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UndergraduateStudentHandbookfor
CivilEngineeringStudentsfollowing
Catalog129
preparedbyStudentServicesOffice
DepartmentofCivilEngineeringTexasA&MUniversity
May2006
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May 2006
Dear Incoming Civil Engineering Student:
Welcome to the Civil Engineering Program at Texas A&M University. I believe thatyour decision to study civil engineering at Texas A&M University will prove to be a sounddecision. We are exceptionally proud of the successes of our former students, and we expectnothing less from the future graduates from Texas A&M. This handbook has been prepared toprovide you with some of the important information you will need in order to get the most out ofthe educational experience offered at Texas A&M. I hope that you will retain it and refer to it,and that it may prove helpful in answering some of the questions that arise throughout yourundergraduate career at A&M. Some other contact points which may be of interest to you are(all area codes are 979):
Office Phone FAXCivil Engineering Dept. 845-7435 845-6156CE Student Services Office 845-7436 845-3410Dean of Engineering 845-7200 847-8654Housing Office 845-4744 (no fax)Parking, Transit, and Traffic 845-9700University Scholarship Office 845-0686 847-9061Student Employment 845-0686 847-9061
CE Graduate Office 845-2498Student Financial Aid 845-3236 847-9061Student Locator 845-4741Transfer Admissions 845-1098 845-0727
To allow more effective communications with our office, please take a moment to
1) subscribe to the listserver by pointing your browser to http://cenotes.tamu.edu, selecting theCEnotes List Server option and subscribing to at least the CE-Info list.2) claim your TAMU e-mail account on the NEO computer (http://neo.tamu.edu/). We will besending you some important messages through one or both of these two mechanisms, so it isimportant that you do this.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Kohutek, P.E., Ph.D.Senior LecturerDirector of Student Services
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Table of Contents
PERSONAL INFORMATION SHEET 2
GUIDELINES FOR A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC CAREER 3
CIVIL ENGINEERING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM 4
ABOUT THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 5
CIVIL ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 7
CIVIL ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM 7
STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES 7
SUMMARY OF DEPARTMENTAL ACADEMIC POLICIES 8
THE UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING PROGRAM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING 9
CURRICULUM AND TECHNICAL ELECTIVE PLANS 10
CATALOG 129 CURRICULUM FOR BS, CIVIL ENGINEERING 11
CATALOG 129 CURRICULUM FLOW CHART 12
DIRECTED ELECTIVES 13
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 18
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PERSONAL INFORMATION SHEET
Name ____________________________
Campus Address ____________________________
Phone Number ____________________________
E-mail Address ____________________________
Date Entering Civil Engineering ____________________________
Governing Catalog Number ____________________________(ie., Cat.129 for 2006-2007 academic year)
Assigned Advisor's Name ____________________________
Advisor's Office Address ____________________________
Advisor's Phone Number ____________________________
Advisors E-mail Address ____________________________
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GUIDELINES FOR A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC CAREER
Selecting and enrolling in classes:
1. Refer to your catalog (Catalog 129 for students entering Texas A&M beginning Summer
2006 through Spring 2007) for information about curricula and prerequisites.
2. Attend informational briefings held by the Student Services Office each semester prior topre-registration.
3. See your departmental advisor at least once each semester prior to registering, to discussappropriate course load, specific courses and instructors, and to discuss any academicproblems you may experience.
4. Keep the Student Services Office (140 CE Bldg) advised of your current local addressand phone number, and set up your NEO account (so we can keep you informed of curri-
cula issues).
Academic performance:
5. Attend every class meeting, pay close attention, and participate in discussions. Completeassigned problems and read/study assigned material before class anddont get behind.
6. Organize and participate in peer study groups.
7. See your advisor early if academic problems arise.
Professionalism:
8. Exhibit, and expect from other students, the highest standards of academic integrity.
9. Join and participate in student chapters of professional organizations.
Personal:
10. Plan your study time so you get enough sleep; try to get physical exercise regularly, andeat healthy meals.
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CIVIL ENGINEERING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM
The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) publishes a Code of Ethics for Engineers, aportion of which is included below:
Preamble: Engineering is an important and learned profession. As members of thisprofession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people. Accordingly, the
services provided by engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness and equity, and must
be dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. Engineers must
perform under a standard of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest
principles of ethical conduct.
Fundamental Canons: Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public.
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the
honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.
The NSPE has also adopted an Engineers Creed
As a Professional Engineer, I dedicate my professional knowledge and skill to the
advancement and betterment of human welfare. I pledge:
To give the utmost of performance;
To participate in none but honest enterprise;To live and work according to the laws of man and the highest standards of professional
conduct;
To place service before profit, the honor and standing of the profession before personal
advantage, and the public welfare above all other considerations.
In humility and with need for Divine Guidance, I make this pledge.
