ENGINEERING A NEW EDUCATION

This article calls for a new paradigm for civil engineering education and practice, including a marked change in the length and content of the program and its expectations. The author believes future graduates of civil engineering programs should be able to do the following: demonstrate technical competence in several areas of civil engineering, such as structures, geotechnical, environmental, transportation, and water resources; draw on broad exposure to the humanities and social sciences; understand business and management fundamentals; demonstrate command of five forms of communication, namely listening, speaking, writing, graphics, and mathematics; appreciate the ethical framework within which civil engineering functions; quickly access data and information; recognize the need for continuous, career-long learning and career planning; understand the need to identify and address such nontechnical factors as safety, aesthetics, economics, and finance; function either as a member or as a leader of a heterogeneous team comprising technical and nontechnical personnel; and draw on the practice-oriented experience that derives from an internship or cooperative education program. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology reports about 220 accredited civil engineering programs in the United States and 120 accredited civil engineering technology programs. The author maintains that fewer of the former and more of the latter would better serve the civil engineering profession.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0742597X
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Walesh, S G
• Publication Date: 2000-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 35-41
• Serial:
  • Journal of Management in Engineering
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0742-597X
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/loi/jmenea

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Business administration; Civil engineering; Civil engineers; Communications; Economics; Education; Ethics; Finance; Humanities; Improvements; Information management; Personnel development; Safety; Salaries; Social sciences; Teams; Technology; Universities and colleges
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Data and Information Technology; Economics; Education and Training; Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00788977
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 24 2000 12:00AM