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About Civil Engineering Profession
      
Welcome home to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Old Dominion University.

Civil engineers conceive, plan, design construct, and maintain the facilities that are essential to our civilization. These include highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, dams, water distribution systems, water and wastewater treatment facilities, industrial and commercial buildings, coastal and off-shore structures, space satellites and launching facilities. A career in civil engineering is suited to you if you are interested in math and science, enjoy turning ideas into reality, have a social awareness and willingness to help people live better, and want personal fulfillment and financial growth.

An undergraduate degree in civil engineering serves as a gateway to excellent career opportunities. It provides preparation for employment in engineering consulting, industry and in federal, state, and municipal governments for research, design, and field work. Representative job titles include:

  • Public works director
  • Project manager
  • Coastal engineer
  • Structural engineer
  • Geotechnical engineer
  • Hydraulic engineer
  • Transportation engineer

In addition to the traditional engineering career paths, civil engineering graduates may also follow non-traditional paths such as business, law, or medicine.

Completion of an undergraduate degree in civil engineering provides excellent preparation for graduate-level study in civil engineering and related fields. Graduate studies provide greater technical competency and provide a research component not typically available at the undergraduate level. Graduate degrees, particularly the Ph.D., are typically required for academic positions in universities and for research positions in major industries and government agencies.

Here's the index of information on the Bachelor of Science degree program in Civil Engineering.




About Old Dominion University
      
Old Dominion University, founded in 1930, is a state-supported institution in Norfolk, Virginia and has a combined undergraduate and graduate student population of 20,800.

The 200-acres of Old Dominion's campus is located in Norfolk, Virginia, the hub of the world's largest natural harbor. The university is within the coastal region of Virginia at the confluence of the James and Elizabeth Rivers with the Chesapeake Bay, and it is only 20 miles from the pounding surf of Virginia Beach. The population of the metropolitan region is approximately 1.3 million, and includes the state's most populated city, Virginia Beach.

The university operates on the semester system with a spring and fall semester and a variety of semester options in the summer.


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Old Dominion University


Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
      
The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department is one of six departments in the College of Engineering and Technology and is located in Kaufman Hall. At the undergraduate level, the Department offers an ABET accredited Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Civil Engineering. The Department also offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Environmental Engineering.

At the graduate level the Department offers Master of Engineering (M.E.), Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Civil Engineering and in Environmental Engineering, and it enrolls 90 students. The graduate programs are structured to accommodate both the full-time and part-time students. The available specialty areas are coastal, geotechnical, structural, and water resources engineering in Civil engineering and a variety of sub-fields in Environmental engineering.

There are 12 full-time faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. All hold doctoral degrees. Many are widely recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarly activities.

Current faculty research projects and interests span a wide range of technical areas.

  • The coastal engineering research covers documented evidence of the impact of seawalls on adjacent beaches, economic alternatives to increase the fill life of renourished beaches, current effects on wave transformation in shallow water, and computeraided design of coastal structures.

  • Environmental and water resources research includes particle removal and ozone in water treatment, coagulation and organics removal, environmental monitoring, transport and fate of contaminants in lakes and reservoirs, chemical equilibrium modeling, water quality modeling, dewatering of water treatment residuals, GIS-based spartial and temporal surface and groundwater modeling, air pollution control, hazardous waste management, urban storm-drainage systems and computational hydraulics.

  • In geotechnical and earthquake studies, faculty are researching below-and above-ground lifeline systems which are subjected to various seismic environments, soil-structure interaction, soil dynamics, granular mechanics, and soil liquefaction during earthquakes.

  • On the structural engineering side, faculty interests include, polymer-fiber composite materials, fiber reinforced concrete, base isolation and energy absorptions for bridges, stability and behavior of steel structures, passive damping of space structures, parallel computing techniques in nonlinear structural mechanics, fatigue fracture, finite element analysis, and structural optimization.

  • In transportation studies, faculty are involved in traffic engineering, traffic operations, transportation safety and analysis, work zone traffic control, traffic simulation, sustainable transportation, intelligent transportation systems-behavioral and network impacts, and their planning/operation.


Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE)
      
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers a four-year undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering (BSCE).

The degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the nationally-recognized accrediting body for engineering programs. Within the civil engineering curriculum, students may specialize in one of a number of areas.

Graduates are prepared for professional careers in civil or environmental engineering or related fields. The BSCE degree is recognized as pre-Law, pre-Medicine, and pre-MBA at many professional schools and universities.

    Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) Program Objectives
          
    The objectives are defined as statements that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates during the first few years after graduation.

    The objectives of the Civil Engineering program are to produce graduates who

    1. will practice civil engineering successfully in different professional settings,

    2. will be able to pursue advanced studies in civil engineering or related fields,

    3. will understand and effectively communicate technical, environmental, and social implications of civil engineering solutions,

    4. will understand, appreciate, and be able to apply the state-of-the-art practice in civil engineering, and

    5. will understand, appreciate, and apply engineering ethics.

    ABET course information summary for a BSCE degree

    Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) Program Outcomes
          
    The outcomes are defined as statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation.

    Students who qualify for graduation will:

    1. Be proficient in mathematics through differential equations, probability and statistics, calculus-based physics, general chemistry, and engineering science and have the ability to apply knowledge in these areas to civil engineering problems.

    2. Have ability to design and conduct experiments and to critically analyze and interpret data in various civil engineering fields.

    3. Be able to develop design criteria to meet desired needs and to design a civil engineering system, component, or a process satisfying these criteria.

    4. Have ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.

    5. Be able to identify and formulate an engineering problem, to collect and analyze relevant data, and to develop a solution.

    6. Understand and appreciate professional and ethical responsibilities and professional practice issues such as procurement of work, bidding versus quality based selection processes, and interaction between design and construction professionals.

    7. Be able to effectively present ideas and technical material to diverse audiences in writing, visually, and verbally.

    8. Have the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal and global context.

    9. Understand and appreciate the importance of professional licensure and commitment to life-long learning.

    10. Have knowledge of current issues and awareness of emerging technologies.

    11. Have an ability to use modern engineering techniques, skills, and tools including computer-based tools for civil engineering analysis and design.

    12. Be proficient in environmental, geotechnical, structural, and water resources engineering and have had exposure to transportation engineering.
    In addition, students will have had opportunities for work experience through internships, practicum, and co-operative education. They will also have had opportunities to participate in student organizations for exposure to community service, and for developing leadership skills.

    What High School Preparation Is Required?
          
    Students interested in studying civil or environmental engineering at Old Dominion University should follow a college preparatory curriculum including 4 credits of English, 3 credits of a foreign language, 4 credits of mathematics (algebra I and II , geometry and advanced math), 1 credit of chemistry, and 1 credit of physics. Additionally some computer programming is recommended but not required.

    How Do I Apply For Admission?
          
    High school applicants are selected for admission to the University on the basis of their overall academic record, including high school recommendations. Applicants must present sixteen units of academic credit from high school. The level of academic competition and the number of available spaces in the entering class influence actual minimum requirements for admission. Official results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) must be submitted by anyone applying for freshman status and for transfer students having less than twenty-four semester hours of college credit.

    Prospective transfer students must have official transcripts of all previous college work completed forwarded to the University as part of the application materials. For information and forms concerning application to the University, contact the Office of Admissions, Old Administration Building Room 108, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0050, (757) 683-3637.

    Detailed on-line information on the Old Dominion University's Admission procedures, Guideline, etc. is also available.

    Is Financial Aid Available?
          
    The university offers financial assistance to qualified undergraduate students. Other forms of financial assistance are Aid, Scholarships and grants, and Loans. Aid is classified as either gift or self-help assistance. Scholarships and grants are in the gift category. Loans and/or campus employment are classified as self-help assistance. Money available for financial aid is limited.

    Two factors which affect a student's chance for receiving aid are the amount of need and the timeliness with which all required forms are submitted. The general types of aid for which undergraduate students may qualify are federal and state aid, work-study employment, university scholarships, and outside agency awards. For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, Old Administration Building Room 121, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0052, (757) 683-3683 or (757) 683-3684.


    Civil Engineering Curriculum
          
    Following is a 125-hour Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) curriculum. Individual course descriptions and syllabi are also available on-line.

    Suggested Fall and Spring semester course aggregations are based on a regular course offering schedule; though students may elect to adjust their course combination if necessary, any excessive deviation is not recommended.

    BS Civil Engineering Course Pre-requisite Chain/Flowchart BS Civil Engineering Course
    Pre-requisite Chain/Flowchart

    Freshman (BSCE)
    Course Description Credit
    Hours
    Fall    
    CHEM 121N Foundation of Chemistry I 3
    CHEM 122N Foundations of Chemistry I Lab 1
    ENGL 110C English Composition 3
    ENGN 110 Freshman Engineering & Technology I 2
    Gen. Ed.-A (Human Creativity, Fine & Performing Arts)
    (ARTS 121A, ARTS 122A, MUSC 264A, DANC 185A, THEA 241A)
    3
    MATH 211 Calculus I 4
    Spring    
    CEE 111 Information Literacy and Research 2
    CHEM 123N Principles of Chemistry 3
    CS 150 Introduction to Programming 4
    MATH 212 Calculus II 4
    PHYS 231N University Physics & Lab 4
      TOTAL 33
    
