Everything in our built environment—from towers reaching to the sky, to bridges spanning provinces, to dams holding back rivers—is the work of civil engineers who plan, design, build, maintain, rehabilitate and manage the infrastructure that houses people, moves goods and supplies power and water. Whether one-of-a-kind structures or the roads we drive every day, civil engineers make meaningful contributions to the development, evolution and safety of our physical world.
The Carleton Advantage
Carleton University’s Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree program in Civil Engineering offers you:
- courses and design projects in structural, geotechnical and transportation engineering;
- a program of study that emphasizes problem-solving skills, laboratory experience, design and advanced computer methods for civil engineering;
- opportunities to participate in collaborative design projects with industry, government and other research agencies in the Ottawa region; and
- excellent scholarships for students with high academic standing.
Our Laboratory and Research Facilities
You will find excellent laboratory and computer facilities at Carleton. For example, you may become involved in research studies that test the materials of large-scale specimens using the specialized facilities of the strong floor in the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering. Carleton’s proximity to the laboratories of the National Research Council Canada gives you access to additional research and resource facilities.
Your Co-op Opportunities
As a student in the Civil Engineering program you will have the opportunity to apply to the Co-operative Education Program. Co-op integrates degree-related, paid work terms into your degree program. A minimum of four work terms are required to obtain the Co-op designation on your degree. Often, the four consecutive work terms following third year take place with the same employer.
Our program is closely associated with government departments and agencies as well as private firms, giving students valuable work experience and contacts that will benefit them in the future.
The pattern of work and study terms for the co-op option is shown in the following table.
| Calendar Year | Fall | Winter | Summer |
| 1 | study term 1 | study term 2 | |
| 2 | study term 3 | study term 4 | work term |
| 3 | study term 5 | study term 6 | work term |
| 4 | work term | work term | work term |
| 5 | study term 7 | study term 8 |
Choosing the Right Program
The BEng program in Civil Engineering is fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. When you graduate from the program, you will meet the educational requirements for registration as a professional engineer.
At Carleton, you will develop a broad background in engineering in your first two years of study. The final years will allow you to focus on one or more of the traditional areas of structural, geotechnical and transportation engineering complemented by courses in municipal engineering, engineering economics and project management. The fourth year Capstone project provides an opportunity to apply the skills, knowledge, and expertise you’ve developed to the design of a civil engineering infrastructure project.
Course Structure
The courses of a typical Civil program are shown below.
Note: As study terms and courses offered may vary, please refer to the Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar for specific program requirements.
Your Future Opportunities
As a civil engineer, you will be a highly skilled professional with expertise in analysis, design, computer applications and management. You could work for any level of government or in a variety of consulting engineering firms.
Graduates of the Civil Engineering program at Carleton University work around the world today, on challenging and technically advanced civil engineering projects.
Alumni Feature
“My time at Carleton really helped me to develop problem solving skills, which are incredibly important now that I’m out in the field. I know I still have a lot of practical experience to gain […], but being able to refer back to first principles of mechanics and my other design courses has been very beneficial.”
– Dayna Peloquin (BEng/13 – Civil Engineering) Structural Engineer – WSP in Canada
Admission Requirements
For admission to the Civil Engineering program, you must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, including a minimum of six 4U/M courses.
Your six courses must include four prerequisite courses:
- Advanced Functions
- Chemistry
- Physics
- One of the following:
- Calculus and Vectors (strongly recommended for applicants to all engineering programs)
- Biology
- Earth and Space Science
Although it is not an admission requirement, at least one 4U course in either English or French is recommended. Equivalent courses may be substituted at the appropriate 4U level.
Since the number of qualified applicants may be greater than the number of available spaces, cut-off averages and required marks may vary.
If you are from outside Ontario, or outside Canada, please visit Carleton’s Undergraduate Admissions website for details on your specific program’s requirements.