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Practice-Based Engineering, Innovation and Professional Development

Civil Engineers conceive, design, build, supervise, operate, construct and maintain infrastructure projects and systems in the public and private sector, including transportation, buildings, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply, energy and sewage treatment.

Our B.S. in Civil Engineering program is designed to emphasize the conception, development, design, construction, maintenance, and renewal of systems in a complex urban environment that involve issues in transportation, water resources, the environment, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, construction engineering, and land development.

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Quick Facts

Autumn 2025 Applications open soon!

Application opens: December 27, 2024

Priority Deadline: July 1, 2025

Students Notified: Rolling decisions until program full

What our Graduates do

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts stable growth in the number of jobs for civil engineers (7% per year) at the national level between 2021-2031. The mean wage for civil engineers in WA State is also very high at $98,810. WA is in the top 5 states nationwide in terms of number of civil engineering jobs, largely driven by employment in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area, and the state is second in the nation in terms of number of civil engineering employment per 1000 jobs (BLS, 2022). Career options include:

  • Civil Engineer 
  • Construction Engineer 
  • Environmental Engineer 
  • Geotechnical Engineer 
  • Structural Engineer 
  • Transportation Engineer 
  • Water Resources Engineer

Visit the website below for more information:

Careers in Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering Faculty & Staff

"Creating a Community of Fixers" - Dr. Emese Hadnagy and her new faculty colleagues are designing UW Tacoma's new Civil Engineering program to be inclusive and engaged

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"Under Construction" - Tacoma native Dr. Lorne Arnold is helping build UW Tacoma's new Civil Engineering program

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"Breaking Down Engineering Barriers" - Dr. Angela Kitali and Dr. Jeff Walters's project called "Research for All" aims to get students involved in hands-on engineering research as an integral part of their classroom experience

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The CE Chair's Message
Civil Engineering Directory

Have questions? Schedule an appointment with one of our Academic Advisors!

Schedule an Advising Session

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How to Apply

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Curriculum Details

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Additional Details

Future ABET accreditation

The BSCE program will seek ABET accreditation in the 2024-2025 review cycle, after graduating the first class of Civil Engineering students. 

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Program Mission

The mission of the Civil Engineering program is to empower students to design safe, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure to solve engineering challenges and meet the demands and expectations of our global society with the goal of equitably improving the quality of life for all. 

Educational Objectives

Program Educational Objectives, as defined by ABET, are the abilities, skills, and accomplishments expected of graduates within a few years of graduation. The Program Educational Objectives of our Civil Engineering program are as follows: 

Within three to five years of graduation from the Civil Engineering program, it is expected that graduates will have: 

  1. Applied their knowledge of engineering principles, science, mathematics, design and implementation to solve civil engineering challenges. 
  2. Participated effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary project team, demonstrating leadership and project management skills when appropriate.
  3. Made positive contributions to their community and society through involvement in community and professional organizations.
  4. Made decisions related to their work that demonstrate an understanding of the importance of being an ethical engineering professional. 
  5. Applied communication skills to effectively promote ideas and goals.
  6. Made progress toward certification as licensed Professional Engineers and/or pursued graduate studies.
Student Outcomes

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. 

Students who complete the B.S. in Civil Engineering program will achieve the following ABET-based student outcomes by the time of graduation: 

  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 meet 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 judgments, 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 judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Enrollment and Graduation Data
Year Enrollment Degrees Awarded
2022 - 2023 7 -
2023 - 2024 19 7
2024 - 2025 38 -

 

External Advisory Board

The Civil Engineering program is supported by an active and engaged civil engineering community in the South Puget Sound region. Some of our external partners serve on our Civil Engineering Industrial Advisory Board with the following current membership: 

Name Job Title and Company/Organization
Blake Doepker Engineer at Turner Construction 
Andrew Fiske Geotechnical Engineer at WSDOT 
David Nason Principal at AHBL, Inc.
Bekah Osterhaus Program Development Supervisor, Pierce County Planning & Public Works Office of the County Engineer
Sara Ott Traffic Engineer at WSDOT
Brett Ozolin Project Manager at the Port of Tacoma
Stanley Ryter  Project Manager at the Port of Tacoma
Jeffrey Schultz Senior Transit and Rail Planner at David Evans and Associates, Inc. 
Mike Slevin Retired Director of Environmental Services at the City of Tacoma
Lyle Stone Associate Geotechnical Engineer at GeoEngineers 
Catrina Walter Senior Lead Consultant at WSP 
Cameron West Chief Engineer at Concrete Technology Corporation