    
    Sophomore (BSCE)
    Course Description Credit
    Hours
    Fall    
    CEE 204 Statics 3
    COMM 101R Public Speaking 3
    MATH 312 Calculus III 4
    PHYS 232N University Physics 4
    Sci. Elec. BIOL 110N/111N or OEAS 111 4
    Spring    
    CEE 219 Surveying for Engineers 1
    ENGL 211C English Composition 3
    Gen. Ed-L (Literature Perspective)
    (ENGL 112L, ENGL 144L, FLET 100L)
    3
    CEE 220 Mechanics of Deformable Bodies 3
    MAE 205 Dynamics
    ** Pre-req. for CEE 330, Hydromechanics
    3
    MATH 307 Ordinary Differential Equations 3
      TOTAL 34

    Junior (BSCE)
    Course Description Credit
    Hours
    Fall    
    CEE 304 Probabillity, Statistics and Risk in CE 3
    CEE 305 CEE Engineering Computations 3
    CEE 320 Civil Engineering Materials 3
    CEE 330 Hydromechanics
    ** MAE 205, Dynamics is Pre-req. for CEE 330
    3
    CEE 350 Environmental Pollution & Control 3
    Spring    
    CEE 240 Geographic Information Systems in Civil & Environmental Engineering 3
    CEE 310 Structural Engineering I 3
    CEE 323 Soil Mechanics 3
    CEE 335 CE Soils & Hydraulics Lab 1
    CEE 340 Hydraulics & Water Resources 3
    Gen. Ed.-H (Interpreting the Past; Historical Perspective)
    (HIST 101H, HIST 102H, HIST 103H, HIST 104H, HIST 105H)
    3
      TOTAL 31
    
    
    Senior (BSCE)
    Course Description Credit
    Hours
    Fall    
    CEE 402 Professional Practice of Engineering 1
    CEE 410 Concrete Design I 3
    CEE 430 Foundation Engineering 3
    CEE 470 Transportation Fundamentals
    * substitutable with CEE 375 (Introduction to Roadway Design) or CEE 471 (Transportation Operations I)
    3
    ENGN 401 Fundamentals of Engineering
    (FE Review)
    1
    Gen. Ed.-S (Human Behavior; Social Science Perspective)
    (ANTR 110S, COMM 200S, CRJS 215S, ECON 200S, ECON 201S, ECON 202S, GEOG 100S, GEOG 101S, POLS 100S, POLS 101S, PSYC 201S, PSYC 203S, SOC 201S, WMST 201S)
    3
    Gen. Ed. Gen. Ed. Upper Level Requirement 1 3
    Spring    
    CEE 403W Civil Engineering Design Project 3
    CEE 4XX Transporation or Env. Elective 3
    CEE 4XX Civil Engineering Elective 3
    ENMA 480 Ethics & Philosop[hy in Eng. Applications 3
    Gen. Ed. Gen. Ed. Upper Level Requirement 2 3
      TOTAL 32
    
    
    
    

    Recap
      Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) Curriculum Requirement = 130 hours

    BS Civil Engineering Course Pre-requisite Chain/Flowchart BS Civil Engineering Course
    Pre-requisite Chain/Flowchart

      Would you like to check when a particular course or courses will be offered again? Here is the Civil and Environmental Engineering Tentative 3-year Course Offering Schedule (2005-2008)
    (subject to change).

    ODU LEO-ONLINE
    Undergraduate/Graduate Curricula
    On-line Course Syllabi
    List of Textbooks with ISBN numbers
    
    
    Now, some additional boundary conditions;

    1. Writing Proficiency -- If a student earns a "C" or higher in the two freshman composition classes and a "C" or better in CEE 403W, then one satisfies this requirement.

      If one has less than a "C" in either composition class, one must take the Exit Writing Exam.

    2. A 3-hour 400-level (=CEE 4XX) Civil Engineering Elective course can be chosen from the following;

      CEE 411 Concrete Design II
      CEE 412 Structures II
      CEE 415 Steel Design I
      CEE 416 Wood Structures Design
      CEE 420 Foundation Engineering
      CEE 421 Earth Structures Design
      CEE 430 Introduction to Earthquake
                   Engineering
      CEE 440 Hydraulic Engineering
      CEE 446 Urban Stormwater Hydrology
      CEE 447 Groundwater Hydraulics
      CEE 450 Water Distribution & Waste Water
                   Collection System Design
      CEE 451 Water & Waste Water Treatment
      CEE 452 Air Quality
      CEE 454 Hazardous Waste
      CEE 458 Sustainable Development
      CEE 470 Transportation Fundamentals
      CEE 471 Transportation Operations I
      CEE 482 Introduction to Coastal Engineering
      
      
    3. If the student holds an AS (Associate of Science) degree, all lower-division General Education requirements are satisfied for Social Science, History, Philosophy, Literture and Fine & Performing Perspectives -- no need to take them again.

