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American Societ y of Civil Engineers

Committee on Curricula and Accreditation


c/o ASCE Educational Activities
1801 Alexander Bell Drive
Reston, Virginia 20191
Comment ary
On the ABET Engineering Criteria for
Civil and Similarly Named Programs

In the Context of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge
Version 3.4 (May 10, 2007)










DRAFT


Tabl e of Cont ent s


SECTION PAGE
Introduction 1
Background 1
Basic-Level Civil Engineering Program Criteria 2
Purpose and Organization of this Commentary 3
The BOK Outcomes 5
Levels of Achievement 6
Assessing the Achievement of Outcomes 8
Outcome 1: Mathematics and Science 10
Outcome 2: Experimentation 13
Outcome 3: Engineering Design 16
Outcome 4: Multi-Disciplinary Teams 20
Outcome 5: Engineering Problem-Solving 22
Outcome 6: Professional and Ethical Responsibilities 26
Outcome 7: Communication Skills 28
Outcome 8: Impact of Engineering Solutions 30
Outcome 9: Life-Long Learning 32
Outcome 10: Contemporary Issues 34
Outcome 11: Techniques, Skills, and Modern Engineering Tools 36
Outcome 12: Specialized Area Related to Civil Engineering 38
Outcome 13: Project Management, Construction, and Asset Management 40
Outcome 14: Business, Public Policy, and Public Administration 42
Outcome 15: Leadership and Attitudes 44
Teaching the BOK 46
Appendix A: BOK Outcome Rubric 48
Appendix B: Criterion-to-Outcome Cross-Reference 52







Int roduct i on
Commentary
On the ABET Engineering Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Programs
In the Context of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge
Background
ASCE Policy St at ement 465 and t he Body of Knowledge
Recent trends in todays world are fundamentally challenging the way civil engineering is
practiced. Rapid technological advancement, globalization, and ever-increasing political,
social, environmental, and economic constraints have greatly increased the complexity and
challenge inherent in civil engineering practice. At the same time, reductions in credit-hour
requirements are making the current four-year bachelors degree increasingly inadequate as
formal academic preparation for the professional practice of civil engineering.
Cognizant of the civil engineers leadership role in infrastructure development and
environmental stewardship, and consistent with the professions ethical obligation to protect
public safety, the ASCE Board of Direction adopted Policy Statement 465 in October 1998.
This initial version of the policy stated that the Society supports the concept of the masters
degree as the First Professional Degree for the practice of civil engineering at the professional
level. As the strategy for achieving this vision developed, it became apparent that the policy
should more broadly address the academic prerequisites for professional practice and
licensure, rather than focusing only on the attainment of a specific academic degree. Hence,
in October 2001, the ASCE Board adopted a modified version of Policy 465, indicating that
ASCE supports the concept of the masters degree or equivalent as a prerequisite for
licensure and the practice of civil engineering at the professional level.
The committee charged with implementing Policy Statement 465 began its deliberations by
considering the three fundamental characteristics of a professionan ethic of professional
service, a professional organization, and a specialized body of knowledge. The committees
analysis of the civil engineering profession suggested that, of these three characteristics, only
the first two were adequately defined. Thus began a broad-based effort to define and
articulate the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge. In J anuary 2004 this effort came to fruition
with ASCEs publication of Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21
st
Centurya report
describing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become a licensed professional
civil engineer. This report describes the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (BOK) in terms
of fifteen outcomes, the first eleven of which correspond nominally to ABET/EAC Criteria 3(a)
through 3(k). The fifteen outcomes of the BOK represent five major areas of emphasis:
Math, science, and engineering science fundamentals

Technical breadth
Professional practice breadth
Breadth in the humanities and social sciences
Technical specialization
In October 2004, based on additional input from the ASCE membership, the Board of Direction
further refined Policy Statement 465 to enhance its emphasis on the BOK. The wording of the
revised policy is as follows:
The American Society of Civil Engineers supports the attainment of a Body of Knowledge for entry
into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level. This would be accomplished through
the adoption of appropriate engineering education and experience requirements as a prerequisite for
licensure.
ASCE encourages institutions of higher education, governmental units, employers, civil engineers,
and other appropriate organizations to endorse, support, promote, and implement the attainment of
the Body of Knowledge. This includes additional education beyond the bachelors degree for the
practice of civil engineering at the professional level. The implementation of this effort should occur
through establishing appropriate curricula in the formal education process, appropriate experience
guidelines for the workplace, and related education and experience standards for licensure.
Admission to the practice of civil engineering at the professional level means professional
engineering licensing requiring attainment of a Body of Knowledge through appropriate engineering
education and experience. Fulfillment of this Body of Knowledge will include a combination of:
a baccalaureate degree,
a masters degree, or approximately 30 coordinated graduate or upper level undergraduate
credits or the equivalent agency/organization/professional society courses providing equal
quality and rigor, and
appropriate experience based upon broad technical and professional practice guidelines which
provide sufficient flexibility for a wide range of roles in engineering practice.
Basic-Level Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
Although it has now been formalized in ASCE policy, the BOK can only be implemented
through accreditation criteria and accreditation processes. New BOK-compliant ABET Basic-
Level Civil Engineering Program Criteria and Advanced Level General Criteria were drafted in
the spring of 2004 and, since then, have been systematically shared with the broader
community of civil engineering educators and practitioners. This two-year review process has
facilitated extensive feedback, resulting in substantive improvements to the draft criteria. The
current draft criteria are as follows:

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PROGRAM CRITERIA FOR
CIVIL
AND SIMILARLY NAMED ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
1. Curriculum
The program must demonstrate that graduates can apply knowledge of
mathematics through differential equations, calculus-based physics,
chemistry, and at least one additional area of science, consistent with the
program educational objectives; can apply knowledge of four technical areas
appropriate to civil engineering; can conduct civil engineering experiments
and analyze and interpret the resulting data; can design a system,
component, or process in more than one civil engineering context; can
explain basic concepts in management, business, public policy, and
leadership; and can explain the importance of professional licensure.
2. Faculty
The program must demonstrate that faculty teaching courses that are
primarily design in content are qualified to teach the subject matter by virtue
of professional licensure, or by education and design experience. The
program must demonstrate that it is not critically dependent on one
individual.

