Civil Engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines known to humankind, as evident since the construction of the Great Pyramids more than 4000 years ago. It encompasses knowledge of a wide variety of academic and industrial fields that are deemed necessary for solving any societal problems. Primarily concerned with the design, construction, and maintenance of natural and built environments, most prospective civil engineers are expected to gain a sound yet practical understanding of disciplines such as physics, mathematics, material sciences, hydraulics, geology, mechanics, and project management, to be considered competent at their profession. Thus, our Department of Civil Engineering ensures that the students are well acquainted with the technical background of the field, while also emphasizing to them the societal, economical, and environmental impacts of their future civil engineering decisions. As these large-scale projects can often transform the living conditions of the surrounding society, our department also imparts significant focus on the moral and ethical obligations and responsibilities of the present civil engineer to civilization and nature.

An able civil engineer understands and respects the immense challenges of constructing on naturally challenging terrain. Our undergraduate courses educate all prospective students on the complex nature of soils upon which construction is imminent, or on the methodical geometries of accurate surveying, to ensure proper structure orientation without risk of geotechnical failure. A significant portion of our undergraduate education is also spent on the study of natural materials used in construction.

Along with the natural environment, civil engineers are best known for their built environments. This is a broad, coalesced domain, and contains specialized areas such as transportation (e.g., roads, railways), traffic (highway infrastructure, air traffic), structural (e.g., buildings, bridges, dams), hydrological (water and drainage systems), environmental (air and water quality management), geotechnical (tunnel and foundations), town planning, and construction project management.

Such diverse construction requires high conceptual skills, and immense clarity of thought to process the complexities. Our undergraduate civil engineering program is designed to cover fundamental theory with both complex engineering problems and practical applications of theoretical principles, facilitated by our state-of-the-art laboratories.

With the accelerating trend in mega structural projects as of late, construction projects require optimum management systems with ever-increasing project staff size. This challenges the traditional thought process of engineers in dealing with such projects. Department of Civil Engineering started MS Construction Engineering and Management (CE&M) program in 2019 to produce prospective postgraduate students with the skills to traverse the domain of construction management effectively, dealing in subjects such as Safety Management, Risk Management, and Construction Scheduling and Cost Estimations. Graduates of the CE&M program are expected to find a wide range of employment opportunities in construction, consulting, design firms, and the public sector.

Commencing in Fall 2022, the MS Civil Engineering postgraduate program caters to students who wish to gain further, in-depth knowledge of their technical undergraduate courses. A well-rounded curriculum, including new advancements in the civil engineering field such as Nanotechnology in Concrete and Hydro-Informatics are taught, along with more niche design courses such as Design of Tall Structures, Bridge Engineering, and Dam Engineering, which are conducive to postgraduate civil engineers.

Civil engineering is a profession that offers plenty of visual payoff. Take a look around, and you'll see the work of civil engineers everywhere - from buildings and bridges to roads and reservoirs. "To create things, to actually see them being built ... it's very rewarding to see the results of what you saw on paper. It gives you a lot of personal satisfaction," says Andrew Herrmann, former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Principal with the engineering firm Hardesty & Hanover. These professionals design and oversee the construction and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure such as highways, tunnels, rail systems, airports and water supply and sewage systems. The job includes analysis - especially in the planning stage - studying survey reports and maps, breaking down construction costs and considering government regulations and potential environmental hazards. Civil engineers also may test soils and building materials, provide cost estimates for equipment and labor, and use software to plan and design systems and structures.

There are many career paths within this field. Specialties include architectural, structural, transportation, traffic, water resources and geotechnical engineering. Civil engineers may work for state or local governments or in the private sector at consulting or construction firms. Some civil engineers hold supervisory or administrative positions, while others pursue careers in design, construction or teaching.