College Catalog

One College Avenue, Williamsport PA 17701-5799 · (570) 326-3761 or (800) 367-9222

Civil Engineering Technology (BCT)
Academic School: Industrial & Engineering Technologies
(Effective Fall 2009)

Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)

This curriculum is designed to equip graduates to face the challenge of modern engineering practice. The major emphasizes applications-based engineering studies involving the planning, analysis and design of civil engineering/surveying projects. Modern approaches to the planning, analysis, and design of highways, structures, hydraulic systems, and site development will be emphasized.

This technical instruction with modern instrumentation, hardware and software will be reinforced with foundation courses emphasizing written and oral communication, and physical sciences. All the instruction is presented with problem solving in mind and strong emphasis on applications and critical thinking. The major prepares students for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, which is the first step in the process for registration as a professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Career Opportunities:  Graduates can seek employment in a wide range of civil engineering and surveying specialties. These include the design of steel and concrete structures, stormwater runoff and hydraulic design, soils testing and geotechnical design, construction inspection and highway design. To accomplish these and other activities, people apply skills in surveying, map making and the synthesis of geographic information with other data types such as demographic, taxation, transportation and census data. Employment opportunities will exist with private consulting firms, design/construction businesses and government agencies including PennDOT, DEP, USGS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the uniformed services. Local municipality planning and engineering agencies will also offer opportunities for employment. People seeking self-employment opportunities will be aided by education leading to licensure as a land surveyor or a professional engineer.

Recommended High School Subjects:  Strong preparation in mathematics; sciences; communication skills. Course work in computer usage, drafting and surveying at the high school level would be helpful but not necessary.

Special Admissions Requirements:  The major is designed so that first year students can enter the curriculum once prerequisites are satisfied. Students with associate degrees in Surveying or Civil Engineering Technology can also enter the BCT curriculum as juniors.

Remediation Strategies:  Students should remediate any deficiencies prior to enrollment. It is recommended that students remediate deficiencies in the following order of priority: mathematics, English, reading. Students testing below MTH 240 must remediate all math up through MTH 190 or MTH 182 in order to be enrolled in the BCT major. Students testing below MTH 190 or MTH 182 who cannot remediate prior to enrollment, must enroll in the CT major and then transfer to the BCT major after completion of the CT major. It is suggested that students thinking about entering this major be tested in mathematics early enough so that remedial precalculus course work could be taken the summer before enrollment at Penn College.

Transfer Procedures:  This major will subscribe to the transfer standards established by the College. Individual transfer records will be reviewed by the Office of Admissions. Discrepancies and deviation from standards must be approved by the Office of Admissions and/or the Dean of the School of Industrial and Engineering Technologies.

Program Goals:  A graduate of this major should be able to:

• apply knowledge and principles of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology to problems in civil engineering.
• perform, analyze, and interpret results of standardized field and laboratory measurements, and apply them to civil engineering applications.
• apply modern techniques, tools, current design and material specifications, and current software to civil engineering and surveying problems.
• identify, formulate the approach, and solve design problems within the following civil engineering areas: hydraulics, hydrology, geotechnics, structures, material behavior, transportation systems, water and wastewater treatment systems, surveying, and mapping.
• apply creativity in the analysis and design of civil engineering projects.
• perform project planning; create drawings; perform engineering economics analysis; and prepare schedules, cost estimates, and specifications.
• work effectively independently and in a team environment.
• understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities and their implications related to the pratice of civil engineering in a global / social context.
• communicate effectively through written reports and oral presentations, including preparation of professional quality visual aids.
• demonstrate a commitment to quality, timeliness, and improved effectiveness.
• recognize the need to engage in life-long learning.

NOTE: Approved transfer students may substitute PHS 115 for PHS 201, PHS 125 for PHS 202.

Students desiring to meet current Pennsylvania licensure requirements for surveyors should take CET 247, CET 250, CET 251 and CET 344 as electives.

The cultural diversity elective in the seventh semester should be selected from a 200 level or higher Humanities or Social Science.

Accreditation:  Accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Technology Accreditation Commission, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202, Telephone (410) 347-7700.

Pennsylvania College of Technology · One College Avenue · Williamsport, PA 17701 · (570) 326-3761 or (800) 367-9222

Contents © 1995-Present · Privacy Statement

Contents © 1995-Present