News Release

Penn State Harrisburg introducing major in civil engineering

February 13, 2008

Penn State Harrisburg is bringing bachelor’s degree study in civil engineering to the capital region.

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering will be available to students beginning this summer and is being introduced to fill an identified need in the region.

First– and second-year students can now begin to schedule courses needed to prepare for the major, but junior–level status students will not be able to begin the major until fall 2009.

Professor of Engineering Y. Frank Chen is serving as coordinator of the program.

"Our stakeholders – students, employers, advisory boards – have all asked us to add civil engineering to our list of programs," says the college’s director of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology Omid Ansary."For example a recent survey of 318 first-year students who had expressed an interest in pursuing engineering was conducted at four Penn State campuses and HACC. Ninety–one of those 318 said they would be interested in civil engineering if it were offered at Penn State Harrisburg."

Dr. Ansary continues, "We did market studies, feasibility studies, and requested input from professionals in the field as well as area firms. The response was an overwhelming interest in the program. With our mission to serve the public, this will meet an identified need." The new civil engineering major will be similar to the long-established and respected program offered by the College of Engineering on the University Park campus, "but with some exceptions to meet the area industry needs," Dr. Ansary adds. "The curriculum is focused to serve the business community and to meet stated needs in the workforce."

Civil engineering will complement the highly regarded Penn State Harrisburg program in structural design and construction engineering technology. Associate Professor of Engineering Joseph Cecere, says "We need both programs to fully serve students and employers in the region."

"Penn State Harrisburg is a regional leader in engineering and engineering technology education and it has long been our focus to better serve the region in these disciplines," Dr. Ansary says. "Civil engineering follows the electrical engineering and environmental engineering degrees which the college started in the past few years. By expanding our engineering degrees, we are expanding the number of choices available to students."

There are five components in the civil engineering curriculum – environmental, structural, construction, transportation, and water resources – and program flexibility allows a student to concentrate in a specific area their future profession. The program will also include the University undergraduate requirements in math, science, communication, and general education as well as accreditation engineering foundation courses.

The addition of civil engineering increases the number of baccalaureate programs available at Penn State Harrisburg to 31. The college is also home to 21 master’s and two doctoral degrees. In addition to civil engineering and structural design and construction engineering technology, the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology offers undergraduate study in computer science, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, environmental engineering, mathematical sciences, mechanical engineering technology, and science. Graduate study is available in computer science, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental pollution control, engineering science, and engineering management.