skip to Main Content

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING (CE)

Admissions Requirements  |  Prerequisites  |  Curriculum Check Sheet

Program Educational Objective and Student Outcomes

The expected attainments of our BSCE graduates are:

  1. Graduates will practice civil engineering in the private and public sectors in Hawaii, the Asia/Pacific region, and elsewhere.
  2. Graduates will have obtained technical and non-technical knowledge/skills that contribute to personal and employer success, and benefit the communities they serve.
  3. Graduates will recognize conflicts and adhere to professional ethical standards.
  4. Graduates will apply sustainability principles in their construction, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics/hydrology, structural, and transportation engineering projects and designs.
  5. Graduates will continue their professional development, and aim for advanced degrees and professional licensure.

B.S.C.E. Degree

Our undergraduate program, leading to the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Degree (B.S.C.E.), is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. The current enrollment and graduate rates can be found at http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/about/degreesawarded/. The B.S.C.E. degree requires at least 126 credit hours of course work and it is designed to be completed in eight semesters.  The curriculum provides a broad-based background of fundamentals, including humanities and social sciences, basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering design.  Course requirements also include 61 credit hours of civil and environmental engineering courses from the following areas: applied mechanics, structural analysis and design, hydraulics, surveying, transportation, construction, soil mechanics, hydrology, water resources, and environmental engineering.  During the senior year, students either follow a general CE track, or they may choose to follow a specialized track (not minor), which allows a certain degree of specialization in the areas of structural or environmental engineering.  The undergraduate experience culminates in a senior capstone course in which students apply the knowledge they have gained throughout their undergraduate coursework toward the design of a comprehensive project. There are three basic components to the undergraduate program:

  1. The University-wide General Education Core and Graduation requirements, which are usually substantially completed during the first two years of the University experience.
  2. The College of Engineering requirements; and,
  3. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering requirements.  These are discussed below.  Courses to be taken for the B.S.C.E. program, which satisfy the above requirements, are listed in the Curriculum Check Sheet

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all registered credit hours and a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all upper division courses (numbered 300-499) in mathematics, science, and engineering. The student learning outcomes (SLOs), also known as program outcomes, describe a skill set that students are expected to have at the time of graduation. The SLOs are:

    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 for public health and safety, and global, cultural, social, environmental, economic, and other factors as appropriate to the discipline.
    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 as a member or leader of a team that establishes goals, plans tasks, meets deadlines, and creates a collaborative and inclusive environment.
    6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
    7. An ability to recognize the ongoing need to acquire new knowledge, to choose appropriate learning strategies, and to apply this knowledge.

The SLOs are mapped to the core courses here. The SLOs correspondence to institutional learning outcomes (ILOs) is here.

Advising

Advising is an important element of the undergraduate program.  All students are assigned an advisor prior to their first semester.  Students must receive approval of their program of courses prior to registration each semester and will not be able to register without it.  Such advising takes place during the prior semester (for continuing students); the advising period will be listed on this web site and posted throughout Holmes Hall prior to advising week.   Students choosing one of the specialized tracks during the senior year should request to have their advisor changed to a faculty member in their subdiscipline, if appropriate. The Curriculum Check Sheet is the basis for determining each student’s progression toward their degree. Advanced Placement Examination Advanced placement examinations are administered in high schools by the Educational Testing Service for the College Entrance Examination Board for students who have completed specific college-level courses in high school.  For the University’s credit policy, students should consult the Admissions and Records Office or the College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Student Services. Credit by Examination Students who wish credit by examination for basic courses in calculus, general biology, general chemistry, economics, English literature, psychology, and sociology should consult the Counseling and Student Development Center. Students apply to the center, pay the fee, and take the corresponding general or subject examination under the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).  A satisfactory score on these examinations, as determined by the Department, yields course credit.  However, students wishing CLEP general examination credit must take the exam before they have completed 24 credit hours of college-level work.

General Education Core and Graduation Requirements

General Education requirements are designed to help students acquire knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking that provide a foundation for lifelong learning.  The UH Mānoa requirements reflect the unique resources of UH Mānoa:  the depth of its Hawaiian assets and the breadth of its multiculturalism.  The General Education curriculum gives students a global sense of human diversity while paying special attention to the heritages of Hawaiʻi, the Pacific, and Asia.  Graduation Requirements identify additional skills and discourses necessary for living and working in diverse communities. Core Requirements

Foundation requirements: Written Communication (FW): 3 credits Symbolic Reasoning (FS): 3 credits Global and Multicultural Perspectives (FG): 2 courses, 6 credits Diversification requirements: Arts, Humanities, and Literatures (DA, DH, DL): 6 credits Natural Sciences (DB, DP, DY): 7 credits Social Sciences (DS): 6 credits

Graduation Requirements

Focus requirements: Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues (H): 1 course Contemporary Ethical Issues (E): 1 course Oral Communication (O): 1 course Writing Intensive (W): 5 courses, including 2 numbered 300 and above Hawaiian language or second language requirements: None for College of Engineering students

For qualifying courses and additional information refer to both the UH Mānoa catalog and the Department Curriculum Check Sheet.

Department and College Requirements

Students must complete specific civil engineering courses and non-CE courses as listed on the Curriculum Check Sheet corresponding to the year in which they are admitted to the program.  That sheet also lists additional details about the program of courses to be followed.  Most courses have prerequisites that have to be completed before enrollment. These are listed in the catalog of courses.  Important requirements include the following:

C grade or better is required for PHYS 170. C grade or better within two attempts is required for CEE 270. C grade or better is required for CEE 370. Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all registered credit hours. Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all upper division courses (numbered 300-400) in mathematics, science and engineering Academic probation, suspension, and dismissal. Must take one Technical Elective in Sustainability (TES) course from the course options listed on the check sheet.

Students who wish to pursue the Structures track or the Sustainability and Innovation track should refer to the Curriculum Check Sheet for alternate senior year course work.

Back To Top