ECU adds civil engineering to degree concentration
- ECU has expanded its environmental concentration in its Bachelor of Science in engineering program to include civil engineering.
- The newly named civil and environmental engineering concentration comes in response to demand from industry and community partners who need engineers to tackle real-world challenges such as clean water, resilient infrastructure and sustainable community development.
- The concentration opens opportunities for students in impactful and high-paying careers with engineering firms, environmental service providers, construction and infrastructure companies, utility companies, municipalities and governmental agencies.
The East Carolina University Department of Engineering is expanding one of its degree concentrations to better serve communities and industry with workforce and infrastructure needs while preparing students for lucrative and meaningful careers.
The environmental engineering concentration in the Bachelor of Science in engineering program has transitioned to a concentration in both civil and environmental engineering. It comes in response to growing industry demand for engineering graduates who can solve problems and help communities in areas such as water resources, site development, infrastructure, environmental systems and resiliency, encompassing the built environment.
“This is a meaningful step for ECU engineering and for the communities we serve,” said Dr. Teresa Ryan, professor and chair of the Department of Engineering. “Our current and prospective students told us they wanted a pathway into the civil engineering space. Our industry partners told us they need that same blend of skills, connecting environmental problem-solving with the civil infrastructure challenges they see around them. This curriculum change brings those voices together.”
Students in ECU’s civil and environmental engineering concentration can participate in research and hands-on learning experiences such as this living wetlands project in Greenville. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)
The updated concentration positions graduates for impactful and high-paying careers with engineering firms, environmental service providers, construction and infrastructure companies, utility companies, municipalities, state and federal agencies and other partners across the region and beyond. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for civil and environmental engineers is around $100,000 annually, with job growth expected at 4% to 5% through 2034.
“I’m excited to dive into new courses that broaden my skills while keeping my passion for the environment at the center,” said Zasha Griffin, a Brinkley-Lane scholarship recipient in ECU’s Honors College who is pursuing the civil and environmental concentration as part of his engineering degree. “Overall, the concentration will help shape me into the engineer the future needs.”
Building on the strengths of the environmental engineering concentration, the updated curriculum broadens student preparation through coursework in geotechnical engineering, engineering hydrology, water and wastewater, environmental impact assessment and engineering fluid mechanics. Students will continue to build upon strong general engineering core courses and apply their classroom learning to a senior capstone design project. With ECU’s status as a R1 research university, students will also have opportunities to support faculty-led research and participate in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in fields that interest them.
For eastern North Carolina, the need is clear. Communities and industries depend on engineers who can support work that reduces flooding, provides clean drinking water and develops new industry, housing and infrastructure. Civil and environmental engineers ensure functionality, safety and sustainability in everything from the buildings in which we work, the roads on which we travel and the houses in which we live. The civil and environmental engineering concentration is designed to help students prepare for that work.
The curriculum update also reflects the commitment of Department of Engineering faculty and staff to evolve with the people they serve, Ryan said. By listening to students, employers, alumni and community partners, the department is advancing the mission of ECU and the College of Engineering and Technology by preparing graduates whose work creates opportunity, solves problems and strengthens North Carolina.
“Service is such a key part of ECU’s identity, and this change helps us serve better,” Ryan said. “We are preparing students to meet the needs in front of them — not in theory, but in the communities, industries and environments where their work will matter most.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the civil and environmental engineering concentration can email ECU’s Department of Engineering or visit its website.
Civil and environmental engineering students will have opportunities to conduct field research such as this project near Lake Mattamuskeet. Civil and environmental engineers support work that reduces flooding, provides clean drinking water and develops new industry and housing, ensuring functionality, safety and sustainability in the built environment. (Contributed photo)