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Postdoctoral researcher Samuel Cliff measures air particulates on a Caltrain platform in San Jose.Postdoctoral researcher Samuel Cliff measures air particulates on a Caltrain platform in San Jose. (Photo by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering)

Civil Engineering

Safe buildings. Clean water. Efficient roadways. We all need them, but not all of us are equipped to provide them. You are. You want to know how technology can be applied to meet the needs of society at large. With the influx of new information technologies, civil engineering is the intersection of data, structures and natural environments. That includes things like sustainability, infrastructure and control systems.

Civil engineers design, plan, build and manage physical structures, including buildings, bridges, roadways and dams. They might work for a government agency or a corporation, or own a construction firm or consulting company. These people can find work anywhere in the world, because everyone needs them. Our alumni have been involved in major engineering achievements, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Levi’s Stadium, the Chunnel linking England and France, and the Petronas Towers in Malaysia.

Why choose Berkeley?

Contact

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
760 Davis Hall # 1710
Berkeley, CA 94720-1710
(510) 642-3261
support@ce.berkeley.edu

Our civil engineering program is consistently ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. As a civil engineering undergrad, you’ll get broad knowledge about civil engineering as well as the flexibility to explore sub-disciplines in the field. Our classes are relatively small, so you’ll get to know both your professors and your fellow students. And there are plenty of opportunities for undergraduate research. Our faculty’s research spans smart and resilient infrastructure — including buildings, energy systems, seismic safety and transportation networks.

Interested? Learn more about the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. You can also explore a comparison chart to see how civil and environmental engineering majors differ in their focus.

Nighttime traffic on U.S. Highway 101 south of San Francisco

Shifting gears

Concrete support pillar

Concrete thinking

Engineering Student Services
120 Grimes Engineering Center
Berkeley, CA 94720
ess@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-7594

Department Contacts

Degree worksheet:  2026

Undergraduate programs and degree worksheets from previous years are available through the Undergraduate Guide archive.

Course Fall Spring
Freshman Year
CHEM 1A – General Chemistry
3
–
CIVENG 60 – Structure and Properties of Civil Engineering Materials –
3
CIVENG 93 – Engineering Data Analysis
–
3
COMPSCI/DATA/INFO/STAT C8 – Foundations of Data Science
4
–
MATH 51 – Calculus I
4
–
MATH 52 – Calculus II
–
4
PHYSICS 7A – Physics for Scientists and Engineers
–
4
Reading & Composition Part A Course1
4
–
Total
15
14
Sophomore Year
CIVENG C30/MECENG C85 – Introduction to Solid Mechanics
–
3
CIVENG 11 – Engineered Systems and Sustainability
3
–
ENGIN 7 – Introduction to Computer Programming and Numerical Methods
–
4
MATH 53 – Multivariable Calculus
4
–
MATH 54 – Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
–
4
Basic Science Elective2
3-4
 –
Reading & Composition Part B Course1
4
–
Humanities/Social Sciences Course1
–
3-4
Total
14-15
14-15
Junior Year
CIVENG 100 – Elementary Fluid Mechanics, or CIVENG 132 – Applied Structural Mechanics
3-4
–
PHYSICS 7B – Physics for Scientists and Engineers
4
–
Engineering  Fundamentals Elective3
–
3-4
Civil and Environmental Engineering Applications Electives4
3
6
Humanities/Social Sciences Courses1
3-4
3-4
Free Electives5
3
3
Total
16-18
15-17
Senior Year
Civil and Environmental Engineering Extensions Electives6
3
6
Capstone Design Elective7
3-4
–
CIVENG 167 – Engineering Project Management
3
–
Humanities/Social Sciences Course1
3-4
–
Free Electives5
3
9
Total
15-17
15
Notes

* A minimum of 120 units is required for graduation.

1The Humanities/Social Sciences (H/SS) requirement includes two approved Reading & Composition (R&C) courses and four additional approved courses, with which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. R&C courses must be taken for a letter grade (C- or better required). The first half (R&C Part A) must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half (R&C Part B) must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. The remaining courses may be taken at any time during the program. See engineering.berkeley.edu/hss for complete details and a list of approved courses.

2The Basic Science Elective cannot be fulfilled with an exam score. Choose one course from the following: CIVENG 70, BIOLOGY 1B, CHEM 1B

3Engineering Fundamentals – Choose one course from the following:

  • Thermodynamics: ENGIN 40 or MECENG 40
  • Solid Mechanics: MECENG 104 or CIVENG 126 (students cannot receive credit for both MECENG 104 and CIVENG 126)
  • Data Science/Organization: COMPSCI/DATA/STAT C100 or EECS 127

4CEE Applications – Nine units chosen from the following: CIVENG C103N/ESPM C130/GEOG C136, 111, 120, 155, 175, or 191.