    4. The Gen. Ed Upper Level Requirement 1, 2 and 3 (Total of 9-hour) can be satisfied by one of following three Options.

      Option A (Minor/Second degree/Second major)

      Any University-approved minor (typically requires 12 or more hours), second degree, or second major.

      Option B (Cluster)

      Advanced study in a focus area; 9 hours of upper division courses on a specific issue, viewed from multidisciplinary perspectives. 3 hours can be in the major. Course numbers end with W such as 4XXW are Writing Intensive courses.

      The following are approved clusters. You can choose 9 hours of courses from any cluster of your choice.

      Clusters Courses

      Option C (International Certificate)

      Minimum of 12 hours. Students seeking an International Certificate must complete 9 hours of courses in addition to completing an international education experience.
      
      
    5. The 125-hour BSCE curriculum does not include the University's General Education 6-hour foreign language requirement. And

      1. This 6-hour of foreign language credit is required only if *not* already satisfied in

        1. High school (3 HS credits in one foreign language *or* 2 HS credits in each of two languages)

          or

        2. Another institution (by completing a single foreign language at the 102F or 111F level or equivalent work)

      2. If the student holds an AS (Associate of Science) degree, then the student had satisfied this 6-hour foreign language requirement.

      3. Hence, this 6-hour of foreign language requirement does *not* apply to students earning high school diplomas before December 31, 1985.

      4. If you still need to satisfy this 6-hour of foreign language requirement, you may register for one of the following foreign language courses at ODU:

        Arabic ARAB 111F 6 hrs
        Chinese CHIN 111F 6 hrs
        French FR 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        German GER 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        Italian ITAL 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        Japanese JAPN 111F 6 hrs
        Latin LATN 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        Russian RUS 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        Spanish SPAN 101F-102F 3+3 hrs
        Spanish SPAN 121F 6 hrs
      
      
    6. General Education computer literacy requirement is met by courses in major.

    7. CEE 403W Civil Engineering Design Project meets the General Education oral communication requirement.

    8. Second requirement in the natural science is met through a PHYS 231N/232N *sequence*.

    9. Second requirement in the technology perspective is met through the major.

    
    
    Minor in Civil Engineering (by Other Majors)
          
    An undergraduate minor in civil engineering may be obtained by students from outside the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department by successful completion of 12 or more semester credit hours in approved civil engineering course work at the 300 or 400 level, at least three of which must be at the 400 level. The precise course of study must be approved by the chief departmental advisor.

    For completion of a minor, a student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses taken toward the minor. Completion of a minor in civil engineering with a grade point average of 3.0 or greater partially satisfies the leveling requirements for graduate degrees in civil or environmental engineering.

    Several tracks are available leading to a Minor in Civil Engineering. For example, the course requirements for a Minor in Civil Engineering/Structural Engineering Track include:

    Three hours from

    Three hours from one of following two courses
    • CEE 323 Soil Mechanics (3 hrs)
    • CEE 340 Hydraulics and Water Resources (3 hrs)

    plus Six hours from any two courses from below

    • CEE 365 Transportation Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 410 Concrete Design I (3 hrs)
    • CEE 411 Concrete Design II (3 hrs)
    • CEE 412 Structures II (3 hrs)
    • CEE 415 Steel Design I (3 hrs)
    • CEE 416 Wood Structures Design (3 hrs)
    • CEE 420 Foundation Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 421 Earth Structures Design (3 hrs)
    • CEE 430 Introduction to Earthquake Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 440 Hydraulic Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 446 Urban Stormwater Hydrology (3 hrs)
    • CEE 447 Groundwater Hydraulics (3 hrs)
    • CEE 450 Water Distribution & Waste Water
                   Collection System Design (3 hrs)
    • CEE 460 Advanced Analytical Techniques in Environmental Engineering(3 hrs)
    • CEE 482 Introduction to Coastal Engineering (3 hrs)

    To declare Civil Engineering Minor, you need to fill in a 'Program Declaration' form and submit it to Dr. Schafran at Kaufman Hall Room 135.

    
    
    Minor in Environmental Engineering
    -- (by Civil Engineering and Other Majors)
          
    EnvE Minor course cannot be counted/double-dipped again as 4XX.

