Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Real Engineers in the Classroom: CE's Integrated Curriculum

The civil engineering curriculum was recently revised to integrate professional practice skills into the curriculum. This revision was innovative because these professional practice skills—communication, leadership, teamwork, business principles, professional liability, project management, and professional ethics—were added to the curriculum while still focusing on the technical skills civil engineers require.

For example, civil engineering students focus on communication skills in civil engineering courses, not just English courses. By integrating the professional practice skills with technical skills, students are better prepared for the working world.

Key to the success of the integrated program is the involvement of "real engineers" (using a term coined by students) in the classroom. While the participation of practicing professionals is not new, their participation in the revised curriculum is essential.

Since most of the students have very limited engineering work experience, they strongly desire a real world understanding of the concepts they are learning. The interaction with practicing engineers reinforces the importance of having both professional practice and technical skills.

How you can help

Many of you are already helping by

• reviewing cover letters and resumes in the professional issues in civil engineering course,
• speaking in courses or student chapter meetings about the projects they work on, importance of engineering concepts, need for professional practice skills, professional challenges, and the impact of regulations, and
• serving as clients for the capstone design projects.

Because of the interest in exposing students to project work sites and civil engineering work places, some even allow students to visit their offices, walk their projects, and attend their training. Some of you also serve on civil engineering's advisory board providing oversight to the civil engineering curriculum.

When you were a student, wouldn’t you have benefited from more interaction with professional engineers? Now, you make a difference in the education of tomorrow's civil engineers by sharing your ideas, thoughts, experiences, work place, and projects.

For more information, contact Marlee Walton, 515-294-4861, marleeiastate.edu.