ASCEs goal is to fully implement these criteria for accreditation visits occurring during
academic year 2008-2009. Concurrently a 2
nd
Edition of the BOK is also being developeda
clear indicator of the dynamic nature of the civil engineering body of knowledge.
In developing these new ABET/EAC Criteria, the authors have attempted to strike a balance
between fostering full implementation of the BOK and preserving curricular flexibility. As such,
the draft criteria represent only a minimum standard for attainment of the Civil Engineering
BOK. Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the BOK will need to do
considerably more than the criteria prescribe.
Pur pose and Organi zat i on of t hi s Comment ar y
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide commentary on the ABET/EAC Criteria for civil and
similarly named engineering programs, in the context of the ASCE Civil Engineering Body of
Knowledge. More specifically, this Commentary is intended to:

Provide civil engineering program evaluators with guidelines for applying the
ABET/EAC Criteria in a civil engineering context; and
Provide civil engineering faculty members with recommended measuresabove and
beyond the criteriathat will ensure full, robust implementation of the BOK.
Nothing in this Commentary is intended to add to, detract from, or modify the ABET/EAC
Criteria. Rather, this document shows how full compliance with the criteria also ensures
minimum acceptable fulfillment of the BOK. In the spirit of the ABET/EAC Criteria, this
Commentary does not attempt to prescribe a single approach to satisfying the criteria; rather, it
emphasizes the educational institutions freedom to innovate within the framework of an
outcomes-based assessment process.

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Program evaluation is an inherently subjective process. This Commentary is intended to help
evaluators make subjective judgments in a manner that is consistent with both the ABET/EAC
Criteria and the BOK. Evaluators are encouraged to use this document as a resource to aid
the decision-making process, not as a set of rigid rules to be followed blindly. Ultimately,
decisions about compliance with the criteria must be based principally on the evaluators
professional judgmentinformed by the Team Chairs guidance and appropriate program
documentation.

The information presented in this Commentary reflects the best collective judgment of its
authors and reviewers. It is subject to continual review and revision, to reflect input from
constituencies and lessons learned from accreditation practice.
Organizat ion and Scope
This Commentary is organized in terms of the fifteen outcomes articulated in ASCEs Civil
Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21
st
Century. This organizational framework reflects
the concept that the BOK is the foundation on which the structure of civil engineering
accreditation is built. For each outcome, the following are provided:

A brief rationale for the outcome;
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of the
outcome;
Commentary on these criteria;
Suggested methods for demonstrating compliance with the criteria; and
Recommended measures beyond the criteria to ensure full, robust implementation of the
BOK. These recommendations are intended solely for civil engineering faculty. They may
not be enforced by the program evaluator, because they are, by definition, beyond the
scope of the associated criteria.
Although the scope of this Commentary incorporates all fifteen BOK outcomes, it does not, in
any way, supplement the ABET/EAC Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. The
commentaries on specific ABET/EAC Criteria should be regarded as suggestions for
evaluating the associated criteria in the context of the civil engineering discipline. These
commentaries neither add to nor detract from the criteria. For example, the commentary on
General Criterion 3(b) describes how experimental design is typically performed in civil
engineering practice; however, it does not, in any way, modify the ABET requirement that
graduates must be able to design experiments.

Although this Commentary is organized in terms of the fifteen BOK outcomes, the reader can
refer directly to individual provisions of the ABET/EAC Criteria by using the Criterion-to-
Outcome Cross-Reference provided at Appendix B (p. 52).

4


The BOK Out comes
The current BOK Outcomes associated with formal education are provided in Table 1 below.
Out come Descri pt i on
1 Graduates can solve problems in mathematics through differential equations,
calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of science.
2 Graduates can design a civil engineering experiment to meet a need; conduct
the experiment, and analyze and interpret the resulting data.
3 Graduates can design a complex system or process to meet desired needs,
within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political,
ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
4 Graduates can function effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
5 Graduates can solve well-defined engineering problems in four technical
areas appropriate to civil engineering.
6 Graduates can analyze a complex situation involving multiple conflicting
professional and ethical interests, to determine an appropriate course of
action.
7 Graduates can organize and deliver effective verbal, written, and graphical
communications.
8 Drawing upon a broad education, graduates can determine the global,
economic, environmental, and societal impacts of a specific, relatively
constrained engineering solution.
9 Graduates can demonstrate the ability to learn on their own, without the aid of
formal instruction.
10 Graduates can incorporate specific contemporary issues into the identification,
formulation, and solution of a specific engineering problem.
11 Graduates can apply relevant techniques, skills, and modern engineering
tools to solve a simple problem.
12 Graduates can evaluate the design of a complex system or process, or
evaluate the validity of newly created knowledge within a specialized area of
civil engineering.
13 Graduates can explain key concepts and problem-solving processes used in
management.
14 Graduates can explain key concepts and problem-solving processes used in
business, public policy, and public administration.
15 Graduates can explain the role of the leader, leadership principles, and
attitudes conducive to effective professional practice of civil engineering.
Table 1. Current BOK Outcomes


