5 answers
Efrain
Student
5
Questions
Updated
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what was your motivation to become a civil engineer what classes would you recommened ??
I'm a freshmen and i want to be a civil engineer but what classes can i take?
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5 answers
Vern Novstrup
Environmental Engineer
30
Answers
Ventura, California
Updated
Vern’s Answer
Ray, did a good job of describing classes you should be taking in high school. I will take a little different tact in answering your second question first.
What classes should you take? In addition to classes take the time to look at the infrastructure (roads, bridges, buildings, dams, sewage plants, drinking water treatment plants, etc.) around you and try to understand how they work. YouTube has several channels by civil engineers that discuss various practical aspects civil engineering, historical building projects, and notable engineering failures. Also, there are some notable books that tell the story of famous engineers and engineering projects. The examples that come to mind are: 1) William Mulholland, the engineer who developed the water systems that supply Los Angeles with water today; and 2) George Goethals, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal project and 3) Julia Morgan, the architect of Hearst Castle in California and 4) Emily Roebling the de facto chief engineer on much of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. The point of all of this research is to give you an appreciation of the profession that is Civil Engineering.
Now, what motivated me to become a civil engineer? First, I grew up on a farm where building things were a part of everyday life. Engineering was considered an honorable profession and working with your hands was considered “real or honest” work. I also knew, I needed to make a living and people told me engineering would ensure that I would be comfortable but not likely “rich.” Given this, I knew wanted to be in engineering but gravitated to civil engineering almost completely by accident. My engineering degree was Geological Engineering which led me into a geotechnical engineering job and eventually an environmental engineering job. Both geotechnical and environmental are broadly considered part of civil engineering. Ultimately, when I was getting a professional engineering license civil engineering was that most appropriate exam and title.
Adding the third question you didn’t ask. What do I wish someone had told me about engineering when I was in high school?
Most people think engineering is about building things… It is not!
Engineering is about making the lives of people better, society better, and the world better. Things only matter to the extent that they make the world better.
What classes should you take? In addition to classes take the time to look at the infrastructure (roads, bridges, buildings, dams, sewage plants, drinking water treatment plants, etc.) around you and try to understand how they work. YouTube has several channels by civil engineers that discuss various practical aspects civil engineering, historical building projects, and notable engineering failures. Also, there are some notable books that tell the story of famous engineers and engineering projects. The examples that come to mind are: 1) William Mulholland, the engineer who developed the water systems that supply Los Angeles with water today; and 2) George Goethals, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal project and 3) Julia Morgan, the architect of Hearst Castle in California and 4) Emily Roebling the de facto chief engineer on much of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. The point of all of this research is to give you an appreciation of the profession that is Civil Engineering.
Now, what motivated me to become a civil engineer? First, I grew up on a farm where building things were a part of everyday life. Engineering was considered an honorable profession and working with your hands was considered “real or honest” work. I also knew, I needed to make a living and people told me engineering would ensure that I would be comfortable but not likely “rich.” Given this, I knew wanted to be in engineering but gravitated to civil engineering almost completely by accident. My engineering degree was Geological Engineering which led me into a geotechnical engineering job and eventually an environmental engineering job. Both geotechnical and environmental are broadly considered part of civil engineering. Ultimately, when I was getting a professional engineering license civil engineering was that most appropriate exam and title.
Adding the third question you didn’t ask. What do I wish someone had told me about engineering when I was in high school?
Most people think engineering is about building things… It is not!
Engineering is about making the lives of people better, society better, and the world better. Things only matter to the extent that they make the world better.
Ray von Dohren
Retired sanitary engineer
12
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Ray’s Answer
The classes you take in high school prepare you for what you need in college. You will need all math classes from algebra through pre calculus. You will need all sciences; biology, chemistry and physics. Electives such as ecology, statics and other technical courses should be considered. Check your teacher’s background. One may have an engineering background. Talk to her or him. Find a CE consultant in your vicinity. Call them and talk to them. If they don’t talk to you, let me know, and I will call them and chew them out for being phenomenally rude.
Do not forget writing and reading courses. Communication is the most important thing in engineering. Engineers are peddlers just like the people working in the market. We peddle ideas. In order to do that we must be able to communicate orally and in written form. I write short stories and tutor math. I love them both. Think about what you enjoy and like talking about, and then go do it.
Very best wishes.
(Psst: Sanitary Engineering is the best. We make dirty water clean.)
Do not forget writing and reading courses. Communication is the most important thing in engineering. Engineers are peddlers just like the people working in the market. We peddle ideas. In order to do that we must be able to communicate orally and in written form. I write short stories and tutor math. I love them both. Think about what you enjoy and like talking about, and then go do it.
Very best wishes.
(Psst: Sanitary Engineering is the best. We make dirty water clean.)
Peter Sturtevant
Retired Civil Engineer
252
Answers
Kent, Washington
Updated
Peter’s Answer
Hopefully your university has a School of Engineering. I recommend that you seek out that Department and tell them of your interest in Civil Engineering. There will be a series of lower division courses that you need to take, typically a broad variety of introductory engineering courses. The serious courses for your chosen branch of engineering typically are taken your junior and senior years. I hope this helps.
Work with the Engineering Department at your college to get more ino.
Peter recommends the following next steps:
Cory Yeager
30
Answers
Updated
Cory’s Answer
Your first two years will be so full that an associates is all you get.
Agree with speaking to the CE Department at your school they will know the best courses of what is available at your school.
Only serious recommendations that can be made without knowing your interest would be to select depth or breadth and couple that with a thorough knowledge of computer science (data management, programming - python or SQL, data visualization, etc….)
In the time I graduated and became a senior engineer hand calculations have went by the wayside unless you do field engineering. Simple macros and excel/math files are doing the same.
Being able to develop a tool for analyzing geographically which bridges scour and to what degree is an example of regional solutions that engineering will be expected to give as funding from multiple sources is merged.
Agree with speaking to the CE Department at your school they will know the best courses of what is available at your school.
Only serious recommendations that can be made without knowing your interest would be to select depth or breadth and couple that with a thorough knowledge of computer science (data management, programming - python or SQL, data visualization, etc….)
In the time I graduated and became a senior engineer hand calculations have went by the wayside unless you do field engineering. Simple macros and excel/math files are doing the same.
Being able to develop a tool for analyzing geographically which bridges scour and to what degree is an example of regional solutions that engineering will be expected to give as funding from multiple sources is merged.
Suppachai Sinthaworn
Professor, Civil and Structural Engineer
1
Answer
Nakhon Nayok
Updated
Suppachai’s Answer
To excel as a civil engineer, it's essential to have a solid foundation in math and physics. It's a great idea to dive into the study of structural analysis - it's really helpful!