David M Schnurbusch, President, Texas Section, American Society of Civil Engineers, said:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, energetic civil engineers can
change the world; indeed we are the one group that others count on to do that very thing .(adapted from Margaret Mead)
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ABOUT THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Administration. Dr. David V. Rosowsky serves as Department Head, Drs. Roger E. Smith and JoseRoesset serve as Associate Department Heads, and Dr. Robin Autenrieth serves as AssistantDepartment Head. More than sixty individuals make up the faculty of the Department. Each faculty
member is housed in one of the Departments four Divisions. The Division Heads, Drs. Ralph
Wurbs, Billy Edge, Joe Bracci, and Gene Hawkins are responsible for the day-to-day academic andresearch operations of their respective divisions. The faculty and administration are assisted by theBusiness Services Office, the Student Services Office, and the Graduate Studies Office. In additionto the Civil Engineering Program, the Ocean Engineering Program (OCEN), a degree-grantingprogram headed by Dr. Billy Edge, is part of the Civil Engineering Department and is housed withinthe Coastal and Ocean Engineering Division. The Civil Engineering Department maintains a
webpage at http://www.civil.tamu.edu/.
Student Services. The Student Services Office, under the direction of Dr. Terry Kohutek, is housedin CE 140. Advisors Dr. Lee Lowery and Mr. Richard Bartoskewitz, supported by Ms. DAnne
Crain and Ms. Nancy May, assist with the various tasks accomplished by the Student ServicesOffice. More information about the undergraduate program is available on the webpage maintainedby the Student Services Office at http://www.civil.tamu.edu. Some of the duties of the office are:
Coordinate the undergraduate advising program Monitor the academic progress of approximately 900-1000 undergraduate students Review applications for incoming transfer students Review applications to change major into the Civil Engineering program
Maintain a webpage summarizing information about the undergraduate program Enforce academic policies
Support the scheduling of classes and classrooms Assist with collecting and evaluating scholarship applicants Maintain records of the undergraduate students and statistical data about the program
Graduate Studies. Dr. Tony Cahill serves as departmental graduate student advisor, directing theGraduate Studies Office. This office, housed in CE 106, administers the graduate program, approvesgraduate degree plans and advisory committees, assigns graduate teaching and research assistants,and monitors the academic progress of the 250-300 graduate students in the department.
Business Services. The Business Services Office headed by Ms. Jane Reed provides support to theadministration and faculty in fiscal affairs. This office is located in CE/TTI Suite 222.
Faculty. Approximately 29 professors, 17 associate professors, 16 assistant professors, 4 visitingprofessional faculty, 3 senior lecturers and 1 lecturer comprise the faculty of the department. Inaddition to teaching responsibilities, all faculty are expected to be active participants in research,publication and professional service. Through these activities the faculty members stay informed onthe latest developments in their areas of expertise and contribute to the advancement of knowledgein their fields. In all but a few instances, the lecture portions of CVEN classes are taught by afaculty member.
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Student Body. The student body includes approximately 950 undergraduate students. Many ofthese students participate in extra-curricular activities at the department, college and university level.At the department level they serve as members of the department head's advisory council, and asofficers and members of the student chapters of several professional societies and Chi Epsilon, thenational civil engineering academic honor society. Each fall and spring the J. T. L. McNew studentchapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers participates in the Texas Section meetings of theparent organization. Other professional student organizations such as Institute for TransportationEngineers, American Water Resources Association, Structural Engineers Association of Texas, andSociety of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers participate in similar activities.
The ASCE student chapter also hosts a Civil Engineering Picnic each fall and spring to promotecamaraderie among the faculty and students. At the college level, civil engineering students havebeen involved in membership as well as leadership positions in organizations such as Tau Beta Pi,The Student Engineers Council, Society of Hispanic Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers.At the university level, our students participate in a full range of activities, including hometownclubs, Student Programs Office committees of the Memorial Student Center, intramural sports, andintercollegiate sports, to name just a few.
Class Sizes. When the student is completing the CBK classes (chemistry, mathematics, physics),and core requirements such as history, political science, etc., classes as large as 150 to 300 studentsare not uncommon. Many of these are classes that have laboratory periods associated with themwherein several lab sections of perhaps 25 to 30 students each are combined to form one largelecture. Required junior-level Civil Engineering classes may occasionally be as large as 60 to 80,although they are more often in the range of 25 to 45 students. Senior-level class sizes are evensmaller, often only 15 to 25 students.
Honors Programs. Honors classes are available in many subjects, allowing honors students anadvanced approach in a small class environment. Admission to the honors program is regulated bythe Office of Honors Programs and Academic Scholarships in the Academic Building (phone 845-1957). The Engineering Scholars Program (ESP) is an honors program administered by the Collegeof Engineering; for more information see the Deans office, 204 Zachry (phone 845-7200) or Dr.Mark Burris (845-9875), the Civil Engineering ESP advisor.
