Often considered the oldest practitioners within engineering, the intellectual ancestors of civil engineers have been around since the first cities were built by humans 10,000 years ago. Fast forward to the 18th century, when the development of the modern civil engineering profession led directly to many conveniences we enjoy every day. Civil engineering is part of our daily lives. From the water in your faucets every morning, to the roads and bridges that you use for transportation, to the energy distribution systems that power your home, civil engineers help make modern life possible. Civil engineering is a people-serving profession. Thanks to the development of technologies like clean water treatment plants, civil engineers have helped improve the quality of life around the world. From tunnels under the Earth’s surface to skyscrapers standing far above it, civil engineers plan, design, construct, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate the infrastructure of the world.
Students enrolled in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky enjoy the benefits of studying at the Commonwealth’s flagship research institution, with an energetic and experienced faculty committed to each individual student’s educational and professional success. Civil engineering students at UK experience an environment where faculty are readily accessible and where students have the chance to grow through hands-on research, cooperative education, and service opportunities.
The department is internationally known for water resources research and computer software developed by faculty members. The department has close partnership with the Kentucky Transportation Center, enabling students to study alongside practicing engineers. The CEPM program is supported through a number of dedicated endowments and extramural funding and is renowned for its research excellence.
The University of Kentucky offers a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) degree. Two programs are available for these degrees:
There are no credit hour requirements for the Ph.D. The type and number of courses required varies, depending on the background of the student. Normally, at least one year of full-time graduate course work beyond the master’s degree will be required before a student is ready to take the Qualifying Examination. At least one additional year will be required for the dissertation, which must significantly advance knowledge in the field.
Applicants seeking admission to the Graduate programs in Civil Engineering must have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from an engineering (not engineering technology) program, accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET/EAC), or equivalent agency. Engineering Technology degree holders will not be admitted. Also, students must have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. An applicant whose native language is other than English must score at least 80 (internet-based TOEFL) or 6.5 (IELTS).
Applicants who have been awarded bachelor degrees in fields other than engineering, such as physical sciences, should contact the Director of Graduate Studies for consultation.
Applicants must meet the Graduate School admission requirements.
Application Deadlines:
Fall: July 22 (domestic), April 15 (international)
Spring: December 9 (domestic), September 15 (international)
Graduate students choose to specialize in one of the seven technical areas:
Dr. Gabriel Dadi
Research Areas: building information modeling in construction; spatial information; visualization labor productivity, and more
Dr. Kelly Pennell
Research Areas: physical chemical processes in natural and engineered environments fate, transport and treatment of hazardous chemicals and more
Dr. Sebastian Bryson
Research Areas: field instrumentation, ground modification, insitu and laboratory testing of soils, insitu response of geotechnical systems, and more
Dr. Scott Yost
Research Areas: fluid mechanics, hydraulics, hydrologic modeling of watersheds, numerical modeling of surface-water environments, and more
From the water in your faucets, to the roads and bridges that you use for transportation, to electric distribution systems that power your home, civil engineers help make modern life possible. What’s more, thanks to the development of technologies like clean water treatment plants, civil engineers help improve the quality of life around the world. Civil engineers are employed by the construction industry, engineering or architectural firms, utility companies, energy companies, telecommunications businesses, manufacturing companies, consulting firms, railroads and state and federal governmental agencies.
Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics | Click the link for more info.
Median Salary
$95,890
per year in 2023
Number of Jobs
326,300
in 2023
10 Year Job Outlook
16,200
new jobs (average)
Civil engineers work in a variety of locations and conditions, commonly splitting their time between an office setting and construction sites. Most civil engineers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Pigman College of Engineering
161 Raymond Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0281
(859) 257-4856