    An undergraduate minor in environmental engineering may be obtained by students major in Civil Engineering or other majors by successful completion of 12 or more semester credit hours in approved environmental engineering course work at the 300 or 400 level. In addition, a student seeking a minor in environmental engineering must satisfy all pre- or corequisite requirements for the courses selected.

    Courses are available that allow pursuit of several areas of study or specialization within environmental engineering (water quality, water and wastewater treatment, hazardous wastes, air quality). The precise course of study must be approved by the chief departmental advisor.

    For completion of a minor a student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in each course taken toward the minor and complete a minimum of six hours of upper level courses in the minor requirement at Old Dominion University. Completion of a minor in environmental engineering with a grade point average 3.00 or greater partially satisfies the leveling requirements for graduate degrees in environmental engineering.

    Two tracks are available leading to a Minor in Environmental Engineering -- (a) Aqueous Environmental Systems Track and (b) Environmental Protection Track. Requirements for both Track are listed below.

    (a) Aqueous Environmental Systems Track
     
    Three hours from

    • CEE 350 Environmental Pollution and Control (3 hrs)

    plus Nine hours from any three courses from below

    • CEE 440/540 Hydraulic Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 446/546 Urban Stormwater Hydrology (3 hrs)
    • CEE 447/547 Groundwater Hydraulics (3 hrs)
    • CEE 450/550 Water Distribution & Waste Water
                   Collection System Design (3 hrs)
    • CEE 451 Water & Waste Water Treatment (3 hrs)
    • CEE 460 Advanced Analytical Techniques in Environmental Engineering(3 hrs)
    • CEE 482/582 Introduction to Coastal Engineering (3 hrs)

    (b) Environmental Protection Track
     
    Three hours from

    • CEE 350 Environmental Pollution and Control (3 hrs)

    plus Nine hours from any three courses from below

    • CEE 451 Water & Waste Water Treatment (3 hrs)
    • CEE 452/552 Air Quality (3 hrs)
    • CEE 454/554 Hazardous Wastes (3 hrs)
    • CEE 458/558 Sustainable Development (3 hrs)
    • CEE 459/559 Biofuels Engineering (3 hrs)
    • CEE 460 Advanced Analytical Techniques in Environmental Engineering(3 hrs)
    • CEE 482/582 Introduction to Coastal Engineering (3 hrs)
    • XXX -- CEE 495 Principles of Green Engineering (3 hrs) / Summer, 2017 (It is not currently nor has it previously been on the list for either track of the environmental engineering minor -- Gary)

    To declare Environmental Engineering Minor, you need to fill in a 'Program Declaration' form and submit it to Dr. Schafran at Kaufman Hall Room 135.

    
    
    Special Opportunities and Student Activites
    
    
    
    
      Cooperative Education and Work Experiences
            
      The cooperative education program, managed by a full-time University employee, allows a student to work in a paid civil engineering position, usually in alternating semesters, while attending school. The cooperative education program provides practical work experience that is an additional attraction to prospective employers upon graduation.

      Guaranteed practicum experiences are also available through the University/College Career Advantage Program. Students may be employed by faculty with research funding provided by faculty research projects. Such opportunities often provide the experience and motivation for students to continue on to graduate school.

      Student Professional Organizations
            
      Student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the National Civil Engineering Honor Society (Chi Epsilon) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) provide a focus for student activities within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. The chapters sponsor educational and social activities and provide support for many departmental programs. Departmental seminars open to students and faculty are held on a regular basis.

    Where Are Civil Engineers Employed?
          
    The Department prepares students for careers in design, construction, research, and management for work in consulting firms, industries, and municipal, state, and federal government agencies.

    As a civil engineer, you plan, design and supervise construction of facilities which are often one-of-a-kind projects essential to modern life in both the public and private sectors. These facilities include buildings and foundations, space satellites and launching facilities, offshore structures, ports and harbors, highways, bridges, tunnels, transit systems, airports, dams, shore protection, navigation systems, flood damage mitigation, treatment and distribution facilities for drinking water, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, hazardous waste treatment systems, and air pollution control facilities.

    
    

    e-mail For additional information, please e-mail to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, or you can always reach to the Department at:

     
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    Kaufman Hall Room 135
    College of Engineering and Technology
    Old Dominion University
    Norfolk, VA 23529-0241, USA

    Tel) (757) 683-3753
    Fax) (757) 683-5354
    e-mail) ssmith@odu.edu
    Or you can directly request additional information materials for Undergraduate Studies on-line.
    Undergraduate Program Brochure (PDF format)