Minors. It is possible to enroll in a minor program of study to complement the BS CVEN degree.Department policy requires that a student complete 50 credit hours, including CVEN 345, beforedeclaring a minor. We also recommend that you consider carefully whether your goals are bettermet by an investment of time and money in a minor program or elsewhere, such as in graduate study.
To declare a minor program of study, contact the Student Services Office, 140 CE.
For More Information. Much more information about the Civil Engineering Department,curricula, and programs can be found on the World Wide Web page maintained by the Department
at http://www.civil.tamu.edu/orhttp://lowery.tamu.edu.
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CIVIL ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Civil Engineering Department is fortunate to have many successful former students whocontinue to support the Department with their gifts, enhancing the quality of our educationalprograms. Much of this support is in the form of scholarships available to students in theDepartment. Scholarships are typically awarded annually by the departments Scholarship
Committee. Annual stipends are typically $1000-$1500, with some scholarships for upper levelstudents a large as $6000-$7000. Selections for these scholarships are based mainly on academicpotential, but also on demonstrated leadership and financial need. A few merit-based, four-yearrenewable scholarships are available to incoming freshmen under the Benson Scholars Program.Some scholarships may be continued if the recipient elects to pursue graduate studies. Scholarshipapplications are available from the Student Services Office (140 Civil Engineering Bldg.) in theSpring of each year. The committee evaluates the applications, and the awards are announcedduring the summer for the subsequent academic year. Recipients and donors are recognized at aFall scholarship banquet.
CIVIL ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMThe Civil Engineering Department offers students an opportunity to participate in the Co-operativeEducation Program, in which students in their third and fourth years have an opportunity to work inindustry, government agencies, and for civil engineering consultants, gaining experience inapplication of engineering fundamentals and learning about the practice of engineering. Thisexperience has proven to be very valuable to our graduates, as those with Co-op experience are veryhighly sought after upon graduation. In addition, these students can offset much of the cost of their
education during their last two years by participation in this program. For more details, see Dr. Lee
Lowery in the Student Services Office, 140 CE orhttp://co-opweb.tamu.edu.
STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIESSeveral opportunities exist for international study experiences. A number of Civil Engineeringmajors have participated in exchange programs and study abroad programs, to countries likeAustralia and Mexico. Many of our students travel to Italy, France, Spain, Panama or Brazil duringthe summers to participate in a program which allows them to study in a European or SouthAmerican university under TAMU faculty, gain credit for several courses, and be immersed in a newculture. These opportunities are affordable, and financial aid is available to offset part of theexpense. For more details about study abroad or other international study experiences visit
http://iee.tamu.edu orhttp://studyabroad.tamu.edu .
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Texas A&M University offers an exceptional internship program. Complete information can be
found at the Career Center web site http://careercenter.tamu.edu/or at
http://ceinternships.tamu.edu/for internship opportunities specifically for Civil Engineeringstudents.
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SUMMARY OF DEPARTMENTAL ACADEMIC POLICIES
1. Initial Admission. For initial admission to the university and to the Civil Engineering Department, incoming freshman and
transfer applicants for admission must meet the University's standards as stated in the catalog in effect at the time of
application. Students admitted into the Civil Engineering Department will be classified as CVEL majors, until standards
described below for admission to the upper division (CVEN) program are met.
2. Admission to Upper Division. Students enrolled in the lower division program (CVEL) must meet the following standards for
guaranteed advancement to the upper division (CVEN). They must have a common body of knowledge (CBK) GPR of 2.75or better and must have a grade of at least "C" in each of the following CBK courses: CHEM 107; ENGL 104; ENGR 111,
112; MATH 151, 152; and PHYS 218, 208. In addition, students must have a cumulative GPR above 2.0. CVEL students
must satisfy the requirements for admission to the upper division within four long semesters or before accumulation of 45
total credit hours, after acceptance into any engineering program at A&M, whichever occurs first. Only upper division
engineering students will be allowed to enroll in any engineering courses numbered 200 and higher.
3. Admission by Change of Curriculum. Students applying to change curriculum into the Department from other departments at
A&M who have not yet satisfied the requirements for admission to the upper division must have a reasonable expectation of
meeting the standards required for admission to the upper division. Students who have satisfied the requirements for
admission into the upper division in other programs must have a CBK GPR of 2.50, and otherwise comply with the policies
stated herein. Transferring students will not be given credit toward the degree program for courses in which a grade less than
"C" was received.
