Undergraduate Programs

Civil engineers focus on the analysis, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of large-scale physical systems. To ensure the proper construction and care of these complex systems and environments, Rensselaer civil engineers develop a full range of skills in design, analysis, fabrication, communication, management, and teamwork. The current rebuilding of the world’s roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, and other physical facilities has heightened society’s awareness of the profession and given it significant prominence. The growing panoply of sensors, instrumentation, intelligent facilities, and new materials is also highlighting the high-tech character of the discipline, creating new educational challenges and redefining the skill set that civil engineers need to succeed.

At Rensselaer, civil engineering has a long and distinguished history. In 1835, the Institute became the first U.S. school to issue a civil engineering degree. Among its graduates are William Gurley (1839) and Lewis E. Gurley (1845) partners in W&LE Gurley, Troy, N.Y., one of the first manufacturers of precision surveying instruments. Other world-renowned Rensselaer civil engineering graduates include:

1. Francis Collingwood, Jr. (1855), honored by civil engineering’s Collingwood Prize
2. Washington Roebling (1857), builder of the Brooklyn Bridge
3. Seijiro Hirai (1878), a president of the Imperial Railways, Japan
4. George Ferris (1881), designer of the Ferris wheel
5. Milton Brumer (1923), construction manager for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge
6. Werner Ammann (1928), former partner, Ammann and Whitney
7. Clay Bedford, Sr. (1925), general supervisor of the construction of the Bonneville and Grand Coulee Dams
8. Ralph Peck (1934), co-author with Karl Terzaghi of the internationally-known book Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice

Today, Rensselaer civil engineers continue to be found at all levels in both private and public sectors throughout the world.

While Environmental Engineering is a relatively new discipline, it has a long tradition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where William Pitt Mason paved the way in the late 1800s with his pioneering work in water analysis. Later, Rensselaer's Edward J. Kilcawley introduced environmental engineering as an option for engineering students and was instrumental in starting it as a degree program in the mid-1950s.

This is an exciting time to be part of our program! Over the years, the program has developed and is now the nation's top-ranked undergraduate program in Environmental Engineering, according to the latest publication of the Gourman Report. In addition, the graduate program enjoys a top 20% rating from U.S. News and World Report.

The program consists of a small but professionally active faculty. We believe our modest size is one of our strengths. it allows us to work closely with our students, and it also allows our students to get to know each other. This provides many opportunities for our students to enjoy interactive learning, and to get actively involved in ongoing research.