University of Utah

Program Description

The rapidly growing economy in Utah and many parts of the country requires construction of new roads, houses, and commercial buildings, and construction engineers are needed to build them. The University of Utah’s Construction Engineering program will prepare you to enter this exciting field: you will learn scientific, mathematical, engineering, and management principles so that you can plan, design, and build commercial and residential buildings. As a construction engineering student, you will take courses in both civil engineering fundamentals—such as structural principles, site analysis, foundations, computer-assisted design, evaluation and testing, and materials—and instruction in construction courses, such as those related to contracting, project management, graphic communications, and laws and regulations. If you want to solve problems of infrastructure, use creative design in a practical setting, and improve the lives of others, consider majoring in construction engineering.

The Student Experience

To enrich your academic experience, consider completing an undergraduate research project or internship. If you want to network and engage with construction engineering peers and faculty, join a related club, such as the American Concrete Institute or Chi Epsilon.

Career Opportunities

As a construction engineer, you will be able to find work in many types of engineering endeavors, such as building, highway, mechanical, or electrical projects. Use the construction skills you developed in class and in clubs to become an operations manager, project manager, or project engineer, or provide consulting services as part of a firm or independently-owned business. Careers in compliance, scheduling, and code inspection are also possible. Students can also continue their construction engineering studies at the graduate level, or complete graduate work in related fields such as civil or mechanical engineering.