4. Academic Probation. The minimum academic performance level required of all CVEL and CVEN students is a CUM GPR of
2.0. Upper Division (CVEN) students must also maintain a GPR of 2.0 in CVEN courses. For those who do not meet these
standards, the following probation conditions apply:a. Scholastic Probation. A deficient student will be placed on scholastic probation. The following terms of probation
are set in conformance with the College of Engineering Probation and Block Policies:
1. C + deficiency, for deficiencies of 4 grade points or less,
2. C + 4 grade points, for deficiencies of 5-8 grade points, and
3. C + (terms stipulated by advisor; not less than C + 4), for deficiencies of 9-18 grade points when those students are
allowed to stay in school. Advisors will specify courses and terms of probation. As a general rule, and unless
specifically stated otherwise, students are expected to overcome any deficiencies within two semesters.
b. Departmental Probation. When a student's performance level drops below 2.0 (2.50 for lower division students) for a
given semester, even though his or her overall GPR is greater than 2.0 (2.50 for lower division students) , the student
will be placed on departmental probation. This means that the student must achieve a GPR of 2.0 (2.50 for lower
division students) or better during the following semester.
5. Minimum Acceptable Course Grades. A Civil Engineering student who receives a "D" or "F" in a basic-science,
mathematics, engineering- or CVEN-prefix course must repeat the course at the next opportunity.
6. Academic Block. A student may be blocked from continuing in the Civil Engineering Department for a period of at least twosemesters (including summer semester) for any of the following reasons:
a. Failure to meet the terms of academic (scholastic or departmental) probation.
b. As per TAMU Student Rule 10.20: An undergraduate student may attempt a course no more than three times
including courses graded as Q or W, but excluding these graded NG, unless approval has been received from both the
students Dean and the department offering the course.
c. Failing to repeat a course as required by item 5, above.
7. Readmission. Students who have been blocked from continuing in the Civil Engineering Department may reapply to the
program after a period of two academic semesters (summer and fall, fall and spring, or spring and summer) unless otherwise
indicated. The application for readmission will be reviewed on the basis of the individual efforts of the student during the
two-semester period to improve those conditions which contributed to the earlier poor performance. It is essential that the
applicant identify and document those factors which have kept them from being academically successful and document the
steps they have taken to remediate these factors. This may include repeating course work at another college or university,
particularly in math and science, developing a stable financial condition, working in industry to develop self discipline, or a
number of other demonstrations of personal improvement. A student who is accepted for readmission will be placed on
probation until his or her GPR is above a 2.0 (2.75 for lower division students) overall and within the major.
Appeal Process. In any academic disciplinary action, the student has the right of appeal. That appeal begins with review by
the Undergraduate Program Office. If this review does not result in a change of status, the student may request in writing a
hearing by the Department Academic Appeal Panel through the Civil Engineering Department Office. The Appeal Panel
consists of three faculty members appointed by the Department Head to hear the appeals of students.
Revised May 2006
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UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING PROGRAM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
Upon entering the Department, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. These faculty membershave a full-time load of teaching and research duties, and have volunteered to serve as facultyadvisors. The role of the advisor is two-fold: to assist by reviewing the student's academic plans at
the time of pre-registration and whenever other academic decisions are faced, and to serve asmentor when the student has questions about career paths, engineering practice, ethics, etc.Students are required to meet with their advisor at least once each semester, in order to pre-registerfor the subsequent semester.
In addition to the faculty advisors, the Student Services Office provides academic advice andguidance for the civil engineering student. Student records are maintained in this office, andadvisors are available there by appointment. Students are encouraged to first take their questions totheir assigned advisors, because it is through this process that the mentor relationship is developed.Should questions remain, the advisor may refer the student to the Student Services Office, or thestudent can bring his or her questions to the Office.
Each semester a registration block is placed on every student with less than 95 semester credit
hours; this requires removal by the department before the student can register. In order to pre-register, the student must attend a short pre-registration briefing and sign an attendance sheet, makeplans for the next semester, meet with his or her assigned advisor, and bring the approved plan for
pre-registration to the Student Services Office (140 CE Building). The dates of the scheduled
meetings are posted by the Student ServicesOffice each semester three or four weeks prior tothe start of the pre-registration period, andare e-mailed to the enrolled students who havesubscribed to the listserver (see letter in front of this Handbook).
Students Responsibilities in the Advising and Pre-registration Process It is ultimately the students responsibility to enroll in the necessary and appropriate courses
required by his/her degree plan. To minimize undesired surplus courses he/she should carefullyread the catalog. Not to remove the students own responsibility, but to assist the student, the
Department provides advising each semester. The webpage https://myrecord.tamu.edu/allows the student to make address changes, check course sections, view class schedule, checkfor blocks, check billing statement, conduct a degree audit and display a transcript.
The student is also ultimately responsible for satisfying prerequisite requirements. The advisingprocess is simply a check to minimize problems. Students who are in violation of prerequisiterequirements may be dropped from the courses for which prerequisites are lacking.
It is the student's responsibility to provide for the advisor all necessary information about which
courses have been taken and passed. The advisor will probably not check the accuracy orcompleteness of the student's information, unless he/she suspects an undisclosed problem.
