Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering Major

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Civil engineers are responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of structures that form the transportation, resource distribution, environmental systems and physical infrastructure of contemporary society. From bay-spanning bridges to earthquake-safe buildings, civil engineers design and build solutions to an enormous variety of problems. Increasingly, civil engineers are called upon to safeguard the health of our environment by managing and improving air, land and water quality with air, water and waste treatment systems. As a civil engineering student at UC Davis, you will gain skills that will enable you to serve society while indulging your love of design and construction.

Real-World Outcomes

UC Davis civil engineering majors are well prepared to put their skills to work with a variety of municipal, state and federal agencies and private companies throughout California, the nation and the world.

Major Requirements

Degree Worksheets & Check Offs

Engineering students are required to complete degree requirements in effect the academic year they graduate or the academic year prior to the year of graduation. For example, students who plan to graduate during the 2018-2019 academic year must meet requirements for 2017-2018 or 2018-2019.

Senior Design: More Info

The senior design project can only be completed in one of the two depth-areas a student takes courses in. The course itself is offered in four sections, with each section having unique prerequisites that must be fulfilled by the end of the Fall quarter before senior design occurs with a grade of a C- or better. The prerequisites are listed below:

Before 2026Enforced in 2026
  • Environment
    • ECI 140CN
  • Geotechnical
    • ECI 171-171L; one other ECI depth course
  • Structures
    • 2 of the following: ECI 132, 134, or 135
  • Transportation
    • ECI 161 or 163; one other ECI depth course
  • Water Resources
    • ECI 141-141L; one other ECI depth course
  • Environment
    • ECI 140CN
  • Geotechnical
    • ECI 171-171L; one other ECI depth course
  • Structures
    • 2 of the following: ECI 132, 134, or 135
  • Transportation
    • 2 of the following: ECI 161, 162, or 163; one other ECI depth course
  • Water Resources
    • ECI 141-141L; one other ECI depth course
  • All Sections
    • ECI 114
    • 1 of the following: ECI 115, ECI 153, or MAT 118A
    • Upper Division English Composition 

*Note: Geotech will not be offered as a senior design project in the year 2023-24.

NOTE: Students graduating in 2025 do NOT have to follow the updated requirements enforced in 2026.

Can I double-major in both Civil and Environmental Engineering?
View our Double Major Worksheets here.