor: ENV 4341, ENV 4611. Students must consult with the department and obtain written approval before taking courses towards the minor. Students also must satisfy prerequisites before enrolling in any environmental engineering course. Grades of “C–” or better must be earned in each course accepted for minor credit. If an environmental engineering science minor is combined with a civil engineering major, EES 3040, and one other course, up to six credits total may count toward both the major and the minor.

Definition of Prefixes

CCE—Civil Construction Engineering

CEG—Civil Geotechnical Engineering

CES—Civil Engineering Structures

CGN—Civil Engineering

CWR—Civil Water Resources

EES—Environmental Engineering Science

EGM—Engineering Science

EGN—Engineering: General

EGS—Engineering: Support

ENV—Engineering: Environmental

TTE—Transportation Engineering