More detailed information about university rules and policies is available in the Undergraduate Catalog
and the Texas A&M University Student Rules at http://student-rules.tamu.edu, or in the StudentServices Office, 140 Civil Engineering Building.
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CURRICULUM AND TECHNICAL ELECTIVE PLANS
The Catalog 129 Curriculum for the BS degree in Civil Engineering includes several technical andmath/science electives, which must be satisfied by the courses specified in one of the variousTechnical Elective Plans published by the department. The General Civil Engineering (GCE)
technical elective plan includes a mixture of courses from different technical areas. Other technicalelective plans allow the student to focus his or her advanced course work in one of the major areasof civil engineering practice, while still maintaining a certain degree of breadth. Students areplaced in the GCE plan when they enter the Civil Engineering Program. By the junior year, thestudent should decide whether he/she wishes to pursue a different technical elective plan, and if so,notify the Student Service Office staff. Courses not on the lists of pre-approved technical electiveplan electives must be approved in writing in advance by the responsible technical elective plancoordinator, identified in the paperwork describing the technical elective plan.
A required one-hour sophomore-level course, CVEN 207Introduction to the Civil EngineeringProfession, is intended to give students a better understanding of the various technical areas inwhich civil engineers practice, to allow the student to make a more knowledgeable decision aboutthe choice of technical elective plans.
The currently supported technical elective plans include:
Coastal and Ocean Engineering DivisionDr. Billy Edge, Head
Coastal and Ocean Engrg (COE) Plan (Dr. Billy L. Edge, Coordinator)
Construction, Geotechnical and Structural Engineering Division--Dr. Joseph M. Bracci , HeadConstruction Engrg/Engrg Management (CEM) Plan (Dr. Stuart Anderson, Coordinator)Geotechnical Engrg (GEO) Plan (Dr. Jean-Louis Briaud, Coordinator)Structures Engrg (STR) Plan (Dr. Harry Jones, Coordinator)
Transportation and Materials Engineering Division--Dr. Gene Hawkins, HeadTransportation Engrg (TRA) Plan (Dr. Gene Hawkins, Coordinator)
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Division--Dr. Ralph Wurbs, HeadEnvironmental Engrg (ENE) Plan (Dr. Roy W. Hann, Jr., Coordinator)Water Resources and Hydraulic Engrg (WRN) Plan (Dr. Anthony Cahill, Coordinator)
Also available is the General Civil Engineering (GCE) Plan (Dr.Terry L. Kohutek, Coordinator).
For more details about these technical elective plans, visit the Departments website at
http://www.civil.tamu.edu/.
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CATALOG 129 CURRICULUM FOR BS, CIVIL ENGINEERING
FRESHMAN YEAR
First Semester (Th-Pr) (Cr) Second Semester (Th-Pr) (Cr)
ENGL 104 Composition & Rhetoric (3-0) 3 CHEM 107 Chemistry for Engineers (3-3) 4
ENGR 111 Intro. to Engrg. I (1-3) 2 ENGR 112 Intro. to Engrg. II (1-3) 2
MATH 151 Engineering Mathematics I (3-2) 4 MATH 152 Engineering Mathematics II (3-2) 4PHYS 218 Mechanics (3-3) 4 PHYS 208 Electricity and Optics (3-3) 4
Directed Electives1 3 Directed Elective1 3
KINE 198 (0-2) 1 KINE 199 (must be taken S/U) (0-2) 1
17 18
SOPHOMORE YEAR5
CVEN 221 Engr.Mech: Statics (2-2) 3 CVEN 302 Computer Applications (3-0) 3
STAT 211 Principles of Statistics I (3-0) 3 CVEN 306 Materials for Civil Engineers (2-2) 3
MATH 251 Engineering Mathematics III (3-0) 3 CVEN 305 Engrg Mech. of Materials (3-0) 3
CVEN 207 Intro to the Civil Engrg Prof. (1-0) 1 Directed Elective1 3
Directed Elective1 3 MATH 308 Differential Equations (3-0) 3
Writing Skills Elective2 3
16 15
JUNIOR YEAR5
CVEN 363 Engr Mech: Dynamics (2-2) 3 MEEN 227 or ELEN 215 (2-2) 3
CVEN 311 Fluid Dynamics (3-0) 3 Technical Electives3 11
CVEN 345 Theory of Structures (3-0) 3 Directed Electives1 3
CVEN 422 Civil Engineering Systems II (3-0) 3Approved Math/Science Elective4 3
15 17
SENIOR YEAR5
Technical Electives3 12 ENGR 482 Ethics and Engineering5 (2-2) 3
Directed Electives1 3 Technical Electives3 12
15 15
NOTES:
1. Of the 18 hours shown as directed electives, 3 must be from the visual and performing arts, 3 from social and behavioral
sciences, and 12 from citizenship as described in Directed Electives in Engineering. Note that each student must also
complete two courses from the International & Cultural Diversity group (see list in catalog). It is best if you choose the V/PA
and S/BS electives to also satisfy this requirement.