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Level s of Achi evement
To facilitate both the design of curricula and the assessment of BOK fulfillment, ASCE uses
Blooms Taxonomy as the basis for defining levels of achievement associated with the BOK.
Blooms Taxonomy is a well-established framework for defining educational objectives in terms
of the desired level of cognitive development. Blooms six levels of cognitive development
knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluationdescribe a
hierarchy of increasing complexity and sophistication in thought. Definitions of the six levels
are provided in the center column of Table 2 below.
The fundamental premise of Blooms Taxonomy is that an educational objective can be
referenced to a specific level of cognitive development through the verb used in the objective
statement. Some illustrative examples of verbs associated with Blooms six levels are
provided in the right-hand column of Table 2. Examples of instructional objectives referenced
to each level are provided in Table 3. Note that the effective application of Blooms taxonomy
requires the use of measurable verbs like explain, calculate, and design. Verbs like
understand and know are unsatisfactory, because they do not reflect observable aspects of
student performance.
In defining the BOK, ASCE uses Blooms six levels of cognitive development, without
modification, as levels of achievement. Consistent with the fundamental premise of Blooms
Taxonomy, each of the fifteen BOK outcomes is referenced to an expected level of
achievement through the verb used in the outcome statement. Furthermore, recognizing the
complementary contributions of education and experience to the development of civil
engineering professionals, ASCE has established separate levels of achievement that are
expected to be attained through formal education and pre-licensure experience.
These expected levels of achievement for both formal education and pre-licensure experience
are summarized in the BOK Profile illustrated in Figure 1 below. Note that Outcomes 1-11 and
13-15 are expected to be addressed through baccalaureate-level education (plus pre-licensure
experience), while Outcome 12 is attained through a masters degree or approximately 30
semester credits of acceptable graduate-level (or upper-level undergraduate) courses in a
technical or professional practice area related to civil engineering (abbreviated as M or 30 in
the figure).
Appendix A provides a comprehensive BOK Outcome Rubric, consisting of a 15-by-6 matrix of
outcome statements. For each of the fifteen BOK outcomes, the rubric provides a separate
outcome statement for each of Blooms six levels of cognitive development. Thus each row of
the matrix represents a developmental progression from rote memorization (Knowledge) to
sophisticated critical thinking (Evaluation) for each BOK outcome. By describing, in specific
terms, the full range of achievement for each outcome, this tool helps the reader ascertain
whether the expected level of achievement has actually been attainedby a particular student
or by an entire program.
Like the BOK outcomes, the formulation of the ABET/EAC Civil Engineering Program Criteria
is based on Blooms Taxonomy. Thus the verbs used in these criteria imply specific levels of
achievement that must be demonstrated for compliance. In this Commentary, expected levels
of achievement are discussed explicitly in conjunction with each provision of the Program
Criteria.


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Level Definition Illustrative Verbs
1. Knowledge Knowledge is defined as the remembering of
previously learned material. This may involve
the recall of a wide range of material, from
specific facts to complete theories, but all that
is required is the bringing to mind of the
appropriate information. Knowledge
represents the lowest level of learning
outcomes in the cognitive domain.
define; describe;
enumerate; identify;
label; list; match;
name; reproduce;
select; state.
2. Comprehension Comprehension is defined as the ability to
grasp the meaning of material. This may be
shown by translating material from one form to
another (words to numbers), by interpreting
material (explaining or summarizing), and by
estimating future trends (predicting
consequences or effects). These learning
outcomes go one step beyond the simple
remembering of material, and represent the
lowest level of understanding.
classify; cite;
convert; describe;
discuss; estimate;
explain; generalize;
give examples;
paraphrase; restate
(in own words);
summarize.
3. Application Application refers to the ability to use learned
material in new and concrete situations. This
may include the application of rules, methods,
concepts, principles, laws, and theories.
Learning outcomes in this area require a
higher level of understanding than those under
comprehension.
administer; apply;
calculate; chart;
compute; determine;
demonstrate;
implement; prepare;
provide; relate;
report; solve; use.
4. Analysis Analysis refers to the ability to break down
material into its component parts so that its
organizational structure may be understood.
This may include the identification of parts,
analysis of the relationship between parts, and
recognition of the organizational principles
involved. Analysis represents a higher level
than comprehension and application because
it requires an understanding of both the
content and the structural form of the material.
analyze; break
down; correlate;
differentiate;
discriminate;
distinguish;
formulate; illustrate;
infer; organize,
outline; prioritize;
separate; subdivide.
5. Synthesis Synthesis refers to the ability to put parts
together to form a new whole. This may
involve the production of a unique
communication, a plan of operations (research
proposal), or a set of abstract relations
(scheme for classifying information). Learning
outcomes in this area stress creative
behaviors, with major emphasis on the
formulation of new patterns or structure.
adapt; combine;
compile; compose;
create; design;
develop; devise;
facilitate; generate;
integrate; modify;
plan; reconstruct;
revise; structure.
6. Evaluation Evaluation is concerned with the ability to
judge the value of material for a given
purpose, based on definite criteria. Learning
outcomes in this area are highest in the
hierarchy because they contain elements of all
the other categories, plus conscious value
judgments based on clearly defined criteria.
appraise; compare &
contrast; conclude;
criticize; critique;
decide; defend;
evaluate; judge;
justify.
Table 1. Blooms Taxonomy Levels of Cognitive Development and Illustrative Verbs

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Level Example Instructional Objectives
1. Knowledge List the assumptions required for truss analysis.
2. Comprehension Explain the procedure for calculating member forces in a truss, using
the method of joints.
3. Application Calculate the member forces in a truss, using the method of sections.
4. Analysis Analyze a truss bridge, accounting for all relevant loading conditions.
5. Synthesis Design a truss bridge of a specified span length, accounting for all
relevant loading conditions.
6. Evaluation For a bridge of specified span length, compare the suitability of truss,
plate girder, and box girder configurations; and decide on an optimum
configuration.
Table 2. Examples of Instructional Objectives Referenced to Blooms Six Levels of Cognitive
Development
1
.

M
a
t
h

&

S
c
i
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n
c
e
2
.

E
x
p
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3
.

D
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n
4
.

M
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t
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c
i
p
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y

T
e
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5
.

E
n
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P
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6
.

P
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o
f
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s
i
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&

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7

C
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8
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9
.

L
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L
e
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1
0
.

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y

I
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s
1
1
.

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T
o
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s
1
2
.

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e
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3

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1
4
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B
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&

P
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1
5
.

L
e
a
d
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r
s
h
i
p
Outcome
1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation
L
e
v
e
l

o
f

A
c
h
i
e
v
e
m
e
n
t
Bachelors Degree
Experience
M
or
30
1
.

M
a
t
h

&

S
c
i
e
n
c
e
2
.

E
x
p
e
r
i
m
e
n
t
s
3
.

D
e
s
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g
n
4
.

M
u
l
t
i
d
i
s
c
i
p
l
i
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y

T
e
a
m
s
5
.

E
n
g
i
n
e
e
r
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g

P
r
o
b
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s
6
.

P
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f
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i
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&

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7

C
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8
.

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9
.

L
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1
0
.

C
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I
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1
1
.

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T
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1
2
.

T
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S
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M
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1
4
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B
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&

P
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1
5
.

