Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, and Construction Management Undergraduate Degrees

Overview

Civil engineers plan, design and develop communities, roads, bridges, buildings, and transit systems while solving problems associated with water resources, energy, and pollution. Construction engineers plan and design construction projects, coordinate labor and equipment, and manage field operations. Construction managers are high level managers who focus on coordinating the different needs of a project on a large scale.

The UNM Department of Civil Engineering focus is on sustainability and sustainable infrastructure. You’ll learn from the best — all classes are taught by professors who are licensed professional engineers and have extensive experience outside academia.

CE-awardIn 2010 the CE Department won a prestigious national award for a senior design course that gives students career-launching experience working in teams on real-world projects with industry mentors. Projects range from designing a roundabout at a busy metropolitan
intersection to a wastewater treatment pond system in a historic old west village.

Here is some basic information about the undergraduate degree programs in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, and Construction Management at UNM. Be sure to visit the CE Department web site.

Admission Requirements

1. Completion of 26 hours of acceptable credit for a degree in the School of Engineering.  Of these 26 hours, a minimum must be from the following lists, depending on your program of interest:

Civil Engineering (minimum 25 hours)
  • Math 162 & 163 – Calculus I & II
  • Physics 160 – General Physics (lab not required)
  • Chemistry 121, 123L, 122, 124L – General Chemistry I and II with Labs
  • Computer Science 151L – Computer Programming Fundamentals
  • CE 291 – Civil Engineering Design 

Construction Engineering (minimum 21 hours)

  • Math 162 & 163 – Calculus I & II
  • Physics 160 – General Physics (lab not required)
  • Chemistry 121 and 123L – General Chemistry I with Lab
  • Computer Science 151L – Computer Programming Fundamentals
  • CE 291 – Civil Engineering Design 

Construction Management (minimum 19 hours)

  • Math 180 – Elements of Calculus I
  • Physics 151 – General Physics I (lab not required)
  • Chemistry 121 and 123L - General Chemistry I with Lab
  • CE 132 – Construction Graphics (must be taken at CNM or CE 291 at UNM)
  • Computer Science 150L – Computing for Business Students
  • E&PS 101 – Introduction to Geology (lab not required)

2. A 2.20 cumulative GPA is required in all the coursework presented, and a 2.50 is required in the specific courses listed above.

Advisors in the Civil Engineering Department

Program Advisement Faculty Advisors

Josie Gibson
505.277.6633
jgibson@unm.edu

Jerome Hall, PhD – Civil Engineering
505.277.1418
Jerome@unm.edu

Jerald Rounds, PhD – Construction Engineering and Construction Management
505.277.3658
jlrounds@unm.edu

Bruce Thomson, PhD – Environmental Programs
505.277.4729
bthomson@unm.edu

Research in the Department of Civil Engineering

The Department's research areas include:

  • Construction Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Hydraulics & Water Resources
  • Structural Engineering/Mechanics
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Transportation & Traffic Engineering

A few research highlights:

What can we learn from the land?
Civil engineering students use land along the Rio Grande in Albuquerque to study both natural and man-made systems. This unique outdoor lab helps students learn civil engineering techniques associated with land restoration, water conservation and more. Read more about the bosque lab.

  • Water Hunters UNM researchers tap into technology to quench the world’s thirst

. Research highlights include:

Careers

Civil Engineering

From roads to bridges, airports to railways, civil engineers design the infrastructure and facilities that connect our world. Civil engineers work to create structures that focus on balancing the immediate demands of the community against the future benefits of civilization. Examples of civil engineering careers include concrete design, materials testing, soil mechanics, surveying, environmental engineering, hydraulic engineering, and transportation.

For more info on jobs in civil engineering check out:

Organizations Hiring UNM Civil Engineering Graduates

  • Bohannan Huston, Inc.
  • Federal Highway Administration
  • Jaynes Corporation
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • New Mexico Department of Transportation
  • Sandia National Laboratories
  • US Army Corps of Engineers
  • Wilson and Company

Construction Engineering

Construction engineers are concerned with the planning and management of the construction of structures such as highways, bridges, airports, railroads, buildings, dams, and reservoirs. Construction engineers design the construction process through scheduling and sequencing, providing the index for facilitating projects form inception to completion.

Companies Hiring UNM Construction Engineering Graduates

    • Gerald Martin General Contractor
    • Hensel Phelps Construction
    • Jaynes Corporation
    • KB Homes
    • Peter Kiewit Sons, Inc.
    • Pulte Homes
    • Sandia National Laboratories
    • The Weitz Company

Construction Management

With the responsibility for maintaining the relationship between contractors and subcontractors to ensure the smooth and timely completion of a project, construction managers focus on coordinating the different needs of a project on a large scale.

Companies Hiring UNM Construction Management Graduates

    • Gerald Martin General Contractor
    • Hensel Phelps Construction
    • Jaynes Corporation
    • KB Homes
    • Peter Kiewit Sons, Inc.
    • Pulte Homes
    • Sandia National Laboratories
    • The Weitz Company