Message from the Department Head

It is hard to know where to begin to describe all of the great aspects of the department.  With over 40 faculty, more than 900 undergraduate students and over 300 graduate students, NC State University’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) is one of the largest departments in the country and more importantly, one of the best.  In 2010, our Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering degrees were ranked at 12th and 13th in the country, respectively. 

We are proud of the quality education that we offer at the undergraduate level.  We invite the best and the brightest to enter our department and mentor them through their formative years.  Students have many opportunities for professional growth through student chapters of professional societies as well as through special events throughout the year.  Students are also encouraged to consider becoming involved in undergraduate research.  While we are among the largest undergraduate programs in the U.S., we treat each student as an individual.

At the graduate level we offer the traditional Master’s and Ph.D. degrees with the opportunity to specialize in a wide range of topics in civil, construction, and environmental engineering.  We are also a leader in distance education. Students can earn a Master of Civil or Environmental Engineering degree without ever setting foot on campus. 

Our research programs and facilities are world class.  CCEE encourages active collaboration and cross-disciplinary activities and has a strong commitment to innovative research.  The department partners with industry and government to conduct research at the cutting edge of science and technology.  Our laboratories contain a variety of special equipment for research in construction materials, construction engineering, coastal processes, environmental engineering, hydraulics, soils, structures and mechanics, and transportation systems. 

Our faculty members are the winners of numerous awards and honors, are active as editors and associate editors for leading scholarly journals, and are actively involved in the organization of national and international conferences.  Most important, the research that we perform today has both immediate impact and serves as the foundation for safe and sustainable infrastructure in the future.

We welcome your interest and support. These pages will help you find out more about the department and how you can share in its success, whether as a student, faculty member, alum, donor or friend. There are many ways to benefit and to give.

Morton A. Barlaz
Department Head and Professor