Requirements
The civil engineering (CE) Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree requires the completion of 34 courses, comprising:
- 19 general requirements and
- 15 departmental requirements that include the completion of one study track
In the CEE Undergraduate Handbook you will find degree check sheets and typical course sequences that outline the degree requirements in a semester by semester format. Where the requirements below list electives you should consult the electives section below for details.
Undergraduate Handbook
The CEE Undergraduate Handbook (2022-23 v1) is a comprehensive guide and source of relevant information. The handbook is updated yearly.
CE Degree Check Sheets
The following degree check sheets are available in the handbook, however, links are provided to these specific pages for convenience:
- Class of 2026 (Matriculation Fall 2022): E/W, S/M
- Class of 2025 (Matriculation Fall 2021): E/W, S/M
- Class of 2024 (Matriculation Fall 2020): E/W, S/M
- Class of 2023 (Matriculation Fall 2019): E/W, S/M
- Class of 2022 (Matriculation Fall 2018): E/W, S/M
Degree Enhancements
Typical Course Sequence (class of 2026)
The plan provided below (applicable to students matriculating in Fall 2022) outlines a typical, semester-by-semester path to graduation. Students who have already matriculated should consult the CEE Undergraduate Handbook as degree requirements can differ by matriculation date. Courses in the table are required unless noted otherwise. Shifting courses to a different semester should be done with caution and preplanning due, in part, to prerequisites and co-requisites.
NOTE: Course numbers in bold (e.g., CEE 132L) are typically only offered once a year during the semester shown.
First Year—Both Study Tracks
| Fall 2022 | Spring 2023 |
|---|---|
| Calculus I MATH 111L (#1) |
Calculus II MATH 112L (#2) |
| Chemistry CHEM 101DL (#3) |
Mechanics PHYSICS 151L (#4) |
|
Writing or Computational Methods |
Computational Methods or Writing |
| Engineering Design & Communication EGR 101L |
Engineering the Planet |
Sophomore Year—Both Study Tracks
| Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 |
|---|---|
| Matrices and Vectors MATH 218-2 |
Multivariable Calculus MATH 219 |
| Electricity & Magnetism PHYSICS 152L (#4) |
Dynamics EGR 244L |
| Solid Mechanics EGR 201L |
Uncertainty, Design & Optimization CEE 201L |
| elective | elective |
| elective | elective |
Important Notes
- #1 AP credit for MATH 21 may be used to satisfy the MATH 111L requirement
- #2 AP credit for MATH 22 may be used to satisfy the MATH 112L requirement. If AP credit for 21 but not 22 then take MATH 122L in first-year Fall
- #3 CHEM 101DL. AP credit (i.e., CHEM 20 or 21) may be used to satisfy this requirement
- #4 At least one (1) physics course must be taken post-matriculation to satisfy the Physics requirement in the Engineering curriculum. Students receiving AP credits for PHYSICS 25 and 26 must: a) take a Duke PHYSICS course at or above PHYSICS 153L; b) decline the AP credit for PHYSICS 26 and take PHYSICS 152L; or c) decline both AP credits and take both PHYSICS 151L and 152L
- #5 CEE 132L may be replaced with CEE 205 (0.5 unit) AND an upper-level CEE course (1.0 unit); if not taken in the first or second year then it must be replaced. An upper-level CEE course is a CEE course at the 300-, 400-, 500-, or 600-level
- #8 WRITING 101 must be taken in the Fall or Spring of the First Year
Junior Year—Structural Engineering & Mechanics (S/M) Study Track
|
Fall 2024 |
Spring 2025 |
|---|---|
|
Differential Equations |
Soil Mechanics |
|
Fluid Mechanics |
Reinforced Concrete Design |
|
Structural Analysis |
Data Analysis & Decision Science |
|
Systems Optimization & Economics |
Senior Year—S/M Study Track
| Fall 2025 | Spring 2026 |
|---|---|
| Structural Steel Design CEE 423L |
Integrated Structural Design CEE 429 |
| elective | elective |
| elective | elective |
| elective | elective |
Important Notes
- #9 Although MATH 353 may be taken concurrently it is recommended that MATH 353 be completed prior to taking Fluid Mechanics, CEE 301L.
Junior Year—Environmental Engineering & Water Resources (E/W) Study Track
| Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|
| Differential Equations MATH 353 |
Soil Mechanics CEE 302L |
| Fluid Mechanics CEE 301L (#9) |
Biological Principles CEE 462L |
| Aquatic Chemistry CEE 461L |
Data Analysis & Decision Science EGR/MATH 238L |
| Systems Optimization & Economics EGR 305 |
elective |
| elective | elective |
Senior Year—E/W Study Track
| Fall 2025 | Spring 2026 |
|---|---|
| Water Resources CEE 463L |
Integrated Environmental Design CEE 469 |
| elective | elective |
| elective | elective |
| elective | elective |
Electives
Completing the general engineering and departmental requirements offer a variety of elective choices. Below you will find the minimum elective requirements for CEE students. When planning electives be cognizant of both pre-requisites and when the course is typically offered.