L
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a
d
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h
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p
Outcome
1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation
1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation
L
e
v
e
l

o
f

A
c
h
i
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v
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m
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n
t
Bachelors Degree
Experience
M
or
30

Figure 1. The BOK Profile Expected Levels of Achievement for Each Outcome
The current formulation of the ABET/EAC General Criteria is not based on Blooms Taxonomy.
Thus the verbs used in the eleven outcomes of General Criterion 3(a)-(k) cannot always be
mapped explicitly to expected levels of achievement. Nonetheless, for the sake of consistency
in this Commentary, Bloom-based levels of achievement have been inferred from the overall
wording of the ABET/EAC outcomes. These inferred levels of achievement are discussed in
conjunction with each provision of ABET/EAC General Criterion 3.
Assessi ng t he Achi evement of Out comes
Criterion 3 of the ABET/EAC General Criteria requires the program to demonstrate that its
graduates achieve all of its program outcomes, to include those specified in Criterion 3(a)-(k).
The program is expected to provide convincing evidence that all students, by the time they
have graduated, have demonstrated achievement of every outcome, to a level the program

8

considers acceptable. Ideally, the assessment process should include both direct and indirect
measures and should not rely only on self-report surveys and evidence that the material is
simply covered in the curriculum. Student self-assessments, opinion surveys, and course
grades are generally not, by themselves or collectively, considered to be acceptable methods
for documenting the achievement of outcomes.
To assist programs in assessing outcomes effectively, this Commentary provides suggested
measures for demonstrating compliance with the criteria. A list of Suggestions for
Demonstrating Compliance is provided for each BOK outcome. These lists are not intended
to be all-inclusive. The evaluator should give the program wide latitude in determining how
compliance is demonstrated. Regardless of the method, however, responsibility for
demonstrating compliance lies with the program, not the evaluator.

9


BOK Out come 1
Mathematics and Science
Graduates can solve problems in mathematics through differential equations,
calculus-based physics, chemistry, and one additional area of science.

Rat i onal e
As the boundaries of technological knowledge expand, as new disciplines emerge, and as the
boundaries between existing disciplines blur, professional civil engineers must increasingly
draw upon a broad understanding of math and science fundamentals. Breadth in math and
science provides a strong foundation for engineering problem-solving (Outcome 5) and lifelong
learning (Outcome 9)not only in the traditional civil engineering discipline areas, but in
emerging fields and interdisciplinary endeavors as well.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK
outcome are as follows:
A portion of Criterion 3(a) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of Criterion 4 of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 3(a)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to apply knowledge of
mathematics, science, and engineering.
The requirement for an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science is expanded
upon in the Civil Engineering Program Criteria (discussed below). The requirement for an
ability to apply knowledge of engineering is addressed in Outcome 5 (Engineering Problem-
Solving).

10

General Crit erion 4
The following provision of General Criterion 4 pertains to this outcome:
The professional component must include...one year of a combination of college level mathematics
and basic sciences (some with experimental experience) appropriate to the discipline....
ABET interprets one year as either 32 semester credit hours or 25% of the total credit hours
required for the four-year program, whichever is less. Thus, a program with 128 or more total
credit hours must have at least 32 credit hours of math and basic science. A program with 120
total credit hours would only be required to have 30 credits of math and basic science.
Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following provision of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduates can apply knowledge of mathematics through
differential equations, calculus-based physics, chemistry, and at least one additional area of science,
consistent with the program educational objectives.
Mathematics through differential equations, calculus-based physics, and chemistry are
considered to be part of the technical core of civil engineering and thus are explicitly required
by the CE Program Criteria. Unlike previous editions of the CE Program Criteria, knowledge of
probability and statistics is not explicitly required. Nonetheless, probability and statistics
concepts are integral to many civil engineering subjects (e.g., hydrology and reliability-based
structural design); and if these subjects are included in the curriculum, students should have
an appropriate opportunity to acquire the mathematical prerequisites. It would be entirely
feasible for such opportunities to occur in the associated engineering courses, rather than in a
math course.
The requirement for one additional area of science reflects ASCEs intent that civil
engineering graduates develop greater breadth in the basic sciences beyond the technical
core subjects of physics and chemistry. Some possible additional areas of study include
biology, ecology, geology, geomorphology, and geo-spatial representationareas of
significant interest and increasing importance for civil engineers. This list is by no means all-
inclusive, and it is not necessary that all students within a program study the same additional
area of science. However, in cases other than those listed above, it is the programs
responsibility to demonstrate that the selected area(s) of science provide breadth beyond
physics and chemistry, consistent with the program objectives. In general, an advanced
course in physics or chemistry (i.e., one for which a basic-level physics or chemistry course
serves as a prerequisite) would not fulfill this requirement, because such a course would
provide additional depth rather than breadth. For the same reason, a course that is primarily
engineering science in content would not fulfill this requirement. Finally, because the focus of
this provision is on increased breadth in basic science, an additional course in mathematics
generally would not fulfill this requirement.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy (see p. 4-5), the verb apply in this provision of the
Program Criteria implies that the expected level of achievement is Level 3, Application. To

11

comply with this criterion, the program must demonstrate that its graduates can apply math
and science concepts and principles to solve relatively straightforward problems.
There is no requirement for a minimum number of credit hours or courses in any of these
subject areas. The evaluation should be based principally on graduates demonstrated ability
to solve problems, not on curricular content.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
A variety of measures can be used to demonstrate graduates ability to apply knowledge of
math and science. Some possible measures include:
Documented direct assessment of students math and science problem-solving work.
Documented successful application of the specified math and science topics in
subsequent engineering courses.
Performance on math and science questions on nationally normed tests, such as the
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam or the Graduate Record Examination.
Employers assessment of recent graduates performance in the specified math and
science subject areas
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations:

In addition to mathematics through differential equations, the program should develop
graduates ability to apply probability and statistics.
The program should develop graduates ability to apply knowledge in most of the following
areas: biology, ecology, geology/geomorphology, engineering economics, mechanics,
material properties, systems, geo-spatial representation, and information technology.
The program should familiarize students with emerging areas of science and technology,
such as nanotechnology and biotechnology.


12


BOK Out come 2
Experimentation
Graduates can design a civil engineering experiment to meet a need; conduct the
experiment, and analyze and interpret the resulting data.

Rat i onal e
Civil engineers frequently design and conduct field and laboratory studies, gather data, create
numerical and other models, and then analyze and interpret the results. Typical examples
include traffic studies, geotechnical site investigations, and water quality investigations.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK
outcome are as follows:
Criterion 3(b) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
Criterion 4 of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 3(b)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to design and conduct
experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
The only aspect of Criterion 3(b) that is not addressed in the Civil Engineering Program Criteria
(discussed below) is the requirement for an ability to design experiments. The design of
experiments is not emphasized in the Program Criteria, because civil engineers generally do
not develop experimental procedures; rather, they conduct laboratory experiments according
to published standards, such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
specifications and the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.
Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that the absence of any reference to experimental
design in the Civil Engineering Program Criteria does not relieve a program of responsibility for
compliance with the experimental design provision of General Criterion 3(b).

13

Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb design in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 5, Synthesis. Thus the experimental design must reflect the
putting together of parts to form a new whole.
In a civil engineering context, this level of achievement can be demonstrated through
laboratory experiences that are consistent with the standards-based testing used in the civil
engineering profession. For example, a program might require students to design a quality
control testing program for some aspect of a construction project, through the selection and
application of appropriate published standards. Thus, for example, the experimental design
might involve determining the type and frequency of ASTM tests to be performed on fresh and
hardened concrete during the construction of a building or highway. The student-designed
experiment does not necessarily have to be implemented, as long as students have
opportunities to conduct experiments elsewhere in the curriculum.
Because the requirement for experimental design occurs only in the General Criteria, there is
no requirement for students to design experiments in a civil engineering context. Thus the
program would be in full compliance if students ability to design experiments were acquired,
for example, in a physics, chemistry, or engineering mechanics course.
General Crit erion 4
The following provision of General Criterion 4 pertains to this outcome:
The professional component must include...one year of a combination of college level mathematics
and basic sciences (some with experimental experience) appropriate to the discipline....
As this criterion indicates, there must be some experimental experience contained within the
basic science component of the curriculum.

Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduates...can conduct civil engineering experiments and
analyze and interpret the resulting data.
The emphasis of this provision is on conducting laboratory experiments or tests in a civil
engineering context and then analyzing, interpreting, and applying the data. Compliance
should be demonstrated through graduates successful completion of laboratory experiences
that are characterized by many of the following elements and are documented in written
laboratory reports:
Understanding of the objectives and procedures associated with an experiment.
The conduct of experimental setup, measurement, and data collection.
Observation and documentation of error and uncertainties in data collection procedures.
Critical analysis of data.

14

Interpretation of the experimental results, with appropriate conclusions and
recommendations.
Application of the experimental results to a real-world civil engineering problem or
situation.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb conduct in this provision of the Program Criteria
implies that the level of achievement for such tasks as experimental setup, measurement, and
data collection is Level 3, Application. The verbs analyze and interpret imply that the level
of achievement for processing experimental data is Level 4, Analysis.
There is no requirement for students to conduct experiments in more than one civil
engineering technical area; however, it is highly unlikely that bona fide Level 4 achievement in
the analysis and interpretation of experimental data could be developed through a single civil
engineering laboratory experience.
A growing trend in engineering curriculum development involves the use of virtual
laboratoriescomputer simulations that attempt to replicate the hands-on experiences of
conventional physical labs. In general, such curricular innovations are encouraged, and the
program evaluator must keep an open mind when considering their effectiveness. An
evaluation of a virtual laboratory experience should consider such factors as:
The extent to which the subject matter lends itself to accurate simulation.
The extent to which the simulation replicates the actual physical experiences of setup,
measurement, and data collection.
The nature of student interaction with the simulation.
The students abilities acquired through the simulation.
Students satisfaction with their abilities gained through the simulation.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
A variety of measures can be used to demonstrate graduates ability to design and conduct
laboratory experiments and to analyze and interpret data. Some possible measures include:
Documented direct assessment of student laboratory reports.
Documented direct assessment of student projects involving the design of experiments.
Documented student performance on undergraduate research projects that have an
experimental component.
Employers assessment of recent graduates performance in laboratory work or quality
control testing.

15


BOK Out come 3
Engineering Design
Graduates can design a complex system or process to meet desired needs, within
realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health
and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.

Rat i onal e
Design is the essence of engineering. The ability to design a system, component, or process
is vital for the professional civil engineer.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK
outcome are as follows:
Criterion 3(c) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of Criterion 4 of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
Definit ion of Design
The ABET definition of engineering design is as follows:
Engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired
needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics,
and the engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet these stated needs.
This definition should form the basis for evaluation of Criterion 3(c), Criterion 4, and the design-
related provisions of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.

16

General Crit erion 3(c)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to design a system,
component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic,
environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb design in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 5, Synthesis. Evaluation of graduates ability to design should
take into account the following considerations:
The engineering design process typically includes both analysis and synthesis. Analysis
involves the application of engineering tools and principles to predict the performance of a
system, component, or process; synthesis involves the creation of a new system,
component or process to meet desired needs. Analysis without synthesis is not
engineering design.
Normally, analysis and synthesis are performed in an iterative cycle. Thus students
should experience some iterative design in the curriculum. It is not necessary for all
design experiences to be iterative, however. Such a requirement would place an
unrealistically heavy burden on both faculty and students.
Engineering design problems are generally ill-defined. As part of their design experience,
students should have an opportunity to define a problem, to include determining the
problem scope and design objectives.
Engineering design problems are generally open-ended. They have no single correct
answer, but rather a range of possible solutions. Nonetheless, the evaluator must
recognize that, in an academic setting, there are significant practical constraints on a
programs ability to implement truly open-ended design experiences across the curriculum.
The program must strike an appropriate balance between the desirability of open-ended
design problems, the limitations of students knowledge and experience, and the need to
provide students with high-quality feedback on their design computations. It is both
typical and appropriate for a design problem to have a relatively narrow range of correct
solutions.
Engineering design does not necessarily involve the devising of a complete system. The
design of a component (e.g., a beam or column) or subsystem (e.g., a roof truss)
constitutes an acceptable design experience. Students design experience is enhanced,
however, if they can also gain an appreciation for the design of large-scale systems.
Engineering standards and realistic constraints are critical in civil engineering design. The
program must clearly demonstrate where standards and constraints are taught and how
they are integrated into the design component of the curriculum. In civil engineering, the
most common types of standards are codes and regulations. Constraints explicitly cited in
Criterion 3(c) are economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety,
manufacturability, and sustainability considerations. In a civil engineering context,
manufacturability is generally interpreted as constructability.
General Crit erion 4
The following portion of Criterion 4 pertains to specifically this outcome:

