Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering
Overview
The Bachelor of Engineering degree program in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
ABET is the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
ABET accreditation demonstrates a program’s commitment to providing its students with a quality education.
The Department of Civil Engineering at LAU provides a well-rounded quality and challenging engineering education that graduates dynamic and creative engineers. The program draws upon the broad resources of the comprehensive university and aspires to be among the top programs in the country and the region.
The Department of Civil Engineering is committed to providing students with a solid theoretical background, training in the latest design methods and proficiency in technological applications allowing graduates to pursue varied careers in design, construction, management and research.
The Department of Civil Engineering currently offers courses in the fields of:
- Construction Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Surveying
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
- Water Resources Engineering
Mission and Vision
The mission of the B.E. in Civil Engineering at LAU is to provide students with a quality and challenging education, through innovative teaching, professional practice and community service, enabling the students to enrich their lives and make valuable contributions to their communities.
The program aims to prepare graduates to be technically competent, talented, creative, and ethically responsible engineers who are effective professionals in today’s work environment just as they are kept abreast of the latest technical software. This enables them to enrich their lives and make valuable contributions to their communities.
Program Educational Objectives
Within a few years of graduation, graduates of the B.E. in Civil Engineering will
- achieve success in their chosen career path, be it professional practice or graduate studies,
- adapt to meet the changing requirements of the job market, and
- be responsible citizen engineers.
Student Outcomes
The students will acquire in their matriculation through the program, the following skills, knowledge, and behaviors:
a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
b. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
c. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
d. An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
e. An ability to identify, to formulate, and to solve engineering problems;
f. An understanding of one’s professional and ethical responsibility;
g. An ability to communicate effectively;
h. A broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and social context;
i. A recognition of the need and the ability to engage in lifelong learning;
j. A knowledge of contemporary issues; and
k. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and the modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Admission Requirements
Candidates for admission may apply to any of the two campuses (Beirut or Byblos) by sending an application to the campus they choose to join. Applicants may apply to LAU as regular or special, sophomore or transfer students. Applications are accepted within the set deadlines and students can join at the start of any semester (fall, spring or summer).
Application forms are available at the Admissions Offices or on the LAU website (www.lau.edu.lb under the “Admissions Office” link), or can be mailed to applicants upon request. Applicants will be evaluated by the School of Engineering Admissions Council and final acceptance will be based on each applicant’s qualifications and the availability of places.
Curriculum
The total number of 150 credits are required for graduation, as per the following:
- Six Technical Elective courses;
- Seven courses with a separate industry standard software laboratory or physical laboratory sessions;
- Elective Track courses for emphasis depending on student’s interests and current market needs;
- Software to enhance the learning the learning experience and improve employment opportunity; and
- A minimum residency of four years including three summer terms.
LAC Core Courses (13 cr)
- ARA2xx Arabic Language (3 cr)1
- COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr)
- ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr)
- ENG203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 cr)
- HLT201 Basic Health (1 cr)
- PED2xx Physical Education (1 cr)
- ETH201 Moral Reasoning (1 cr)
1 or ARA3xx Arabic Literature (3 cr)
LAC Elective Courses (12 cr)
- One course in social sciences (3 cr)
- One course in philosophy, religion, istory (3 cr)
- One course in literature (3 cr)
- One course in arts (3 cr)
Mathematics and Science Core Courses (18 cr)
- CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr)1
- MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr)1
- MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr)
- MTH304 Differential Equations (3 cr)
- GNE331 Probability and Statistics (3 cr)1
- BIO200 Basic Biology (3 cr)2
1LAC Sciences
2 or BIO203 Introduction to Ecology (3 cr)
Other Engineering Required Courses (10 cr)
- MEE211 Engineering Graphics (1 cr)
- GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr)
- COE212 Engineering Programming (3 cr)
- INE320 Engineering Economy (3 cr)
- GNE305 Professional Ethics (1 cr)
Civil Engineering Required Courses (79 cr)
- CIE200 Statics (3 cr)
- CIE202 Mechanics of Materials (3 cr)
- CIE302 Structural Analysis I (3 cr)
- CIE303 Structural Analysis I-SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE304 Stress Analysis (3 cr)
- CIE305 Stress Analysis - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE306 Concrete Structures I (3 cr)
- CIE307 Concrete Structures I - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE308 Construction Materials (3 cr)
- CIE309 Construction Materials - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE320 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr)
- CIE321 Fluid Mechanics - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE322 Hydraulics 3 (3 cr)
- CIE323 Hydraulics - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE361 Surveying (2 cr)
- CIE362 Surveying Lab (1 cr)
- CIE400 Steel Structures (3 cr)
- CIE424 Water Distribution and Treatment (3 cr)
- CIE425 Environmental Engineering - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE426 Wastewater Collection and Treatment (3 cr)
- CIE427 Environmental Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE434 The Civil Engineering Profession (2 cr)
- CIE436 Detailing for Civil Engineers (2 cr)
- CIE444 Soil Mechanics (3 cr)
- CIE445 Soil Mechanics - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE446 Foundation Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE447 Geotechnical Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE460 Highway Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE461 Transportation Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE465 Transportation Systems Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE480 Civil Engagement Management Fundamental (3 cr)
- CIE485 Construction Planning and Scheduling (3 cr)
- CIE486 Construction Management - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE498 Professional Experience - Civil (6 cr)
- CIE499 Capstone Design Project (3 cr)
CIE Technical Elective Courses (18 cr)
- CIE510 Finite Element Method (3 cr)
- CIE512 Concrete Structures II (3 cr)
- CIE516 Advanced Steel: Design and Behavior (3 cr)
- CIE517 Earthquake Analysis of Structures (3 cr)
- CIE518 Advanced Structural Analysis for Gravity and Lateral Loads (3 cr)
- CIE520 Solid Waste Management (3 cr)
- CIE521 Hydrology (3 cr)
- CIE522 Environmental Impact Assessment (3 cr)
- CIE525 Environmental Policy and Management (3 cr)
- CIE526 Environmental Remediation (3 cr)
- CIE540 Advanced Geotechnical Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE544 Geotechnical Aspects of Earthquake Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE562 Airport Planning and Design (3 cr)
- CIE563 Transportation Planning and Land Use (3 cr)
- CIE564 Mass Transit Systems (3 cr)
- CIE582 Infrastructure Management (3 cr)
- CIE584 Quality Management Systems (3 cr)
- CIE585 Risk and Natural Hazard Management (3 cr)
- CIE586 Construction Decision Under Uncertainty (3 cr)
- CIE587 Construction Cost Engineering (3 cr)1
- CIE596 Topics in Civil Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE597 Undergraduate Research (3 cr)2
1 or CIE589 Construction Methods and Equipment (3 cr)
2 or any other Technical Elective approved by the Department
Note that all technical electives require at least senior standing in addition to their relevant prerequisites, and all CIE and MTH courses require a passing grade of C.