5Free electives can be any technical or non-technical course, any course of your interest offered by any department; there are no restrictions. Free electives may be necessary in order to obtain the minimum 120 units for graduation.

6CEE Extensions – Nine letter-graded units chosen from upper division CIVENG courses not being counted toward other major requirements. Students may use up to three units of CIVENG graduate courses numbered 200-295, taken Fall 2017 or later, toward their CEE Extensions units. Students must have a technical GPA of 3.0 or higher to obtain permission to enroll in CIVENG graduate courses. Students may receive up to three units of credit toward their CEE Extensions units for work on a research project in CIVENG H194 (Honors Undergraduate Research).

7Capstone Design – One course chosen from the following: CIVENG 105, 112, 122, 123, 153, 179, 180, 186.

Course Fall Spring
1st and 2nd Semesters
CIVENG 11 – Engineered Systems and Sustainability
–
3
CIVENG C30/MECENG C85 – Introduction to Solid Mechanics
3
–
CIVENG 60 – Structure and Properties of Civil Engineering Materials
3
–
CIVENG 93 – Engineering Data Analysis
–
3
COMPSCI C8/DATA C8/INFO/STAT C8 – Foundations of Data Science
4
–
ENGIN 7 – Introduction to Computer Programming and Numerical Methods
–
4
Humanities/Social Sciences Courses1
3-4
 3-4
Total
13-14
13-14
3rd and 4th Semesters
CIVENG 100 – Elementary Fluid Mechanics, or CIVENG 132-Applied Structural Mechanics
3-4
–
Civil and Environmental Engineering Applications Electives4
3
6
Civil and Environmental Engineering Extensions Elective5
–
6
Engineering Fundamentals Elective3
3-4
–
Humanities/Social Sciences Course1
3-4
3-4
Total
12-15
15-16
5th Semester**
CIVENG 167 – Engineering Project Management
3
Capstone Design Elective6
3-4
Civil and Environmental Engineering Extensions Elective5
3
Free Elective
3-4
Total
12-14
Notes

* A minimum of 120 units is required for graduation.

**Transfer students who would like to enroll for a fifth semester must contact their ESS Adviser to change their degree term.

1The Humanities/Social Science (H/SS) requirement includes two approved Reading & Composition courses and four additional approved courses, with which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. Reading & Composition parts A and B must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. The remaining courses may be taken at any time during the program. See engineering.berkeley.edu/hss for complete details and a list of approved courses.

2The Basic Science Elective cannot be fulfilled with an exam score. Choose one course from the following: CIVENG 70 , BIOLOGY 1B, CHEM 1B.

3Engineering Fundamentals – Choose one course from the following:

  • Thermodynamics: ENGIN 40 or MECENG 40
  • Solid Mechanics: MECENG 104 or CIVENG 126 (students cannot receive credit for both MECENG 104 and CIVENG 126)
  • Data Science/Organization: COMPSCI/DATA/STAT C100 or EECS 127

4CEE Applications – Nine units chosen from the following: CIVENG C103N/ESPM C130/GEOG C136, 111, 120, 155, 175, or 191.

5CEE Extensions – Nine letter-graded units chosen from upper division CIVENG courses not being counted toward other major requirements. Students may use up to three units of CIVENG graduate courses numbered 200-295, taken Fall 2017 or later, toward their CEE Extensions units. Students must have a technical GPA of 3.0 or higher to obtain permission to enroll in CIVENG graduate courses. Students may receive up to three units of credit toward their CEE Extensions units for work on a research project in CIVENG H194 (Honors Undergraduate Research).

6Capstone Design – One course chosen from the following: CIVENG 105, 112, 122, 123, 153, 179, 180, 186.

The easiest, most convenient way to track your progress toward your degree requirements is to use a degree worksheet, with guidelines specific to your year of admission. You should bring your worksheet with you whenever you meet with your Engineering Student Services or faculty adviser. From your ‘My Academics’ page on CalCentral, use the ‘Semesters’ section to help complete your worksheet. When available, you can also use the Academic Progress Report to help update your degree worksheet.

Civil Engineering: 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026

If you would like to receive these documents in an alternative, accessible format, please contact eng-ada@berkeley.edu.