Civil & Environmental Engineering

Safe buildings. Clean water. Efficient roadways. Environmental protection. 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 and environmental 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 corporation, or own a construction firm or consulting company. Environmental engineers provide solutions for safe air quality and drinking water, waste management and cleaning up contamination or hazardous wastes. They might work in private industry, for government agencies or in a non-governmental, nonprofit organization. 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?

Well, U.S. News & World Report ranked our undergraduate programs in civil engineering as number two and environmental engineering among the top three for 2017. As a civil engineering undergrad, you’ll get rigorous academic learning, hands-on experience and leadership development. 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 extends from smart and resilient infrastructure — including buildings, energy systems, seismic safety and transportation networks — to the environment, particularly our vital air and water resources.

Interested? Learn more about the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and its programs.