Sample Study Plan
Year One
Fall (17 cr)
- MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr)
- CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr)
- CIE200 Statics (3 cr)
- COE212 Engineering Programming (3 cr)
- COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr)
- MEE211 Engineering Graphics (1 cr)
- ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr)
Spring (17 cr)
- ARA2xx Arabic Language (3 cr)1
- HLT201 Basic Health (1 cr)
- CIE202 Mechanics of Materials (3 cr)
- MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr)
- BIO200 Basic Biology (3 cr)2
- ETH201 Moral Reasoning (1 cr)
- ENG203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 cr)
1or ARA3xx Arabic Literature (3 cr)
2or BIO203 Introduction to Ecology (3 cr)
Summer (7 cr)
- MTH304 Differential Equations (3 cr)
- PED2xx Physical Education (1 cr)
- LAC Elective (3 cr)
Year Two
Fall (15 cr)
- CIE308 Construction Materials (3 cr)
- CIE309 Construction Materials - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE302 Structural Analysis I (3 cr)
- CIE303 Structural Analysis - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE320 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr)
- CIE321 Fluid Mechanics - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE361 Surveying (2 cr)
- CIE362 Surveying Lab (1 cr)
Spring (16 cr)
- CIE306 Concrete Structures I (3 cr)
- CIE307 Concrete Structures I - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE322 Hydraulics (3 cr)
- CIE323 Hydraulics - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE304 Stress Analysis (3 cr)
- CIE305 Stress Analysis - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE460 Highway Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE461 Transportation Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
Summer (11 cr)
- GNE331 Probability and Statistics (3 cr)
- GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr)
- INE320 Engineering Economy I (3 cr)
- LAC Elective (3 cr)
Year Three
Fall (15 cr)
- CIE424 Water Distribution and Treatment (3 cr)
- CIE425 Environmental Engineering - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE444 Soil Mechanics (3 cr)
- CIE445 Soil Mechanics - LAB (1 cr)
- CIE465 Transportation Systems Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE480 Civil Engineering Management Fundamentals (3 cr)
- GNE305 Professional Ethics (1 cr)
Spring (15 cr)
- CIE400 Steel Structures (3 cr)
- CIE426 Wastewater Collection and Treatment (3 cr)
- CIE427 Environmental Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE446 Foundation Engineering (3 cr)
- CIE447 Geotechnical Engineering - SOFT (1 cr)
- CIE485 Construction Planning and Scheduling (3 cr)
- CIE486 Construction Management - SOFT (1 cr)
Summer (6 cr)
- CIE498 Professional Experience - Civil (6 cr)
Year Four
Fall (16 cr)
- CIE434 The Civil Engineering Profession (2 cr)
- CIE436 Detailing for Civil Engineers (2 cr)
- CIEXXx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- CIExxx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- CIExxx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- LAC Elective (3 cr)
Spring (15 cr)
- CIE499 Capstone Design Project (3 cr)
- CIExxx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- CIExxx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- CIExxx Technical Elective (3 cr)
- LAC Elective (3 cr)
Extracurricular Activities
The program encourages students to get involved in a large variety of extracurricular activities.
- Civil Engineering students are regularly offered corporate sponsorship and internships abroad. A minimum number of students are sponsored yearly by the Dubai Contracting Company to participate in an intensive internship program in Dubai.
- The department also offers opportunities for excelling students to receive merit scholarships dedicated from generous donors. Under partnership agreements, students are offered training experience for some students as well as best Achievement Awards, best Final Year Project Awards, best Term Paper Award. Students also regularly participate in sponsored field trips.
- Civil engineering students can register in the American Society of Civil Engineers club.
- The Civil Engineering Club stays abreast of the issues facing civil engineers and the civil engineering profession. The club also organizes trips to experience real life projects as well as seminars with professional speakers to discuss future opportunities for civil engineers in Lebanon, the Gulf region, and worldwide. It secures a fast and efficient way of communication between the civil engineering students, their official representative at the Student Affairs Committee and the faculty of the Civil Engineering department.