AboutA Message from the Chair
Welcome to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University.
In 1909 the College of Engineering at Northwestern University was established, and civil engineering was one of the first two degrees offered. Today, civil and environmental engineering have central roles to play in defining the future of our nation and the world.
The critical issues of the day—economic recovery, energy conservation and resources, infrastructure preservation, environmental quality and climate change, and national security, among others—each demand critical thinking about the materials, systems, design, operations, and management of civil infrastructure systems, as well as the natural systems with which they interact. These are tasks for civil and environmental engineers, in close collaboration with broader interdisciplinary teams.
As challenging as these times are, this is a great time to become a civil or an environmental engineer. At the undergraduate level, we offer ABET-accredited bachelor of science degrees in civil engineering and environmental engineering, a certificate in architectural engineering and design, and a minor in environmental engineering. At the graduate level, we offer PhD and MS degrees with a wide range of areas of concentration.
Students who are trained in civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern have a broad, fluid base in science and engineering. This enables them to work across disciplines and tackle the grand challenges of improving our living conditions in harmony with nature.
Trained with both project and policy courses, graduates will find study and work opportunities on almost every continent in the world, pursuing careers in business, consulting, and technology-driven industry; in government, policy, and law; in public health, environmental protection, and ecological restoration; in small and large scale construction and material and structural analysis and design; and in managing air, water, and land transit of goods and people.
Please enjoy your visit to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering website. Connect with us further via social media and be sure to contact us with any questions.
Kimberly Gray
Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering