We are known for our hands-on learning, personal advising, and our amazing faculty that bring their real-world experience to the classroom. When it comes to academic quality, U.S. News & World Report ranks St. Thomas #29 in the U.S. and #1 in Minnesota for engineering schools without a doctoral program.
The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering program at St. Thomas consists of hands-on, experiential learning in small groups facilitated by faculty with industry experience who will help you see the big picture of infrastructure design and project delivery.
Our comprehensive program starts with Surveying and Computer Assisted Design (CAD) courses that build a strong base for your career and open up internship opportunities. You'll learn about different areas of civil engineering, practice surveying, create draft plans, work hands-on in our cutting-edge labs and on construction sites and collaborate with industry partners to tackle real-world problems.
You will gain skills to design and update our country's infrastructure, including roads, dams, bridges, buildings, airports, and water transport and treatment systems. With this in-demand degree, you will be prepared to work in industries focused on construction, transportation, water utilities, building and bridge design, flood management and more.
Get to know us better, and see why St. Thomas is a great place to study engineering. Request an in-person or virtual visit with our Dean, Dr. Don Weinkauf and/or one of our engineering faculty.
Students earning a BS in Civil Engineering degree will complete the University of St. Thomas Core Curriculum requirements and Civil Engineering major requirements and allied requirements.
If you are interested in transferring to St. Thomas with an Engineering major, read this information for undergraduate Engineering transfer students.
Your faculty adviser will personalize a four-year plan with you based on your goals. This is one snapshot of how the plan of study for this major can look. Plans of study exist for students who wish to study abroad, double major or for ROTC.
View Civil Engineering Plans of Study Prior to 2025:
2023-2024, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, 2019-2020, 2018-2019, 2017-2018
The Engineering Senior Design Clinic is a two-semester capstone that challenges students to create novel solutions to engineering problems posed by industry and community partners. This course is a critical component of the St. Thomas engineering curriculum as it requires student teams to engage hands-on with real-world design problems and to gain skills in professionalism, communication and project management, all while applying their engineering knowledge. Projects are selected from a broad range of partners to match varying student interest, from multinational corporations looking for fresh ideas to entrepreneurial ventures hoping to take a prototype to the next level.
Students earning a BS in Civil Engineering degree will complete the University of St. Thomas Core Curriculum requirements and Civil Engineering major requirements and allied requirements.
If you are interested in transferring to St. Thomas with an Engineering major, read this information for undergraduate Engineering transfer students.
Your faculty adviser will personalize a four-year plan with you based on your goals. This is one snapshot of how the plan of study for this major can look. Plans of study exist for students who wish to study abroad, double major or for ROTC.
View Civil Engineering Plans of Study Prior to 2025:
2023-2024, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, 2019-2020, 2018-2019, 2017-2018
The Engineering Senior Design Clinic is a two-semester capstone that challenges students to create novel solutions to engineering problems posed by industry and community partners. This course is a critical component of the St. Thomas engineering curriculum as it requires student teams to engage hands-on with real-world design problems and to gain skills in professionalism, communication and project management, all while applying their engineering knowledge. Projects are selected from a broad range of partners to match varying student interest, from multinational corporations looking for fresh ideas to entrepreneurial ventures hoping to take a prototype to the next level.
Find your perfect fit.
St. Thomas engineering faculty are real-world experts who build strong personal and professional connections with students both inside and outside of the classroom. Students can engage in clubs, activities, field trips and research projects with faculty and their peers.
Nearly 80% of our students graduate with internship experience. Our outstanding relationships with Twin Cities companies create great opportunities for students to gain real-world experience. Every year, at an event called "Meet the Engineers - a Reverse Career Fair", over 75 companies send their representatives to seek out our engineering students for internships and jobs at their companies.
With over 400,000 square feet dedicated to STEM education, St. Thomas engineering students have plenty of room to conceptualize, collaborate, create and innovate. From industrial scale robotics and automation labs, a world-class structural engineering testing facility, to one of the only student-focused microgrid research facilities in the nation, St. Thomas delivers on its promise of an impactful, hands-on education.
Engineering is about solving problems that ultimately improve people's lives. At St. Thomas, a broad Liberal Arts education develops students' ability to deeply appreciate and understand the people, perceptions, policies and business environment that define technology's success. The liberal arts perspective makes for better engineers.
of all civil engineering students are employed full-time or enrolled in graduate school within 6 months of graduation. View more information on career outcomes.
While every engineering program delivers a capstone experience, the Senior Design Clinic at St. Thomas School of Engineering is building momentum around a unique national model that industry sponsors have embraced, transforming students into real-world champions.