2. This elective is to be selected from ENGL 210 or ENGL 301.
3. A total of 35 hours of technical electives is required. Technical electives are divided into two categories: breadth courses, and
focus courses. The choice of courses to be taken in each of the two categories depends on the specialty area chosen and must
be made in consultation with the students advisor and/or the Civil Engineering Student Services Office.
4. Math/Science electives to be selected from an approved list and with approval of advisor.
5. All students must take at least one course in their major that is designated as writing intensive (W). ENGR 482 taken at A&M
satisfies this requirement. Other CVEN courses may be approved as W-courses at a later date.
6. Civil engineering students are required to earn a grade of C or better in all basic science, mathematics and engineering courses
taken to satisfy degree requirements.
7. Civil engineering students should note that this curriculum specifies the minimum number of credits required for graduation.
Additional hours may be taken.
The Systems Safety Engineering Specialty is an option for students pursuing this degree. See catalog for detailed information.
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CATALOG 129 CURRICULUM FLOW CHART
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DIRECTED ELECTIVES
Catalog 129 requires 12 hr of citizenship (POLS 206 and 207 and 6 hr American history), 3 hr
humanities, (ENGR/PHIL 482), 3 hr visual and performing arts (V&PA), and 3 hr social andbehavioral sciences (S&BS), to be chosen from lists in the catalog. In addition, every student is
required to take at least two courses categorized as International and Cultural Diversity (I&CD)
courses. It is best to select two of the courses from the Directed Electives (citizenship, humanities,social and behavioral sciences) that satisfy this I&CD requirement, otherwise you may be requiredto take more courses than the minimum required to satisfy the Directed Electives requirements. Tofacilitate this choice of Directed Electives that will also satisfy the I&CD requirements, the listsfollowing this section have been prepared.
For example, if ARTS 150 is taken to satisfy the V&PA requirement, it will also satisfy part of theI&CD requirement. And, if ANTH 210 is taken to satisfy the S&BS requirement, then the
requirement for two I&CD courses is satisfied along with the Directed Electives requirement.
ENGR 482--Engineering Ethics, required of all engineering students, satisfies the Universitys 3-hrhumanities and writing intensive course requirements. Engineering students must take anadditional 3 hr visual and performing arts which may be any course from the V&PA list in theCatalog 129, but remember to take at least two of your directed electives from the I&CD list.
ENGL 210 should be taken as the communication skills elective. Students with 60 or more hoursare required to take ENGL 301 in place of ENGL 210. Neither of these satisfy the I&CDrequirement.
The table below can be helpful in keeping track of your progress with respect to these DirectedElective and other required non-technical courses. When you choose a course, make a note in thetable below that the course does or does not satisfy the I&CD requirement.
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Student Name_________________ UIN ______________________
Requirement Course No. Credit Hr. Also satisfiesI&CD
requirements?(*)
SemesterCompleted
American history HIST 105 or ___________ 3
American or Texas history HIST 106 or ___________ 3
Political science POLS 206 (required) 3 No
Political science POLS 207 (required) 3 No
HumanitiesVisual and
Performing Arts (see list in
Catalog)
3
Humanities ENGR 482 (required) 3 No
Social and behavioral sciences
(see list in Catalog)
3
Communications skills ENGL 210 or 301 3 No
(*)If the above courses are not
chosen so that two also satisfy
the I&CD requirement, then
additionalcourses must be
taken until two I&CD courses
are completed. (See list of
I&CD courses in catalog.)
Note: I&CD requirement canalso be satisfied by Study
Abroad.
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AMERICAN HISTORY: 6 hours REQUIRED.
