Civil Engineering
Design, plan, and build the sustainable and equitable infrastructure of the future.
Civil engineering involves the design, construction, and maintenance of constructed and natural infrastructure, including water supply and treatment facilities, landfills, highways, bridges, rail lines, dams, telecommunication services, and other large-scale systems. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, students have the opportunity to gain a comprehensive education in civil engineering, yet they're also able to deeply explore their unique interests.
The Civil Engineering program is divided into four research areas: Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering and Mechanics, Transportation Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Graduate students select one of these focus areas in which to specialize, although abundant opportunities for collaboration exist. Before considering graduate work, undergraduate students have the ability to investigate each area through elective courses.
UMass Amherst is dedicated to training civil engineers with both the technical expertise and sense of responsibility needed to excel in the field. This program of study leads directly to relevant careers in engineering the built environment.
Explore our programs
Undergraduate
2020 B.S.C.E. graduates reported successful career placement or graduate school acceptance within six months of graduation
Average undergraduate class size
Faculty members in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Areas
Bridget was drawn to the UMass Amherst College of Engineering by the opportunities of a large university with the feel of a small school.
Meet CE Major Bridget
Benefits list
A comprehensive undergraduate experience
Majors receive an extensive education in all aspects of the field. Elective requirements offer the opportunity for advanced study in areas of interest, culminating in a senior project. The program prepares students for direct entry into the profession, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Tailored graduate pathways
Under the broader umbrella of Civil Engineering, graduate students delve into their research interests by specializing in Environmental and Water Resource Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering and Mechanics, or Transportation Engineering.
Cutting-edge research
By engaging resources from the UMass Transportation Center to the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, the Civil Engineering program is at the cutting edge of solving urgent real-world problems. Both undergraduate and graduate students have opportunities to participate in this research.
High Placement Rate; Diverse Career Options
Our graduates work in a variety of industries, with placements in consulting firms, construction companies, state agencies, and private businesses.
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
- National Grid
- GE Renewable Energy
In the news
UMass Amherst Rising Researcher Program Recognizes Three Brilliant Undergraduate Researchers from College of Engineering
The program selects Raul Vera III (CEE), Alexandra Katsoulakis (BME), and Lily Bigelow (BME) as Fall 2024 Rising Researchers “making a difference in the world.”
CEE Ph.D. Student Tolu Oke Receives Prominent Sisson Fellowship from the CoE
The CoE fellowship supports a first-year Ph.D. candidate whose research focuses on renewable energy, climate change, or other environmental topics.
CEE’s Emily Kumpel Named a UMass Amherst Public Interest Technology (PIT) Faculty Fellow
The fellowship supports Kumpel’s new course in which students will learn to design sustainable engineered systems by studying the whole life cycle of a project.
Civil Engineering
From transportation and water systems to buildings and more, UMass Amherst Civil Engineering students protect natural resources and improve lives.