17

Students must be prepared for engineering practice through the curriculum culminating in a major
design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work and
incorporating appropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic constraints.
The major design experience should be clearly identified in the curriculum. The faculty and
upper-level students should be cognizant of the design experience and its importance to the
program. The program should provide examples of completed (and assessed) student
projects for consideration by the program evaluator. The evaluator should use these examples
as the basis for judging the character of the design experience and for validating the programs
own assessment of its students design abilities.
As indicated in Criterion 4, the design experience should incorporate both engineering
standards and realistic constraints. The requirement for multiple realistic constraints implies
that at least two from the list of constraints provided in Criterion 3(c)economic,
environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
considerationsmust be present in the major design experience.
The major design experience should be relatively broad but does not necessarily have to
encompass the four technical civil engineering areas discussed under Outcome 5. It is
desirable for the project to be performed in teams, but there is no requirement to do so.
Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduatescan design a system, component, or process in
more than one civil engineering context.
As currently written, the ABET general criteria might be interpreted as permitting all of the
design in a curriculum to be resident in the major design experience specified in Criterion 4.
The Civil Engineering BOK suggests that it is preferable for students to learn about design in a
variety of different contexts, integrated throughout the professional component of the
curriculum.
The intent of the criterion cited above is that graduates can perform design in at least two civil
engineering contexts that are significantly different from each other. One unambiguous way to
satisfy this criterion is for the program to require its students to experience design in more than
one civil engineering technical area; e.g., structural engineering and geotechnical engineering.
(For further discussion of the civil engineering technical areas, see Outcome 5.) For example,
a program that requires its students to design both a reinforced concrete building frame (a
structural engineering context) and a deep foundation (a geotechnical engineering context) is
in compliance. Conversely, a program that requires its students to design only a reinforced
concrete structure and a steel structure would not be in compliance, since the design process
for steel and concrete structures is so similar.
The major design experience (as specified in Criterion 4) can be counted as one civil
engineering context. However, the major design experience alone cannot constitute
compliance with this provision of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.

18

One possible source of information that can be considered when evaluating compliance with
this criterion is Table I-1 (Basic-Level Curriculum) of the program self-study. In this table,
courses containing significant design are annotated with a check mark.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb design in this provision of the Civil Engineering
Program Criteria implies that the expected level of achievement is Level 5, Synthesis.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
The program can use a variety of measures to demonstrate its graduates ability to perform
civil engineering design. Some possible measures include:
Documented direct assessment of student design projects, to include the major design
experience.
External assessments of student design reports or presentations, performed by clients,
advisory board members, etc.
Employers assessment of recent graduates design ability.
Note that merely providing samples of student design project reports would not, by itself,
demonstrate students ability to design a system, component, or process. The program must
have assessed the student work (or must have arranged for an external assessment of the
student work) and must present evidence that all students, by the time of graduation, have
demonstrated this ability at an appropriate standard of performance.

Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations to enhance graduates ability to perform engineering
design:

The program should provide its students with opportunities to employ all aspects of the
design processproblem definition, scope, design objectives, analysis, risk assessment,
environmental impact, creativity, synthesizing alternatives, iteration, regulations, codes,
safety, security, constructability, and sustainability
The program should address design-oriented professional practice topics, such as bidding
versus qualifications-based selection (QBS); estimating engineering costs; interaction
between planning, design, and construction; design review; owner-engineer relationships;
and life-cycle assessment.
The program should provide its students with opportunities to design large-scale systems,
to include the integration of information, organizations, people, processes, and technology
in the design solution.
The program should provide design experiences integrated throughout the professional
component of the curriculumto include substantive design experiences prior to the
senior year and design experiences in all of the civil engineering technical areas
represented in the curriculum.


19


BOK Out come 4
Multi-Disciplinary Teams
Graduates can function effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

Rat i onal e
Engineering work is invariably performed in teams. A licensed civil engineer should be able to
lead a team or participate effectively as a member of a team. In civil engineering practice,
project teams are typically multi-disciplinary. In some cases, however, the disciplines
represented on these teams may actually be civil engineering specialty areas.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(d) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri on
General Crit erion 3(d)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to function on multi-
disciplinary teams.
In an academic setting, the term multi-disciplinary team is usually interpreted as a group of
students representing several engineering or non-engineering disciplines. In the context of
civil engineering design, however, a multi-disciplinary team could include students with
expertise in the different technical areas of civil engineering.
A useful set of characteristics of a multi-disciplinary team experience are that (1) each team
member serves in a well-defined role in the team; (2) each team member brings a particular
expertise to bear in solving the problem; and (3) the scope of the problem is sufficiently broad
that no one team member could successfully solve the problem alone.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb function in this criterion implies that the
expected level of achievement is Level 3, Application. To comply with this criterion, the
program must demonstrate that each graduate can successfully serve in a well-defined role as
a member of a multi-disciplinary team and can make a meaningful contribution to the

20

accomplishment of the teams goals. It is not necessary for graduates to be able to organize
or lead a team.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate graduates ability to
function on multidisciplinary teams include:
Documented direct assessment or peer assessments of students performance as
members of project teams.
Documented direct assessment of students performance in a course (or a portion of a
course) devoted to teaming principles and skills.
Documented assessments of students performance in team-oriented extracurricular
activities.
Employers assessment of recent graduates ability to work in teams.
Note that mere participation as a member of a team does not, by itself, demonstrate an ability
to function effectively on a team.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider providing formal instruction in teaming principles and skills, complemented by
experiences in which these skills are practiced and assessed. Such instruction should be
designed to develop graduates understanding of team formation and evolution, personality
profiles, team dynamics, collaboration among diverse disciplines, problem-solving, time
management, and being able to foster and integrate diversity of perspectives, knowledge, and
experiences.

21


BOK Out come 5
Engineering Problem-Solving
Graduates can solve well-defined engineering problems in four technical areas
appropriate to civil engineering.

Rat i onal e
The ability to identify engineering problems, formulate alternatives, and recommend feasible
solutions is a critically important aspect of the professional responsibilities of a civil engineer.
Civil engineering is an inherently broad field, and most civil engineering problems draw upon
ideas, concepts, and principles from across the discipline. Thus professional civil engineers
must possess technical breadth, with strong problem-solving ability in multiple technical areas
of the civil engineering discipline.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK
outcome are as follows:
Criterion 3(e) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of Criterion 4 of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 3(e)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to identify, formulate,
and solve engineering problems.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verbs identify and formulate in this criterion imply
that the expected level of achievement is Level 4, Analysis. To comply with this criterion, the
program must demonstrate that each graduate can successfully perform engineering analysis
by breaking down a system or process into its component parts, such that its performance can
be understood.

22

It should be noted that the Criterion 3(c) requirement for an ability to design a system,
component, or process specifies Level 5 problem-solving ability. Since analysis is integral to
engineering design, it would be entirely permissible for the program to use assessments of
students design work as the basis for demonstrating compliance with both Criterion 3(c) and
3(e).
General Crit erion 4
The following portion of General Criterion 4 pertains to this outcome:
The professional component must include...one and one-half years of engineering topics, consisting
of engineering sciences and engineering design appropriate to the student's field of study.
ABET interprets one and one-half years as either 48 semester credit hours or 37.5% of the
total credit hours required for the four-year program, whichever is less.
Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following provision of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduates...can apply knowledge of four technical areas
appropriate to civil engineering.
Through this provision, ASCE ensures that every civil engineering graduate has sufficient
relevant technical breadth to be considered a civil engineer.
Seven generally recognized civil engineering technical areas are:
Structural
Geotechnical
Environmental/Sanitary
Transportation
Hydraulics/Hydrology/Water Resources
Surveying/Measurements
Construction
It is entirely permissible, however, for programs to develop their graduates technical breadth
through coursework in other subject areas. The field of civil engineering is evolving, and new
specialty areas are continually emerging. It is critically important that the enforcement of this
criterion not stifle curricular innovation. Nonetheless, if a programs four technical areas
include one or more subjects not listed above, the program (not the evaluator) is responsible
for demonstrating that its non-standard curricular areas are indeed appropriate to civil
engineering.

23

Some possible justifications for a non-standard curricular area might include the following:
ASCE has an institute or technical division in the technical area.
ASCE publishes a journal in the technical area.
ASCE sponsors specialty conferences in the technical area.
There are civil engineering consulting firms that specialize in the technical area.
Again, this list is not intended to be all-inclusive; many other legitimate justifications are
possible. Ultimately, the program must provide the information on which a well-reasoned
judgment can be madeand the evaluator must make the judgment. This judgment must
balance the desirability of curricular innovation against the need for relevant technical breadth
in all civil engineering graduates. The judgment may not be based on the evaluators personal
view of what civil engineering should or should not be.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb apply in this provision of the Program Criteria
implies that the expected level of achievement is Level 3, Application. Graduates should be
able to apply concepts and principles in all four designated technical areas to solve relatively
straightforward problems.
Note that this provision of the Program Criteria emphasizes civil engineering breadth, which is
attained through undergraduate-level study. Civil engineering depth is attained primarily
through post-graduate study, as specified in Outcome 12.
There is no requirement for a minimum number of credit hours or courses in each of the four
technical areas, and there is no requirement that all graduates of a given program take
courses in the same four areas. The evaluation should be based principally on individual
graduates ability to solve straightforward problems in each area (i.e., to apply knowledge), not
on curricular content.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate graduates ability to
apply knowledge in four civil engineering technical areas include:
Documented direct assessment of student problem-solving work in the four CE technical
areas.
Successful completion of a course devoted specifically to a given CE technical area.
*

Successful application of concepts from a given CE technical area in the subsequent
major design experience
Performance on the CE discipline-specific portion of the Fundamentals of Engineering
exam

*
The ABET Criterion 3 White Paper (see p.7) indicates that course completion is generally not an acceptable method of
demonstrating the achievement of outcomes. In this instance, however, the successful completion of a course devoted
to a particular CE technical area maps directly to the outcome itself (the ability to apply knowledge in the associated CE
technical area). Thus, in this specific instance, the use of course completion as a measure of outcome attainment is
entirely reasonable.

24

Employers assessment of recent graduates performance in the specified CE technical
areas.

25


BOK Out come 6
Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
Graduates can analyze a complex situation involving multiple conflicting professional
and ethical interests, to determine an appropriate course of action.

Rat i onal e
The civil engineer must hold paramount public safety, health, and welfare. A thoughtful and
careful weighing of alternatives when values conflict is crucial to the responsible conduct of
engineering. Therefore, civil engineers practicing at the professional level need to possess an
understanding of and a commitment to practice according to the seven Fundamental Canons
of Ethics and the associated Guidelines to Practice under the Fundamental Canons of Ethics.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The specific ABET/EAC criteria representing the minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK
outcome are as follows:
Criterion 3(f) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 3(f)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an understanding of
professional and ethical responsibility.
The reference to understanding in this criterion implies that the expected level of
achievement is Level 2, Comprehension. Graduates should be able to explain engineers
professional and ethical responsibilities, as described in the ASCE Fundamental Canons of
Ethics and the associated Guidelines to Practice under the Fundamental Canons of Ethics.
It is advisable (but not required) that programs involve practitioners in the development,
teaching, and assessment of professional and ethical responsibilities.