1) Select 3 to 6 hours from:
Course Course Title Satisfies Prerequisites, Notes
HIST 258 American Indian Histo ry HIST and ICDHIST 301 Blacks in the United States Since 1877 HIST and ICD
HIST 305 Mexican-American Histo ry, 1848-Present HIST and ICD
HIST 307 Latino Communit ies of the U.S. HIST and ICD
HIST 319 U.S. Immig ration and Ethni city HIST and ICD
HIST 451 The New South , 1876 to the Present HIST and ICD
HIST 455 History of the American City HIST and ICD
HIST 460 Ameri can Society and Culture Since 1877 HIST and ICD
HIST 461 Histo ry Of Ameri can Women HIST and ICD Cross -listed with WMST 461
HIST 473 Histo ry of Modern Ameri can Women HIST and ICD Cross -listed with WMST 473
HIST 105 History of U.S. to Reconstruction HIST only
HIST 106 History of U.S. after Reconstruction HIST only
HIST 230 American Military History HIST only
HIST 232 History of American Seapower HIST only
HIST 300 Blacks in the United States 1607-1877 HIST only
HIST 343 Inter-American Relations HIST only Jr Class. or approval of Instructor
HIST 359 American Environmental History HIST only
HIST 363 History of Science in America HIST only
HIST 364 History of Technology and Engineering in America HIST only
HIST 365 History of Religion in America to 1860 HIST only Cross-listed with RELS 365
HIST 367 Colonization of North America HIST only
HIST 368 The Birth of the Republic HIST only
HIST 369 The United States, 1820-1860 HIST only
HIST 370 Civil War and Reconstruction HIST only
HIST 371 America in the Gilded Age, 1877-1901 HIST only
HIST 372 Reform, War and Normalcy, U.S. 1901-1929 HIST only
HIST 373 The Great Depression and WW II HIST only
HIST 374 The U.S. After WW II HIST only
HIST 443 American Military History to 1901 HIST only
HIST 444 American Military History Since 1901 HIST only
HIST 447 Constitutional History of US to 1901 HIST only
HIST 450 The Old South HIST only
HIST 456 American Agricultural History HIST only
HIST 457 American Economic History HIST only
HIST 459 American Society and Culture To 1877 HIST only
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HIST 462 American Foreign Relations to 1913 HIST only
HIST 463 American Foreign Relations Since 1914 HIST only
HIST 470 American Business History HIST only
2) Up to 3 hours of Texas History may be used to satisfy the history requirement. Select no more than one from:
HIST 226 History of Texas HIST only
HIST 325 Texas Cultural History HIST only HIST 226
HIST 416 Texas Since 1845 HIST only
3) Completion of 4 semesters of Upper-Level ROTC may be substituted
For 3 hours of the above courses. Select from :
AERS 403, 404; MLSC 421, 422; NVSC 401, 402
Note that the courses above marked HIST & ICD can be used to satisfy both the US history and ICD requirements.
You should choose 3xx-4xx history classes only after meeting with the instructor to discuss your interest and aptitude.
The courses below satisfy both the Visual and Performing Arts (V&PA) requirements and the International and
Cultural Diversity (I&CD) requirements
Course Course Title Satisfies Prerequisites, Notes
ARCH 448 The Architecture & Art of 20th Century Mexico VPA and ICD Jr. Classification
ARTS 150 Art History Survey II VPA and ICD
ENDS 101 Design Process VPA and ICD
ENDS 150 Survey of Architectural History II VPA and ICD
ENGL 251 The Language of Film VPA and ICD ENGL 104
LAND 240 History of Landscape Architecture VPA and ICD Soph. Classification
MODL 341 Russian Novel in Translation VPA and ICD
MODL 352 Hispanic Literature and Film VPA and ICD
MUSC 319 Music in the United States VPA and ICD Jr. Classification
SCOM 430 American Voices: Race, Gender, Ethnicity VPA and ICD
THAR 281 History of the Theatre II VPA and ICD
THAR 380 World Theatre VPA and ICD
Other Visual and Performing Arts courses which can be used to satisfy the VPS requirements are listed
in Catalog 129, but only the above courses satisfy both V&PA and I&CD requirements.
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The courses below satisfy both the Social and Behavioral Science (S&BS) requirements and the requirements for
International and Cultural Diversity (I&CD)
Course Course Title Satisfies Prerequisites, Notes
ANTH 210 Social & Culture Anthropolgy SBS and ICD
ANTH 300 Cultural Change & Development SBS and ICD
ANTH 311 Cultural Ecology SBS and ICD
ANTH 314 Agrarian Peasant Societies SBS and ICD
ANTH 403 Primitive Religion SBS and ICD
ANTH 404 Women and Culture SBS and ICD
GEOG 306 Introduction to Urban Geography SBS and ICD
GEOG 311 Cultural Geography SBS and ICD
HLTH 236 Minority Health SBS and ICD Jr. Classification
HORT 335 Sociohorticulture SBS and ICD Jr. Classification
INST 322 Foundations of Edu. in a Multicultural Society SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 317 Women in Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 322 Western European Government & Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 323 Political Systems of Latin America SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 324 Third World Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 329 Introduction to Comparative Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 331 Introduction to World Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 338 Gov. & Politics of the Former Soviet Union SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 365 Asian Governments and Politics SBS and ICD POLS 206
POLS 462 Women and the Law SBS and ICD PSYC 107
SCOM 335 Intercultural Communication SBS and ICD
SOCI 316 Sociology of Gender SBS and ICD
SOCI 317 Minority Groups SBS and ICD
SOCI 321 Urban Sociology SBS and ICD
SOCI 324 Social Change SBS and ICDSOCI 325 International Business Behavior SBS and ICD
SOCI 329 Pacific Rim Business Behavior SBS and ICD
SOCI 330 Sociology of Nutrition SBS and ICD Jr. Classification
SOCI 340 Post-Soviet Societies SBS and ICD
SOCI 350 Sociology of Islamic Societies SBS and ICD
SOCI 403 Sociology of Mexican Americans SBS and ICD
SOCI 424 Women and Work in Society SBS and ICD Frsh or Soph Classification
VTPB 221 Great Diseases of the World SBS and ICD
WMST 316 Sociology of Gender SBS and ICD POLS 206
WMST 317 Women in Politics SBS and ICD
WMST 404 Women and Culture SBS and ICDWMST 424 Woman and Work in Society SBS and ICD POLS 206
WMST 462 Women and the Law SBS and ICD
Other Social and Behavioral Science courses are listed in Catalog 129, but only the above courses satisfy both S&BS
and I&CD requirements. (Note: Review prerequisite requirements for all advanced courses)
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is the Civil Engineering Program a 4-year degree plan?
