School of Information Technology & Engineering
- Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
- Undergraduate Programs
- Graduate Programs
Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
Faculty
Professors: Bronzini, Houck (chair)
Associate professors: Arciszewski, deMonsabert, Rathbone
Adjunct professors: Chase, Freas, Gagne,
Harrop-Williams, Matusik, Randall, Shacochis, Spencer, Szykman, Ward
Visiting professors: Ryan
Introduction
The Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure
Engineering (CEIE) Department administers two degree programs:
the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Urban
Systems Engineering. These degree programs complement
the study of civil and environmental engineering with
advances in information technology, and they focus on the
physical and organizational infrastructure essential to the
functioning of an urban society. The B.S. in Urban Systems
Engineering is accredited by the Accreditation Board
for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET).
Urban systems engineering is the study of land,
transportation, water, energy, and telecommunications systems
from a civil engineering perspective, within a complex
social, political, economic, and environmental context. The
focus of the program is on how these systems are
successfully conceived, developed, designed, built, operated,
maintained, and renewed in the built environment such as the
Washington metropolitan area.
An urban society thrives and prospers when adequate,
appropriate, reliable, robust, and cost-effective infrastructure
systems to support the functioning of the society are
provided. The investment in existing infrastructure and other
urban systems in the United States is enormous. The
investment required to maintain, operate, renew, and manage the
evolution of these urban systems in the future is even greater.
The need for highly educated professionals to confront and
solve these continuing vital problems is pressing. Examples of
urban systems include water supply and distribution; streets,
roads, and highways; wastewater management; transit;
stormwater management; public utilities; energy supply and
distribution; telecommunications; buildings, facilities, and
structures; and solid waste management.
Course Work
The Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure
Engineering Department offers courses with the designator USE in
the "Course Descriptions" chapter of this catalog.
Undergraduate Program
-
The bachelor's degree program includes a solid
foundation in the theory of urban systems engineering. Students
benefit from exposure to practical civil, environmental,
and infrastructure engineering problems and their solutions
in the classroom, lab, and field. There is also the
opportunity for students to work as junior engineers each summer.
Graduates of the program are expected to effectively
communicate orally, in written work, and visually; to develop
and apply information technology to civil engineering
problems; to be motivated to a lifelong process of learning; to
enter the civil engineering profession as productive junior
engineers; and to solve problems in the civil engineering
domain specifically including (1) integration across traditional
civil engineering disciplines such as transportation,
environment, structures, construction, geotechnical, etc., (2)
incorporate such elements as social, political, and economic
considerations, and (3) include a conscious life-cycle
costing philosophy.
The urban systems engineer can look forward to a career
in local, state, and federal government organizations
and architectural/engineering firms that specialize in land
development, transportation, water resources,
environment, construction, and other related civil engineering fields.
The program also prepares students for continuing
graduate studies.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for the B.S.
degree, students must meet the specific requirements for this degree.
Degree requirements for the B.S. in Urban Systems
Engineering include 120 credit hours distributed in courses
in three main areas:
|
Credits |
Mathematics and basic science
CHEM 251; MATH 113, 114, 213, 214;
PHYS 160, 260, 261, 266; STAT344
|
30
|
|
Credits |
Humanities and social sciences
COMM 100; ECON 103; ENGL 101, 302;
Literature electives
Social science elective
(PSYC 100 is recommended)
Humanities or social science elective
|
24
6
3
3
|
|
Credits |
Civil, environmental, and infrastructure
engineering analysis and design
CS 112; ENGR 107, 183, 210, 310;
USE 230, 290, 300, 301, 305,
311, 340, 365, 367, 400,
440, 455, 463, 490
Technical electives |
66
9
|
The prerequisite structure for courses in any
engineering curriculum is extensive and complex. Students are
required to see their faculty advisors at least once each semester
to plan for the following semester's registration. Each
student is expected to complete an approved plan of study,
which constitutes a "learning plan" for the degree program. For
a sample schedule that observes all the course
prerequisites, please consult the program's website through the
university's main page (www.gmu.edu) or visit one of the CEIE faculty.
All electives must be selected with the advice and
approval of the academic advisor. The technical electives must
include at least six credits of USE-designated courses. ECE 285
is recommended as a technical elective for those students
preparing for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university's writing-intensive requirement for
urban systems engineering majors is satisfied by the
successful completion of USE 400.
Graduate Program
-
The M.S. program educates students in the theory and
practice of urban systems engineering. Information
technology and automated tools for analyzing and solving urban
systems problems are important components of the
program. The urban systems engineer can look forward to pursuing
a career in the private and public sectors or to
continuing graduate study toward the Ph.D.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the program, a
candidate must
- satisfy the general university requirements for
admission to a graduate program;
- have earned a baccalaureate degree in engineering,
physical sciences, economics, or other urban systems
engineering-related field; and
- have three letters of reference submitted by former
professors or supervisors.
Acceptance to the degree program is based on an
assessment of the applicant's capacity to pursue these
graduate studies successfully. Consideration is given to the
applicant's undergraduate record, any previous graduate work,
professional work experience, the letters of reference, and
any recent Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.
Well-qualified students who present minor admission
deficiencies may be admitted subject to completing an
articulation program. Courses taken in the articulation program
extend the minimum requirements for the degree.
Degree Requirements
The M.S. in Urban Systems Engineering program
includes three core courses, one methods course, electives
selected by the student with the aid of a faculty advisor, and a
thesis or urban systems engineering project. Students must
complete a faculty-approved plan of study with a minimum
of 30 credits of graduate work, including the thesis (6
credits) or the research project (3 credits).
Core Courses
Students must complete the following three core
courses. These courses provide a common background for
understanding the breadth and complexity of urban systems
engineering, and for introducing the application of
information technology and the systems approach to analyzing and
solving problems in urban systems engineering.
USE 600 Infrastructure Planning and Management
USE 601 CEIE Modeling and Problem Solving
SYST 530 System Management and Evaluation
Methods Courses
Students must complete at least one of these courses:
USE 585 Automated Support Tools for Urban Systems Engineers
USE 670 Urban Systems Decision Methods and Tools
USE 680 Spatial Decision Support Systems
USE 685 Urban Systems Engineering Information Management
or other appropriate methods courses such as
SYST 510, 520; OR 541, 542; and STAT 544, 554, 574.
Areas of Emphasis
Each student must select an additional four or five
electives that together constitute an area of emphasis. With the
prior approval of a faculty advisor, a student may design his
or her own emphasis, or may select from one of several
standard emphases, including the following:
Transportation Systems Engineering
Construction Management
Environmental Systems Engineering
Engineering Management
Water Resource Systems Engineering
Facilities Management
-
Doctoral study in civil, environmental, and
infrastructure engineering is available through the Ph.D. in
Information Technology program, which offers advanced courses in
this discipline. The doctoral program allows the student to
take a broad range of courses and research options.
George Mason University:1999-2000 University Catalog: Catalog Index: School of Information Technology & Engineering:Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
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