Mar 03, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Civil Engineering (B.S.C.E.)


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Program: B.S.C.E.
Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering  
College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science

Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science Building, Room 321 ~ 260-481-6965


Civil engineers design, construct, manage, and improve the built environment that is all around us. Purdue University Fort Wayne offers a four-year civil engineering undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.

The program is designed to give students a broad exposure to all areas of engineering; to develop a sound understanding of the science that underlies civil engineering; and to foster students’ creativity and professional skills through design and project work.

Our students, while drawn from diverse backgrounds, are able and committed to learning. Purdue University Fort Wayne delivers an exceptional educational experience to engineering students, encouraging collaboration and teamwork throughout the curriculum.  In addition to coursework, the department supports and encourage student participation in undergraduate research, co-op and internships, and several active student organizations.

In its recently (2022) released rankings of the best colleges and universities in the United States, U.S. News & World Report deemed the engineering programs at Purdue Fort Wayne to be among the best in the country.


Educational Objectives:

As a framework for the continuous improvement policy, the Civil Engineering program has adopted a set of program educational objectives that describe the anticipated accomplishments of our graduates within a few years after graduation.

The Civil Engineering program educational objectives are to produce graduates who:

  • Advance professionally to roles of greater Civil Engineering technical responsibilities, and/or by transitioning into leadership position in business, government, and/or education.
  • Participate in life-long learning through the successful completion of advanced degree(s), continuing education, and/or engineering certification(s)/licensure or other professional development.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to community by applying technical skills and knowledge to support various service activities.

Student Learning Outcomes:

The graduates from the Civil Engineering Program will demonstrate that they have:

  • The ability to identify, formulate, solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  • The 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.
  • The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  • The 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.
  • The ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  • The ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  • The ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Accreditation:

  • The Civil Engineering (BSCE) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Criteria.

Program Delivery:

  • The B.S.C.E. program is delivered primarily through on-campus courses; however, some of the required General Education courses are available as hybrid and/or on-line courses and those can be used to satisfy the program requirements.

Declaring this Major:

Students interested in declaring Civil Engineering as their major may do so in one of two ways:

  • On their application when they first apply to Purdue Fort Wayne
  • After meeting with a CE faculty advisor, who will determine that the student has the required math background to begin our program

General Requirements:

College Scorecard


The U.S. Department of Education has created a scorecard for each university and its programs.  The scorecard shows data for the university such as graduation rate, average annual cost, and median earnings.  Then, when certain minimum standards have been met, data are available for a specific program.  That data could include median earnings, median total debt, and number of graduates. The link below will help you learn more:

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?151102-Purdue-University-Fort-Wayne&fos_code=1408&fos_credential=3

Program Requirements:


Civil Engineering 4-Yr Plan:  

In order to start in the Civil Engineering program, a student must meet the following criteria:

  • Math Placement at or above MA 15400

General Education: Credits 30


Effective Fall 2025, the General Education program at PFW requires 30 credits to be completed, such that students pass each course listed below with a grade of C- or better:

  • Category A. Foundational Intellectual Skills (Foundational Intellectual Skills Course Lists)   
    • One course in A1. Written Communication Cr. 3. 
    • One course in A2. Speaking and Listening Cr. 3.
    • One course in A3. Quantitative Reasoning Cr. 3.
  • Category B. Ways of Knowing (Ways of Knowing Course Lists)   
    • One course in B4. Scientific Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
    • One course in B5. Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
    • One course in B6. Humanistic Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
    • One course in B7. Artistic Ways or Knowing Cr. 3.
    • One course in B8. Interdisciplinary Ways of Knowing Cr. 3.
  • Six additional credits from any Foundational Skills (A1-A3) or Ways of Knowing (B4-B8) categories
  • At least one Ways of Knowing course that is designated as having a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or global awareness

Some programs recommend courses and/or require a specific course as part of the major that may also be used to fulfill General Education requirements. Please see below or your Academic Advisor for courses that fulfill both purposes.  You can familiarize yourself with other program regulations at General Education Requirements .

Supporting Courses Required for the BSCE


Technical Elective Courses


Students must select 12 credit hours from the following sections. Students may choose from different areas.

A maximum of one elective can be taken from non-civil engineering courses. 

Other courses may be approved with the consent of the advisor with consultation with the civil engineering curriculum committee. New courses approved and added to the curriculum in future Catalogs may satisfy Technical Elective requirements. 

GPA Requirement


The required courses (ENGR and CE) and technical elective courses must have a combined minimum GPA of 2.0.

 

Total Credits: 123


Student Responsibility


You are responsible for ensuring that you satisfy all graduation requirements specified for each selected program. Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies, and procedures governing your academic career. If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study. Changing curricular records during the graduation term of application may affect state or federal financial aid awards. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the appropriate chair or dean. 

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