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Session 1793

Sophomore Introduction to Civil Engineering Systems

Thomas Edgar, P.E., Ph.D.

Associate Professor in Civil Engineering Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071

Abstract

A sophomore level course is described which provides an introduction to the field Civil Engineering and Civil Engineering practice. It uses the area of Land Development as a model which naturally encompasses Surveying, Environmental, Transportation, Geotechnical and Water Resources Engineering and some aspects of Structural Engineering as well. The topic material is based on city and county regulations and design requirements and requires only basic mathematics skills for analysis. The course also provides an introduction to CAD and uses these skills for both homework and projects.

Introduction

Many schools do not introduce the major engineering disciplines until the junior year, at which time the students are expected to understand why they take a broad range of engineering courses and why and how those courses relate to each other. Among the consequences of this delay are lost interest, frustration, and student withdrawal from the major or even the college. None of these outcomes provides the motivation to induce outstanding students to stay for the last two years of college.

The Civil and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Wyoming instituted a sophomore level course in Spring 2003 to help combat these shortcomings. Entitled “Introduction to Civil Engineering Systems Via AutoCAD”, the three-hour course has three objectives. The students are introduced to elements of the major areas of civil engineering practice, to plan reading and drawing, and to AutoCAD. This is accomplished through the process of modeling land development engineering. The course has been offered two semesters and is a required course for this year’s sophomores. This paper will discuss the background of the course, its objectives, its syllabus and the relation of the lab to the course.

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition Copyright ©2004 American Society of Engineering Education

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Edgar, T. (2004, June), Sophomore Introduction To Civil Engineering Systems Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13599