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Glenn Department of Civil Engineering

An academic department within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Project manager discussing building plans with team on the main campus.

Glenn Department of Civil Engineering
Lowry Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
864-656-3000

About

The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences is laser-focused on the infrastructure and environmental issues that directly impact how we build, work and develop the quality of our planet. Our goal is to create new knowledge in the fields of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences and prepare the next generation of scholars, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

The Glenn Department of Civil Engineering regularly schedules research symposiums, workshops, and lectures throughout the year. Faculty, students, and industry representatives give presentations on their latest research and best practices within the field.

Events

    Glenn Department of Civil Engineering
    Lowry Hall
    Clemson, SC 29634
    864-656-3000

    Civil in the News

    Global Impact

    Graduate student looking up inside new building construction.

    Grand Challenges

    Look around. In every direction, you are likely to see civil engineering work - the roads we drive on, the buildings we work in, the water we drink. Civil engineers help to create resilient communities by building the infrastructure for modern civilization in a manner that advances the safety, health and welfare of the public and the environment. At Clemson, you have the opportunity to develop, design, construct, and operate the structures, facilities and systems that are vital to the economy and to improving the quality of life and our civilization.

    As society’s infrastructural challenges continue to evolve, we, too, must adapt to produce professional engineers who can be successful not only on the national but also on the global scene. Our students in the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering participate in service-learning, interact with industry professionals, and apply methods and theories to real-world problems outside the classroom.

    Our Research
    Beyond the Classroom

    Career Outlook

    Civil engineering is one of the most in-demand engineering fields, particularly in the fast-growing Southeastern United States. Civil Engineering is rated in the Top 5 most valuable engineering careers among fields that “show a need for growth, good salaries and high job satisfaction," according to the US News and World Report. Students graduating from Clemson have the potential to work both domestically and abroad working in multiple sub disciplines of Civil Engineering such as construction engineering, construction materials, environmental and sustainability, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering and design, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering.

    • Consulting firms
    • Construction companies
    • Federal, state, and local government agencies
    • Local municipalities
    • National and international non-profit organizations
    • National research laboratories
    • State transportation departments
    Female and male engineers discussing plans near waterway.
    #35 
    Academic
    Department Ranking

    Civil Engineering is ranked #35 by the U.S. News & World Report for Public Departments.

    Excellence in Hands-on
    Professional Development

    Clemson's Center for Career and Professional Development consistently rates high nationally for career services, internships, and co-op opportunities.

    Career Services
    5.4M 
    Research
    Expenditure

    Research concentrations include water resources, construction engineering and materials, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation systems, and risk engineering.

    Find Your Path

    Paul discussing plans with fellow CEDC members.

    Paul Gennett was part of a Clemson Engineers for Developing Communities (CEDC) group that worked to create a sustainable water system that could reduce cholera outbreaks in one Haitian community. As a member of the Boucan Carre project team, he researched the properties of various lightweight grouts that would be best to replace the system that was currently in use. A preliminary design of the piping system resulted in a path 3.5 miles long that will provide filtered water to local fountains, schools, and a hospital.

    Civil Engineering Academics

    CE Academic Majors
    Programs B.S. M.S. MEng Ph.D. Cert
    Civil Engineering X X X X
    Capital Project Management X
    Design and Computational Modeling of Geotechnical Systems X
    Digital Technologies and Construction Automation X
    Risk Engineering X
    Risk Management X
    Structural Design of Low-Rise Structures X
    System Analytics X

    Civil engineering has been taught at Clemson since the University was founded in 1889, graduating the first civil engineer in 1896. We continually improve our curriculum by focusing on societal challenges, global engagement, systems thinking, sustainability, and ethics.

    FACULTY EXCELLENCE

    The department has nearly 30 faculty members and 6 adjunct and affiliated faculty. We have a team of faculty, staff, and students focusing on fostering student engagement, cultivating a sense of community, a heightened sense of belongingness, and a strong sense of civil engineering identity.

    Mishra in class in front of his students.
    Global Water Supply
    Ashok Mishra

    Ashok Mishra is helping the world predict how the changing climate will affect global water supplies, research gaining urgency as weather becomes more extreme. Mishra and his students found that the wet season is getting wetter, and the dry season is getting drier in many parts of the world, complicating efforts to manage reservoirs and irrigate crops. The hope is that policymakers and researchers could use this to create strategies to minimize severe impacts.


    Glenn Department of Civil Engineering
    Glenn Department of Civil Engineering | Lowry Hall, Clemson, SC 29634