Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 University Catalog 
    
2022-2023 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Civil Engineering Supplemental Information


Civil Engineering Technical Electives (30 credits)


30 credits of Technical Electives required
 - 21 credits must come from CE designated courses
 - 9 credits may come from a combination of courses that are not CE-designated but have been approved for technical elective credit and from additional CE-designated courses.

Breadth (B) Required Courses - At least four (4) courses must be completed, guaranteeing sufficient breadth of study in at least four of the emphasis areas.
Design Content (D) Required Courses - At least three (3) courses must be completed guaranteeing sufficient design content.

*Completing four courses from a single CE area of emphasis does not meet this requirement.

1.) Total credit requirement: CE students must complete thirty (30) credits of technical electives. The technical elective plan of study must be consistent with career objectives. For instance, one can elect to emphasize a particular area of civil engineering by taking several courses in that area, or one can choose a general program in civil engineering by taking courses in several emphasis areas.

2.) Minimum CE credit requirement and associated rules: A minimum of twenty-one (21) credits of technical electives must come from CE-designated courses. The remaining nine (9) credit hours required may come from a combination of courses that are not CE-designated but have been approved for technical elective credit and from additional CE-designated courses. See below for details regarding approved technical electives that are not CE-designated courses. All technical electives must be selected in support of the career objectives of the student and be approved by the advisor.

3.) Breadth requirement:  (B) At least four (4) courses must be completed, guaranteeing sufficient breadth of study in at least four of the emphasis areas.

4.) Design content requirement:  (D) At least three (3) courses must be completed guaranteeing sufficient design content.

5.) Sequence requirement: A sequence is defined as a minimum of two (2) technical elective courses from a given CE emphasis area. Each student must complete at least two (2) such sequences of technical electives. (CEM and EEE courses may be used to satisfy the sequence requirement for technical electives in the areas of Construction Engineering, Geomatics Engineering, and Environmental Engineering, respectively. No other non-CE courses may be used to satisfy the sequence requirement.)

6.) All technical elective courses must be taken for a grade. 

Note: Completing four courses from a single CE area of emphasis does not meet this requirement. The emphasis areas must be distinct. Certain non-CE designated courses may be used in satisfying this requirement (see Technical Elective Policies for non-Civil Engineering Courses below.)

Civil Engineering Technical Elective Courses by Area (21 credits)


Technical Elective Policies for non-Civil Engineering Courses (9 credits)


Students in the School of Civil Engineering are encouraged to choose technical electives that are consistent with their career objectives. In many cases, this can involve courses that are offered outside of the School. The purpose of the policies below is to provide general criteria for appropriate technical elective courses offered by other departments.

Approved Technical Electives (for three unspecified; not Breadth or Design Content) )


See exceptions to the approved courses in the No Count list below

  • College of Engineering 30000-59999 See Purdue West Lafayette Approved Prefix list 
  • College of Science 30000-59999  See Purdue West Lafayette Approved Prefix list 
  • ENTR 20000-59999
  • MGMT 20000-59999

Technical Elective No Count List


  • All courses outside of Civil Engineering having the Coop or Internship course attribute or associated with cooperative education, internships, industrial practice, etc. are not eligible to be considered as technical electives.
  • Courses not included in the approved courses list - A student may send a written request to the CE Undergraduate Office to initiate the process to have a specific course considered for technical elective credit.

Not Approved - Variable Title- Can make a written request


The following variable title or individual study courses do not have general approval to be considered as technical electives; however, a student may send a written request to the CE Undergraduate Office to initiate the process to have a specific course from this list considered for technical elective credit.