Civil Engineering – Faculty of Engineering

Civil Engineering

Plan, design, construct, and maintain sustainable infrastructure.

Length
4 years
Degree
Bachelor of Engineering (Co-op Available)
Program
Engineering
Options

Co-op, Management, Society

Overview

Explore how to design, build and maintain the infrastructure that supports “civil-ization”, from buildings and roads to transit systems and water networks.

Through hands-on labs, design projects and collaborative problem solving, students develop strong technical and practical skills in areas like structures, geotechnics and water resources. Graduates go on to careers shaping sustainable cities and addressing challenges like climate change and urban growth.

Why study this program?

  1. Mirror real engineering practice in your classes: you’ll test the breaking point of concrete designs, analyze carbon in wastewater and model dam rehabilitations in our specialized labs.
  2. The world needs engineers with knowledge of infrastructure resilience: learn from experts on earthquake damage mitigation, flood forecasting and wildfire preparation.
  3. You’ll be prepared for a wide range of engineering careers, with opportunities in design, government, watershed management, smart transportation and more.
A student changes settings on a geotechnical machine.

What you'll learn

Study a broad range of core areas in civil engineering at McMaster, including structural, geotechnical, transportation and water resources engineering.

You can focus your learning through technical electives such as bridge design, foundation engineering, building science, traffic analysis, construction management and automation, hydrogeology, and wastewater treatment. Tailor your studies to align with your interests and emerging areas in infrastructure and sustainability.

This program is offered by the Department of Civil Engineering.

All students in McMaster’s undergraduate engineering programs participate in a common first year — Engineering 1. Build a solid base in the fundamentals of engineering disciplines and get exposed to engineering design work right at the start of your degree.

Learn more about Engineering 1

Get practical experience and grow your portfolio with interdisciplinary design courses. All students in a Bachelor of Engineering take four project-based design courses:

1. ENGINEER 1P13: Integrated Cornerstone Design Projects in Engineering

2. ENGINEER 2PX3: Engineering Design 2: Communications and Societal Impact

3. ENGINEER 3PX3: Engineering Design 2: Engineering Economics

4. Capstone project (year-long design project)

A person smiles while conducting a tritiation test.

Co-op and experiential learning

Go beyond the lecture hall with experiential learning. Our engineering co-op program provides you with the opportunity to work in real engineering positions before you graduate.

Sample co-op employers:

  • Aecon
  • Canadian Nuclear Laboratories  
  • EllisDon 
  • Enbridge 
  • Hatch Ltd. 
  • Ministry of Transportation 
  • Soletanche Bachy Canada Inc 
  • Walters Group 
  • WSP Group Ltd. 
Did you know: McMaster's Faculty of Engineering has the 3rd largest co-op program in Canada.
Learn more

Potential career paths

Graduates will be career-ready for high-demand areas such as infrastructure design, structural engineering, transportation systems, water resources, construction and project management.

  • Civil Engineer  
  • Development Engineer  
  • Environmental Engineer 
  • Geotechnical Engineer 
  • Project Designer 
  • Project Manager 
  • Transportation Engineer 

Explore civil engineering in grad school

Continue pursuing research and innovation in our master’s and PhD programs.

Civil Engineering programs

  • Classes in the field

    In CIVENG 2X03, students brings learning to life through field trips to construction sites, engineering firms and water treatment facilities.

    All second-year Civil Engineering students will participate in this course!
    Check out the trips on Instagram (Opens in new window)

  • Clubs and teams

    McMaster has many clubs, teams and societies you can join to practice your engineering skills, get more hands-on experiences and explore new activities.

    You can participate in competitions such as concrete canoe, seismic design, steel bridge and more, gaining hands-on design and teamwork experience.
    Learn more about Mac Eng Experiences

  • Canada's largest undergraduate research program

    Engage in hands-on research and complex problems with a mentor as early as your first year.

    A Civil Engineering student is advancing earthquake resistant building design, moving beyond “crumple-zone” safety toward structures that remain usable after major earthquakes, with minimal added construction cost
    Learn about undergrad research opportunities
Red and white flowers blooming on campus

Upper-year specializations

Specialized programs at McMaster can take your Engineering degree to the next level.

At the end of your first year in Engineering, you can apply to two other exciting options:

  • Engineering & Management
  • Engineering & Society
Here are further details to help you imagine your McMaster future.

Become a leader that solves complex challenges with your technical and business expertise in this five-year program.

Once you’ve completed first year requirements in good standing, you can apply to this program.

Learn more about Engineering & Management

Follow your passion in Engineering & Society. Combine your engineering education with a deeper understanding of human-centred design and problem-solving skills in this five-year program.

Once you’ve completed first year requirements in good standing, you can apply to this program.

Learn more about Engineering & Society

Financial aid & awards

Over $2.5 million in funding awarded annually

The Faculty of Engineering offers substantial financial support to students, including one of the largest faculty-based entrance scholarship programs in the country, with over $2.5 million awarded annually.

Learn more

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Related Degree Options