Five (5) Social Science and Humanities (SS/H) electives
These courses, from the areas of Arts, Literature, and Performance (ALP), Civilizations (CZ), Foreign Language (FL), and Social Science (SS), must meet the following minimum requirements.
- One (1) Social Science (SS)
- Two (2) of the three areas: ALP, CZ, and FL
- For depth, two (2) courses must be from the same department with at least one of those two at the 200-level (100-level), or higher.
- Limit of two (2) AP credits
EI Code requirement: Of the 34 units required for graduation, at least one of the units must possess the EI (Ethical Inquiry) code. Most likely this EI code will be possessed by one of these 5 SS/H courses.
One (1) Natural Science (NS) elective
Class of 2014 and beyond: complete one of the following courses:
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIOLOGY 201DL | Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology |
| BIOLOGY 215/215L | Introduction to Mathematical Modeling in Biology |
| BIOLOGY 275A | Biology for Engineers: Informing Engineering Decisions (at Duke Marine Lab) |
| BIOLOGY 311 | Systems Biology: An Introduction for the Quantitative Sciences |
| ECS/EOS 101 | The Dynamic Earth |
| ECS/EOS 102 [NOTE: no longer offered after Fall 2021] | The Dynamic Ocean |
| ECS/EOS 103 | Climate Change for Future Leaders |
| ECS/EOS 201L | The Solid Earth: Minerals, Rocks, and Structural Geology |
| ECS/EOS 202 | Ocean and Atmospheric Dynamics |
| ECS/EOS 370A | Introduction to Physical Oceanography (at Duke Marine Lab) |
Important Notes
- BIOLOGY 20 (AP credit) may be used to satisfy this requirement.
One (1) Engineering & Applied Science elective
This can be satisfied either of two ways:
Option 1
Complete one of the following courses:
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BME 253L | Biomedical Electronic Measurements I |
| BME 307 | Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems |
| CEE 560 | Environmental Transport Phenomena |
| CEE 581 | Pollutant Transport Systems |
| COMPSCI 201 | Data Structures and Algorithms |
| ECE 110L | Fundamentals of Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| ECE 311 | Thermal Physics |
| EGR 224L | Electrical Fundamentals of Mechatronics |
| ME 221L | Structure and Properties of Solids |
| ME 331L | Thermodynamics |
| PHYSICS 271L | Electronics |
Option 2
S/M Track students may complete one of:
- CEE 461L
- CEE 462L
- CEE 463L
E/W Track students may complete one of:
- CEE 421L
- CEE 422L
- CEE 423L
CEE Elective(s)
Two (2) electives. These must be upper-level CEE courses; an upper-level course is a course at the 300-, 400-, 500-, or 600-level. Courses meeting this requirement include, but are not limited to:
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CEE 311 | Architectural Engineering I |
| CEE 315-20 | Engr. Sustainable Design and the Global Comm.: Structural Focus |
| CEE 315-60 | Engr. Sustainable Design and the Global Comm.: Environmental Focus |
| CEE 411 | Architectural Engineering II |
| CEE 511 | Construction Management |
| CEE 520 | Continuum Mechanics |
| CEE 530 | Introduction to the Finite Element Method |
| CEE 541 | Structural Dynamics |
| CEE 560 | Environmental Transport Phenomena |
| CEE 566 | Environmental Microbiology |
| CEE 661L | Environmental Molecular Biotechnology |
| CEE 666 | Aquatic Geochemistry |
| CEE 667 | Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants |
| CEE 683 | Groundwater Hydrology |
| CEE 684 | Physical Hydrology, Hydrometeorology |
Two (2) Unrestricted Electives
Two (2) electives. These electives are unrestricted with the exception that at most 1.0 units of physical education activity and at most 1.0 units of music activity can be used to meet BSE requirements. House courses cannot be used.
Optional Electives
Students may exceed the minimum of 34 units required for the BSE degree. This may be accomplished via AP credits, overloading, and/or summer courses either at Duke or elsewhere.
Study Abroad
With a little planning, the Duke CEE curriculum affords any student the opportunity to study abroad in the Junior Fall semester. Students are always able to pursue study abroad during the summer semester.
Many popular institutions for study-abroad offer technical courses that are pre-approved for Duke CEE requirements. Alternatively, students can modify the typical course sequence in order to take humanities electives when they are abroad.
For study abroad in the Junior Fall without any engineering courses, which is not necessary depending on the institution selected, you may:
- Move fluid mechanics (CEE 301L) to Sophomore Spring. Note that CEE 301L has co-requisites of MATH 353 and EGR 244L, which are easily met if you have AP credit for MATH 21. CEE 301L will need to be offered on Tu-Th mornings in Spring semesters
- Move systems optimization & economics (EGR 305) to Senior Fall
- S/M Track: Move matrix structural analysis (CEE 421L) to Senior Fall
- E/W Track: Move aquatic chemistry (CEE 461L) to Senior Fall
To explore Duke's many opportunities for global studies visit globaled.duke.edu