Construction engineering

Construction engineering is a professional discipline that deals with the designing,

planning, construction, and management of infrastructures such as highways, bridges, airports,
railroads, buildings, dams, and utilities. Construction Engineers are unique such that they are a
cross between civil engineers and construction managers. Construction engineers learn the
designing aspect much like civil engineers and construction site management functions much
like construction managers.
The primary difference between a construction engineer and a construction manager is
that the construction engineer has the ability to sit for the Professional Engineer license (PE)
whereas a construction manager cannot. At the educational level, construction managers are
not as focused on design work as they are on construction procedures, methods, and people
management. Their primary concern is to deliver a project on time, within budget, and of the
desired quality.
The difference between a construction engineer and civil engineer is only at the
educational level as both disciplines are able to sit for the PE exam giving them the same title of
engineer. Civil engineering students concentrate more on the design work, gearing them
toward a career as a design professional. This essentially requires them to take a multitude of
design courses. Construction engineering students take design courses as well as construction
management courses. This allows them to understand both the design functions as well as the
building requirements needed to design and build today's infrastructures.
Work activities
Depending on which career the construction engineer has chosen to follow, an entry-
level design engineer normally provides support to project managers and assist with creating
conceptual designs, scopes, and cost estimates for the planning and construction of approved
projects. It should be noted that a career in design work does require a professional engineer
license (PE). Individuals who pursue this career path are strongly advised to sit for the Engineer
In Training exam (EIT) while in college as it takes five years (4 years in USA) post graduate to
obtain the PE license.
Entry-level construction manager positions are typically called project engineers or
assistant project engineers. They are responsible for preparing purchasing requisitions,
processing change orders, preparing monthly budgeting reports, and handling meeting
minutes. The construction management position does not necessarily require a PE license;
however possessing one does make the individual more marketable, as the PE license allows
the individual to sign off on temporary structure designs.
Abilities
Construction engineers are problem solvers, they help create infrastructure that best
meets the unique demands of its environment. They must be able to understand infrastructure
life cycles and have the perspective to solve technical challenges with clarity and imagination.
Therefore individuals should have a strong understanding of math and science, but many other
skills are required, including critical and analytical thinking, time management, people
management and good communication skills.
Educational requirements
Individuals looking to obtain a construction engineering degree must first ensure that
the program is accredited by EAC or Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). ABET accreditation is assurance
that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession
for which it prepares its students. In the US there are currently twenty-five programs that exist
in the entire country so careful college consideration is advised.
A typical construction engineering curriculum is a mixture of engineering mechanics,
engineering design, construction management and general science and mathematics. This
usually leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. The B.S. degree along with some design or
construction experience is sufficient for most entry level positions. Graduate schools may be an
option for those who want to go further in depth of the construction and engineering subjects
taught at the undergraduate level. In most cases construction engineering graduates look to
either civil engineering, engineering management, or business administration as a possible
graduate degree. For authority to approve any final designs of public projects (and most any
project), a construction engineer must have a professional engineers (P.E.) license.