The degree plan is shown as a 4-year plan in the catalog; although, some students take longer tocomplete it. You should take a load that is challenging, but that still allows you to meet the
demanding standards of performance required. To graduate in four years, you need to average 16
credit hours per semester.
Is it necessary to attend summer classes to keep from falling behind, or can I work during the
summer?
There is no set schedule. We consider summer work experience to be a valuable part of your
education, especially if you can get summer employment with an engineering agency. Sometimes
evening classes or correspondence classes can be taken during the summers while you are working.
You should carefully consider the costs and benefits of all the alternatives before making this
decision. Sometimes full-time enrollment in summer classes is a factor in subsequent "burn-out".
What is the Co-op program?
The Co-op program is a program that formally integrates your college studies with a period of work
experiences with engineering firms. You must have completed 65 hrs toward the Civil Engineering
degree, and have a 2.250 GPR. See http://co-opweb.tamu.edu/ or see Dr. Lee Lowery in CE 140.
Can I use classes taken in StudyAbroad programs in my degree plan?Some classes taken in Study Abroad programs may count toward your degree plan. If the class is
not on the degree plan, and you wish to substitute it, you must get approval in writing in advance.
Contact the Student Services Office, CE 140, for more information .
How is my Grade Point Ratio (GPR) calculated?
Your cumulative GPR is the ratio of the number of grade points earned to the number of hoursattempted and includes all courses you have taken at Texas A&M. Transfer grades are not included.
If I repeat a course and make a better grade, what happens to the lower grade?
The lower grade is not replaced--both grades are included in the cumulative GPR calculations. For
calculation of the common body of knowledge (CBK) GPR used to determine admission to the upper
division, however, only the higher grade is used.
Can I take a course without completing a required prerequisite?
No. If you do not have the prerequisite, you may be dropped from the course during the first part of
the semester. It is possible to pass some courses without the prerequisites, however it is not possible
to do your best without proper preparation.
Can I take courses simultaneously at Texas A&M and another university?
This situation is called concurrent enrollment, and may be done by notifying the Student Services
Office in the department. Taking correspondence courses while enrolled at A&M is also concurrent
enrollment and should be done only after notifying the Student Services Office.
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Can I drop a course after the semester has begun?
Yes. Before the official (twelfth) class day, you can drop a course and receive a refund. For days 1-
4, you may drop with no penalty and receive a full refund. During days 5-12 you may still drop and
receive a partial refund, but you must Q-drop the course. See the catalog for the policies about
refunds.
What is a Q-drop?Students may drop a course during the first 50 days of the semester, with no grade penalty (and no
refund). This is called a Q-drop. Students at A&M are allowed a maximum of three Q-drops in
aggregate, exclusive of some one-hour classes. To drop a course you should see your advisor, and
you must complete some paperwork at the Student Services Office.
I have been injured in an automobile accident, and my physician suggests that I should drop out of
school. What will happen to my GPR?
Under certain circumstances a student can withdraw (W) from some or all classes. A student who
withdraws will get a grade of W in a course. A W grade does not affect the GPR. To withdraw you
must get the approval of the Dean of Engineering, 204 Zachry. Do NOT simply leave campus
without investigating the possibility of a withdrawal! Students who withdraw after the official class
day do not need to apply for readmission for the next long semester. Any student who leaves beforethe official class day or misses a long semester must apply for readmission.
If I am blocked by the Department, can I change my major and continue at A&M?
Yes, if you are blocked you may not continue in the civil engineering program without being
reinstated by the department. If you wish to change your major, and an advisor in another program
accepts you, you may continue in the new program. This is considered a permanent change of
curriculum, however, and you will probably not be allowed to return to a civil engineering degree
plan.
Can I transfer required math or science courses to A&M?
Yes, many required courses can be taken at other institutions and transferred. Our experience
indicates, however, that students who transfer required math courses frequently do not do well in
subsequent math courses at A&M. We recommend that you consider any math courses you may take
at community or junior colleges to be preparation, rather than a substitute, for A&M's math
requirements.