University of San Francisco

The Engineering major provides graduates with a uniquely well-rounded education, designed to expose students to the complex socio-cultural and economic reasons for engineering problems and the effects of engineering solutions, so that they become professionals who value diverse perspectives and respect the full trajectory of an engineering issue from its origins to the teamwork necessary to produce solutions, to the communications and dissemination of information. Our students come from highly diverse backgrounds, and the program is designed to help them to realize the assets they come with, and use them to propose solutions which they could only arrive at by valuing their assets and those of others.

In the Sustainable Civil Engineering concentration of the major, students learn to design techniques and solutions that improve the built environment, as measured by a range of metrics, including social justice as a measure of effective design. This concentration encompasses a range of civil engineering elements, from individual building materials to the components of urban infrastructural systems - all of which can be designed to contribute to a sustainable built environment.

Program Educational Objectives:

• Demonstrate fluency with design thinking, systems thinking, creative problem solving, and self-directed scholarship as modes of approaching the engineering process
• Implement a holistic approach to engineering which values context, integrates multiple perspectives through collaborative teamwork, questions need, and considers impacts on both individuals and society at large
• Lead responsibly through a fusion of engineering judgement, practice, and entrepreneurship, while representing the engineer’s critical role in projects, organizations, the environment, and society
• Exhibit a professional and personal identity which upholds values of social justice, environmental sustainability, and respectful service even under unknown and challenging conditions

Student Outcomes:

Students will have:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies