A degree in structural
engineering can be the start of a rewarding civil engineering career for
dedicated engineering students. Many areas of specialization are available and
qualified graduates may pursue exciting careers with existing structural engineering
firms or as independent consultants.
Much of the undergraduate
coursework required to obtain a degree in structural engineering centers around a civil engineering or mechanical
engineering core curriculum. This would typically entail training through
advanced mathematics including differential and integral calculus, numerical
methods, vector and spatial analysis, and solving system equations of arrays
and tensors. The importance of this training stems from the required
understanding of how stresses and strains are distributed in non-trivial
structural geometries, which can require analysis of simultaneous systems
of modeling equations. Study of material
properties would also be typical including stress and strain analysis,
strength, elasticity and viscosity, ductility, brittle and plastic behaviors, crack propagation, fatigue, and other modes of
material failures. Coursework in technical report writing and data
interpretation is also beneficial, as even the best analysis becomes
meaningless if the work cannot be communicated effectively. Laboratory
materials testing, fluid and solid mechanics, physics, thermodynamics, statics,
and dynamics would round out a typical structural engineering curriculum for
most undergraduate engineering programs.
Some institutions offer
specific undergraduate degrees in structural engineering. These programs
generally will have greater emphasis on structural design and load response,
numerical simulation, and advanced laboratory testing and design of structural
systems. Construction engineering management, sustainable design techniques,
and environmental design awareness may also apply toward these degrees.
Advanced M.S. and PhD degree programs
provide additional focus and training on specific structural engineering
topics. Customized, intensive coursework and independent study helps prepare
advanced students for the demands of real world structural engineering
challenges. These topics may include seismic design, plate, slab and shell
analysis, reinforced and pre-stressed concrete techniques, structural steel
design, masonry and timber design, finite element and advanced numerical
techniques, computer aided design, architecture, dynamic analysis, and advanced
forensic techniques to name a few.
Greater practical experience
and hands on research projects are also pursued at this level of instruction.
Students may engage in designing actual structures such as experimental bridge
constructs, alternative building construction, earthquake resistant elements,
or any number of cutting edge structural engineering developments. Dedicated
research centers and test facilities are
available to provide practical experience in many areas of specialization.
Opportunities abound for
degreed structural engineers. A bachelor’s engineering degree is typically
required for most entry level jobs, and with the addition of an M.S. degree a
multitude of specialized careers are available including, but not limited to,
design and construction of buildings, bridges, roadways, oil rigs, pipelines,
wind and seismic design, forensic investigation, even aerospace applications.
Finally, a PhD will additionally open many opportunities in research and development
on the cutting edge of structural engineering. At all levels, training and
expertise in computational methods and programming are expected to be in high
demand for many years to come.
John Moehring is
a practicing Engineering Technologist in civil, geological, biological, and
electrical engineering fields. And one of these days he may actually get it
right.