Laura Hernandez Cancelado is a Civil Analyst at Kimley-Horn, one of the nation's premier engineering, planning and design consultants.
"The small class sizes and the close relationships with faculty [at St. Thomas] create a personalized learning experience. Not only do professors know students by name but also actively seek our opinions, ensuring an engaged and collaborative learning environment," said Hernandez Cancelado.
Chloe Weber is a Transportation Engineer at Bolton & Menk, Inc.
"St. Thomas gave me the platform to learn and excel at fundamental skills and concepts needed to be a civil engineer; such as stakeholder management, technical writing, construction and project management, code and policy competency, and ethical obligation," said Weber.
Kao Soua Yang is a Signal Optimization Engineer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
As a Gates scholar, Kao Soua Yang transferred to St. Thomas because of the small classes and close connections with faculty. She chose to major in civil engineering because she’s drawn to the “public” aspect of public works. “I am serving a purpose for the community,” she said.
The University of St. Thomas School of Engineering helps you build your resume from day one. You will have the opportunity to engage in research with faculty, become a global learner, participate in co-op and internship programs, connect with potential employers during our annual reverse career fair, build your network with a wide a variety of tech companies, and enjoy lifetime career development support. 100% of St. Thomas civil engineering students have a career-related job placement within six months of graduating.
Meet the Engineers is a Reverse Career Fair held every fall. St. Thomas engineering students interested in full-time employment and internships represent themselves with a poster board and standby as prospective employers walk and talk with students about their particular goals, interests and talents.
80% of engineering students graduate with a technical internship in industry. (Many with more than one!)
St. Thomas has deep connections in engineering in the Twin Cities. We partner with major local construction companies such as Barr Engineering, MNDOT, Short Elliott Hendrickson, and there are over 600 companies* within 20 minutes of campus including: 3M, Honeywell, Ecolab, Polaris, Medtronic, Cargill, Xcel Energy, Cargill, Graco, Boston Scientific.
*Why the Minnesota Technology Corridor? https://www.mntechcorridor.com/collaboration/why-the-Minnesota-technology-corridor
Access to tools and resources, including career webinars, resume assistance, interview prep and one-on-one advice.
Collaborate with faculty and engage in hands-on research right from the start as a St. Thomas engineering student.
School of Engineering Research
Take advantage of study abroad opportunities to learn and grow through life-changing global experiences.
Dr. Lederle and her students investigate making concrete using recycled materials, such as recycled concrete aggregate and iron mine waste. This can help make concrete greener without sacrificing quality. Dr. Lederle’s team also work to improve design with novel concrete materials, like pervious concrete and ultra-high performance concrete so that these materials can be implemented in practical ways.
Dr. Ali Ling loves helping students build practical, problem-solving skills. In her research, she and her students use systems-level thinking to understand technical, economic, and social impacts of environmental solutions. She brings a decade of engineering consulting and project leadership experience spanning municipal, mining, and manufacturing industries.
Dr. Mingu Kang and his research team are involved in exploring cutting-edge technologies to better understand the foundation of civil infrastructure. They are working towards developing tools for smart and resilient transportation facilities that tackle various national and global challenges using innovative sensor technology. His team also investigates sustainable solutions for ground improvement using geosynthetic materials.
Dr. Travis Welt and his research team focus on novel composite structural components and connection design while drawing on his professional design experience ranging from residential design to offshore floating platforms in the oil and gas industry. Dr. Welt works with local industry leaders on practical applications in structural steel, cross-laminated timber, and connection hardware with the integral help of undergraduate researchers.
Engineers get global experience in study abroad programs focused on engineering, social entrepreneurship or cultural immersion. Programs are held worldwide, including in Italy, Peru, Germany, Australia, and South Korea.
Through our Roman Structures, Engineering and Society study abroad course, students travel throughout Italy to discover the origins and evolution of engineering and design, from Roman aqueducts to cutting-edge, contemporary Italian infrastructure.
Become a Global Engineer
The German and Engineering dual degree program prepares graduates for meaningful careers in a globally minded and diverse world. Spending a year abroad, the combination of foreign language and engineering studies lets students apply their language and culture skills to engineering and vice versa.
The University of St. Thomas bachelor's degree in civil engineering is accredited by the EAC Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
The University of St. Thomas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Graduates of the University of St. Thomas Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering program are expected to achieve one or more of the following:
Adopted: September 16, 2016. Revised: May 24, 2022.
Graduates of the program have:
It takes more than theory to transform an idea into useful technology for our society. St. Thomas engineers emerge with practical, hands-on experience, the power of strong communication skills and the broad perspective of a liberal arts education. Our rigorous engineering programs are designed to transform the young creative minds of our students into engineers who can truly make a difference in the world.
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.