Civil Engineering, B.S.

The civil engineering program at Saint Louis University’s School of Science and Engineering incorporates the latest trends in the industry to address the current and future needs of the profession and society.

As a student in the civil engineering program at the School of Science and Engineering, you will develop a comprehensive skill set and leadership background needed to address society’s needs at local, regional and global levels. Students have the opportunity to solve problems within construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering fields. Students also have the opportunity to join many student clubs such as the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Engineers Without Borders and Billikens for Clean Water. 

SLU's civil engineering curriculum emphasizes professional practice preparation using project-based, hands-on learning methods. With easy access to a sophisticated computer-aided design laboratory, a structures laboratory and more, our graduates gain invaluable experience that helps launch their career and set them on a trajectory to shape our world and beyond.

Curriculum Overview

SLU's civil engineering program provides a solid foundation of coursework in the engineering sciences, including solid mechanics and fluid dynamics. The program also includes courses related to construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering fields.

Modern and well-equipped laboratories emphasize experimental methods and measurement techniques.

SLU's civil engineering program includes the following focus areas:

• Structural engineering
• Environmental and water resources engineering
• Transportation engineering

In addition, civil engineering majors at SLU are exposed to entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial mindset through the curriculum and extracurricular opportunities.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Benefits of SLU's civil engineering program include several internship and career opportunities. Competitive summer internships are available within the industry and with government agencies. Independent study on a civil engineering topic can be arranged under the direction of a faculty member.

Located in the heart of St. Louis, SLU offers civil engineering students access to a number of industry contacts from around the area. This allows students to easily partake in internships during the school year and network with professionals before graduation. Plus, SLU's civil engineering faculty is very active in research, and there are many opportunities for students to help conduct research during the academic year and summer.

SLU's modern and well-equipped laboratories emphasize experimental methods and measurement techniques. The civil engineering laboratory facilities include a variety of equipment and provide spaces specifically designated for soil mechanics, environmental engineering, construction materials testing, hydraulic modeling and structural testing. Students in SLU's civil engineering program may specialize in areas such as infrastructure evaluation and design, transportation analysis and planning, and green engineering and sustainable design.

Careers

After graduation, students with a B.S. in civil engineering can pursue graduate study or enter one of the most dynamic industries in the United States. Industry and government agencies have long recognized the quality of engineering graduates from the School of Science and Engineering.

A few of the places where civil engineering graduates can find opportunities include:

• Missouri and Illinois departments of transportation
• Missouri Sewer District
• State, county and municipal engineering offices
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Private engineering firms such as Black and Veatch, Parsons, etc.
• Construction companies
• U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.

Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).

In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken post-secondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission and matriculation requirements of the University, applicants to SLU’s engineering programs must meet the following requirements:

• GPA: Minimum cumulative 3.00 high school GPA for freshmen applicants and 2.70 college GPA for transfer applicants.
• Coursework: Fifteen total units of high school work are required: three or four units of English; four or more units of mathematics, including algebra I and II, geometry and precalculus (Algebra II with Trigonometry is not sufficient). Students should be prepared to start the first semester of freshmen year in Calculus I or higher; three or four units of science, including general science, introduction to physical science, earth science, biology, physics or chemistry; two or three units of social sciences including history, psychology or sociology; and three units of electives.

Admission to the School of Science and Engineering’s degree programs is based on a combination of secondary school grades, college admission test scores, co-curricular activities and attempted college coursework, as well as other indicators of the applicant’s ability, career focus and character. This process respects the non-discrimination policy of the University and is designed to select a qualified, competent and diverse student body with high standards of scholarship and character, consistent with the mission of the University.

Tuition 

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation

The Civil Engineering, B.S. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Enrollment and Graduation Data 

The Civil Engineering, B.S. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives

The undergraduate program is designed to meet the following specific objectives in order to fulfill the departmental and institutional missions.

• Be employed as engineers or be enrolled in engineering or professional graduate school;
• Demonstrate their commitment to lifelong learning and professional development through seeking professional licensure, pursuing graduate studies or participating in other professional continuing education activities;
• Advance into leadership roles in their profession and in service to their communities; and
• Create design solutions that address economic, social and environmental factors in their professional engineering practice. 

Student Outcomes

Graduates of the civil engineering program at Saint Louis University will demonstrate: 

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;
8. an ability to design a system, component or process in more than one civil engineering context;
9. an ability to explain basic concepts in management, business, public policy and leadership.

 Unless otherwise stated, all civil engineering courses have prerequisites that require a "C-" or better.

¹

The University Undergraduate Core Curriculum shall be met by selecting courses for each component from the list of pre-approved courses based on those listed on the University Undergraduate Core Courses webpage. Note: some courses required for the major also fulfill University Undergraduate Core requirements.

²

The 4 credit Science elective must be a 3 credit lecture plus 1 credit lab from the list of pre-approved courses. The 4 credit Science elective may not be a chemistry or physics course. Pre-approved courses include BIOL 1240 General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution/BIOL 1245 Principles of Biology I Laboratory, BIOL 1260 General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter/BIOL Principles of Biology II Laboratory, EAS 1080 Introduction to Environmental Science/EAS 1081 Introduction to Environmental Science Laboratory, EAS 1420 Introduction to Atmosphere Science/EAS 1425 Introduction to Atmospheric Science Lab, EAS 1430 Introduction to Solid Earth/EAS 1435 Introduction to Solid Earth Lab, and EAS 1450 Introduction to Oceanography/Introduction to Oceanography Lab.

³

Twelve (12) credits of Civil Engineering Electives are required at the 4000 level or above.  Students who pursue a pre-approved minor may substitute six (6) credits of required courses for a minor for six (6) credits of Civil Engineering Electives.  If a student starts, but drops a minor, that student must complete the 12 credits of Civil Engineering Electives

⁴

Nine (9) credits of Professional Development Electives are required from the pre-approved courses list. Exceptions for professional development electives may be granted with departmental approval.  Students who pursue a pre-approved minor may use the 9 credits of professional development electives for courses that count toward that minor.

Pre-approved Minors

Pre-approved minors align with the civil engineering profession.  Students may count courses required for the following list of minors for their three professional development electives and substitute two of the required courses for civil engineering electives.  Students who minor in Engineering Mathematics or Math may not substitute courses for civil engineering electives.

• Aerospace Engineering
• Engineering Mathematics
• Entrepreneurship
• Environmental Science
• Math
• Mechanical Engineering
• Physics
• Project Management
• Studio Art

Non-Course Requirements

All Science and Engineering B.A. and B.S. students must complete an exit interview/survey near the end of their bachelor's program. 

Continuation Standards

• Students must maintain a minimum 2.00 GPA.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

¹

 Students must meet the required Math Index before enrolling in MATH 1510 Calculus I (0,4 cr).

²

Requires one year of high school chemistry with a grade of “C” or better and Pre-Calculus placement.  

³

The 4 credit Science elective must be a 3 credit lecture plus 1 credit lab from the list of pre-approved courses. The 4 credit Science elective may not be a chemistry or physics course. Pre-approved courses include:

• BIOL 1240 General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution/BIOL 1245 Principles of Biology I Laboratory
• BIOL 1260 General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter/BIOL Principles of Biology II Laboratory
• EAS 1080 Introduction to Environmental Science/EAS 1081 Introduction to Environmental Science Laboratory
• EAS 1420 Introduction to Atmosphere Science/EAS 1425 Introduction to Atmospheric Science Lab
• EAS 1430 Introduction to Solid Earth/EAS 1435 Introduction to Solid Earth Lab
• EAS 1450 Introduction to Oceanography/Introduction to Oceanography Lab.