99
years of research and education
Northwestern’s Department of Civil Engineering was instituted in 1926.
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Why study civil engineering?
Civil engineers connect science and society by planning, designing, building, and operating public infrastructure systems that support human activities, including roads, airports, bridges, tunnels, water supplies, and power facilities.
As global challenges grow—urbanization, climate change, resource scarcity—civil engineers lead the way in creating sustainable, resilient solutions. With a focus on environmental stewardship and equitable access, civil engineering brings both a technical and human-centered perspective to building our world.
The bachelor of science in civil engineering is designed to prepare you to meet these challenges head-on. Through rigorous academics and real-world experience, you’ll graduate ready to innovate across diverse areas of infrastructure, sustainability, and public service.
Imagine yourself:
- Redesigning urban infrastructure by reimagining how cities move, live, and grow with smarter, more resilient systems
- Helping communities transition to cleaner energy solutions that power the future by deploying renewable energy systems
- Promoting sustainable practices in energy, water, food, transportation, waste, and materials by tackling interconnected global challenges through integrated systems thinking
- Engineering longer, taller, and lighter structures with new cutting-edge materials and innovative construction techniques
- Using advanced modeling to analyze, predict, and reduce the impact of natural disaster threats
Why Northwestern?
Study with world-class faculty members committed to excellence in teaching
World-renowned faculty
Our faculty boasts numerous seven National Academy members and 10 recipients of the Young Investigator Award, the National Science Foundation’s highest honor to outstanding researchers.
#7
Northwestern’s rank among national universities
by U.S. News & World Report
Curriculum
The basics at-a-glance
Accredited by ABET, the undergraduate program teaches students how to plan and build infrastructure, while also exploring how infrastructure systems respond to both routine and extreme stresses—using computer models along with analytical and experimental methods—before construction begins.
Students in the program develop study plans that are suited to their individual interests (including extensive options for courses outside of the McCormick School of Engineering).
Coursework
Students must complete 48 courses, including required courses in mathematics, engineering, and science; core civil engineering major courses; and five technical electives that may be used to tailor the program to individual interests.
Engineering First
Comprised of two integrated course sequences, Engineering Analysis and Design Thinking and Communication (DTC), our innovative first-year curriculum provides students with the fundamentals of a successful engineering education, and lets them experience real engineering early in their undergraduate careers.
Optional Research
All students are encouraged to participate in unique and forward-looking research. Juniors and seniors may participate in independent research projects under the guidance of a faculty member, often participating on a team with graduate students.
Meet Our Graduates
Kassie Ramirez’25
Incoming Roadway Coordinator, HDR
A civil and environmental engineering major who served as president of the Northwestern chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and participated in the Dale Duro dance group, Ramirez will work for HDR as a roadway coordinator after graduation.
Other Complementary Programs
Supplement your degree with programs that prepare you for the next step in your education and career.
Machine Learning and Data Science (MLDS) Minor
The minor teaches practical knowledge fundamental to the data science lifecycle. Students gain experience with a variety of data models and techniques used for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data. They also learn how to glean insights from data through multiple modern computational tools, as well as the ability to think critically about the construction and implications of analysis and models for data-driven decision making.
Architectural Engineering & Design (AED) Minor
Through design studio and architectural history courses in addition to technical elective and a professional development seminar series, the minor blends architectural and design principles with state-of-the-art engineering to train students in the creative and analytical skills needed to shape the sustainable built environment of tomorrow.
Minor in Transportation and Logistics
Transportation and logistics is an inherently interdisciplinary field of study, reaching across disciplines, schools, and departments. This minor equips students with a broad understanding of the economics, engineering, and operations of transportation and logistics systems, as well as the role of public policy.
Combined BS/MS Program
McCormick’s Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Program allows undergraduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) and master’s degree (MS) simultaneously, shortening the time required to earn a master’s degree. Students can pursue a master’s in Civil Engineering or in a different department.
The Student Experience
Beyond the classroom
Enhance your education even further through our many opportunities to network and broaden your worldview.
Network in our student groups and professional societies
Students choose from numerous student groups including Northwestern’s chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers and Engineers for a Sustainable World.
Get your hands dirty by participating in national competitions
Undergraduates compete in several annual national competitions, including Concrete Canoe, where they design, build, and race a canoe made entirely of specially engineered, lightweight concrete, and Steel Bridge, where they design, fabricate, and construct a 20-foot scale model of a steel bridge.
Broaden your perspective by studying abroad
Northwestern encourages students in all of its undergraduate schools to study abroad. A popular program among civil and environmental engineering students is the Climate and Health in South Africa program, where students participate in field-based and interdisciplinary project-based learning.
Career Paths
Where do we go from here?
Recent graduates hold jobs in a wide spectrum of areas, including infrastructure engineering consulting, construction, project management, architecture, energy, and finance. Their positions include project engineers, project managers, field engineers, and designers. The majority of our graduates pursue employment as business analysts, technical consultants, and derivative traders, while around one third continue on to graduate studies in some of the world’s most respected, top-ranked universities.
While at Northwestern, our students benefit from professional development opportunities that prepare them for the next step in their careers. They have access to internships and extensive career placement resources via both Northwestern Engineering Career Development and Northwestern Career Advancement.
Where our alumni attend graduate school
Where our alumni work in industry
Visit Northwestern
We encourage you to visit our campus and learn about the Northwestern Engineering first hand.