About Us

Since 1967, our department has prepared engineers to design and maintain sustainable, resilient urban and natural environments. You will enjoy personalized classroom and lab experiences and the opportunity to participate in internationally recognized research.

Programs

We offer bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and environmental engineering. With a major in civil engineering, you can add a concentration in energy infrastructure or land development engineering. If you are interested in an advanced degree, you can pursue one of our nationally ranked graduate programs. For those with a bachelor’s in civil or environmental, consider a master’s in civil engineering. Those without an engineering background can pursue a master’s in engineering. For a terminal degree, you can earn a PhD in either civil engineering or infrastructure and environmental systems. These graduate programs include five engineering concentration pathways:

• Environmental and water resources
• Geo-environmental
• Geotechnical
• Structural
• Transportation

Facilities

Department offices are on the third floor of EPIC (Energy Production and Infrastructure Center), a sustainably designed, 200,000-square-foot academic building dedicated in 2012. EPIC hosts seven research labs, including the HighBay Lab, a key civil engineering lab where you will learn about the strength and resilience of construction materials and infrastructure components. Other EPIC labs serve specialty purposes for geotechnical engineering, hydrology and hydraulics, and environmental engineering.

Student Chapters

A great way to meet friends with similar interests is to get involved in our student chapters to several prominent professional societies. Consider joining these active student chapters:

• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)
• Institute for Transportation Engineers (ITE)

Alumni

As a rapidly growing city that’s home to organizations focused on myriad civil engineering endeavors ranging from energy to water to construction, Charlotte is an excellent city in which to begin a career in civil or environmental engineering. Our alumni work in government, transportation, construction and consulting, to name just a few industries. Our bachelor’s graduates report an average starting salary of just under $63,000, and 80% have received or accepted a job offer at the time of graduation. The field of civil engineering is predicted to grow by about 5 percent over the next decade, higher than the average for all occupations.