Civil Engineering
Civil engineers use mathematics and the pure sciences of biology, chemistry and physics to solve environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources problems. Civil engineers are involved in both the design and construction of facilities that affect all aspects of human life.
Why Choose Civil Engineering?
From the ancient roads of the Roman Empire to New York City’s tallest skyscrapers, civil engineering is woven into the fabric of society as we know it, finding its roots in the construction of our world’s most revered structures. The field has evolved over the years, but its principles remain the same: civil engineers design and construct the public works that define much of what we now see as modern towns and cities and provide the quality of life that citizens of a modern society take for granted.
In addition to designing and building roads, wells, dams, bridges and levees, modern civil engineers are also found in industries including:
- aerospace: designing jetliners and space stations
- automotive: working to improve the safety and resilience of cars
- shipbuilding: helping build ships and other floating vessels
- electric power supply: generating, transmitting, and distributing power to the general public.
Manhattan’s civil engineering program is the University’s oldest engineering program, founded in 1892. Since then, it has become an industry frontrunner — U.S. News & World Report routinely ranks our School of Engineering among the top 50 engineering schools in the nation whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.
Location
Often considered “The University That Built New York,” Manhattan University students and alumni are helping to create and maintain some of the world’s most complex structures including the George Washington Bridge and New York City’s subway system. Jaspers have also had a hand shaping the city’s skyline: two Manhattan engineering alums have overseen the master plan for rebuilding the World Trade Center, including the 1 WTC tower which is now tallest structure in the western hemisphere.
As a civil engineering major, expect to follow in the footsteps of our alumni, who have landed internships and jobs at major organizations, including:
- AECOM
- Con Edison
- Environmental Protection Agency
- NYC Dept. of Design and Construction (NYC DDC)
- NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP)
- NYC Dept. of Transportation (NYC DoT)
- NYC Transit Authority (MTA)
- NY State Department of Transportation (NYS DoT)
- Parsons Corporation
- Skanska
- The New NY Bridge Project
- Turner Construction Co.
Hands-On Learning
At Manhattan University, you can learn about civil engineering firsthand through experiential opportunities that take you out of the classroom and into the real world:
- Get a bird’s eye view of the city during a field trip to the top of the George Washington Bridge
- Head underground to see the Second Avenue Subway construction project take shape
- Tour the World Trade Center with the engineers who helped rebuild it after 9/11
- Take a close look at the New NY Bridge project from a boat on the Hudson
- Work on a team to design and construct a bridge in a developing country to strengthen impoverished communities
Andrea Giorgi Bocker ’80, engineer of construction for the George Washington Bridge“I learned that the way to build something like the George Washington Bridge was to study civil engineering. It became my quest. My worst day in construction was better than my best day anywhere else. There’s always a surprise, good or bad, and always a problem to solve, which is what engineering is all about.”