26

Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following provision of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduates...can explain the importance of professional
licensure.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb explain in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 2, Comprehension. Graduates should be able to explain the
unique nature of civil engineers responsibility to the general public and the consequent
emphasis on professional licensure in civil engineering professional practice.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate graduates
understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on exam questions related to
professional and ethical responsibilities.
Documented direct assessment of student performance on essays, case studies, etc.
related to professional and ethical responsibilities.
Students willingness to pursue professional registration, as represented by the proportion
of graduating seniors who take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider developing graduates knowledge of professional and ethical responsibilities to Level
4 (Analysis) of Blooms Taxonomy. Specifically, graduates should be able to analyze a
complex situation involving multiple conflicting professional and ethical interests and to
determine an appropriate course of action.

27


BOK Out come 7
Communication Skills
Graduates can organize and deliver effective verbal, written, and graphical
communications.

Rat i onal e
Civil engineers practicing at the professional level must communicate effectively, through a
variety of media and in a variety of settings, to both technical and non-technical audiences.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(g) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri on
General Crit erion 3(g)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to communicate
effectively.
Level 4 (Analysis) is inferred as the expected level of achievement for this criterion. Graduates
must be able to organize and deliver effective verbal and written communications.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate graduates
communication skills include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on technical or non-technical
writing requirements.
Documented direct assessment of student performance on oral presentations.
External assessments of student project presentations, performed by clients, advisory
board members, etc.

28

Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider developing the full range of graduates communication skills, to include listening,
observing, reading, speaking, and writing. In engineering practice, written communication
often entails the use of graphics and is often facilitated by the Internet and other electronic
media; thus emphasis on these aspects of written communication is also desirable.

29


BOK Out come 8
Impact of Engineering Solutions in a Global,
Economic, Environmental, and Societal Context
Drawing upon a broad education, graduates can determine the global, economic,
environmental, and societal impacts of a specific, relatively constrained engineering
solution.

Rat i onal e
Professional civil engineers need to appreciate, from historical and contemporary perspectives,
culture, human and organizational behavior, aesthetics and ecology, and their impacts on
society. Such appreciation leads to engineering solutions that more broadly and effectively
serve society.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(h) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 3(h)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...the broad education necessary
to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal
context.
The verb understand in this criterion implies that the expected level of achievement is Level
2, Comprehension. Graduates should be able to draw upon a broad education to explain the
global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts of an engineering solution.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate graduates ability to
explain the global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts of an engineering solution
include:

30

Documented direct assessment of student performance on essays, case studies, etc.
related to the impact of engineering solutions.
Documented direct assessment of student performance on engineering projects in which
a determination of the global, economic, environmental, and societal impacts is integral to
the problem solution.
Documented direct assessment of student performance in coursework related to
globalization, economics, the environment, and society.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations to enhance students understanding of the impact of
engineering solutions in a global and societal context:

The program should ensure that the general education component of the curriculum
includes opportunities to learn about culture, human and organizational behavior,
aesthetics, and ecologyand their impacts on society.
The program should develop students appreciation for the history and heritage of the civil
engineering profession.

31


BOK Out come 9
Life-Long Learning
Graduates can demonstrate the ability to learn on their own, without the aid of formal
instruction.

Rat i onal e
Given the ever-increasing quantity of technical and non-technical knowledge required of
practicing civil engineers, the ability to engage in life-long learning is essential. Civil engineers
engage in life-long learning through additional formal education, continuing education,
professional practice experience, and active involvement in professional societies, community
service, coaching, mentoring, and other learning and growth activities.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(i) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri on
General Crit erion 3(i)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...a recognition of the need for,
and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
This criterion has two distinct parts, each with its own expected level of achievement. In the
first part, the phrase recognition of the need for implies an expected level of achievement of
Level 2, Comprehension. Graduates should be able to explain why life-long learning is an
essential skill for the successful practice of engineering. In the second part of the criterion, the
verb engage implies an expected level of achievement of Level 3, Application, with respect to
actual life-long learning ability.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students recognition of
the need for, and ability to engage in, life-long learning include:

32

Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework or projects
requiring self-directed learning. Self-directed learning occurs when students are asked to
acquire knowledge without the aid of formal classroom instruction; e.g., in a research or
independent study project.
Documented direct assessment of student work (e.g., essays or journals) requiring
professional goal-setting or reflection on the value of life-long learning.
Documented student participation in voluntary professional development activities, such
as professional society membership, community service, and preparation for the
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam.
Employers assessment of recent graduates willingness and ability to engage in life-long
learning.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations to enhance students capacity for life-long learning,
personal development, and professional development:

The program should develop students understanding of goal setting, personal time
management, delegation, personality types, networking, leadership, the socio-political
process, and effecting change.
The program should develop students understanding of the importance of other forms of
professional development, to include career management, increasing discipline
knowledge, contributing to the profession, self-employment, additional graduate studies,
and achieving licensure and specialty certification.

33


BOK Out come 10
Contemporary Issues
Graduates can incorporate specific contemporary issues into the identification,
formulation, and solution of a specific engineering problem.

Rat i onal e
To be effective, professional civil engineers should appreciate the relationship of engineering
to critical contemporary issues such as multicultural globalization of engineering practice;
raising the quality of life around the world; the growing diversity of society; and the technical,
environmental, societal, political, legal, aesthetic, economic, and financial implications of
engineering projects.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(j) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri on
General Crit erion 3(j)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...a knowledge of contemporary
issues.
In this criterion, the phrase knowledge of implies an expected level of achievement of Level 2,
Comprehension. Graduates should be able to explain contemporary issues, as they relate to
the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students ability to
explain contemporary issues include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework, projects, case
studies, or exams requiring students to explain the relationship between contemporary
issues and engineering.

34

Documented direct assessment of student performance in coursework specifically dealing
with contemporary issues.

35


BOK Out come 11
Techniques, Skills, and Modern Engineering Tools
Necessary for Engineering Practice
Graduates can apply relevant techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools to
solve a simple problem.

Rat i onal e
Practicing civil engineers must be able to use appropriate information technology,
contemporary analysis and design methods, and applicable design codes and standards as
practical problem-solving tools to complement their knowledge of fundamental concepts. The
ability to select the appropriate tools for solving different types and levels of problems is also
essential.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
Criterion 3(k) of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs represents the minimum
standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri on
General Crit erion 3(k)
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have...an ability to use the techniques,
skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb use in this criterion implies an expected level of
achievement of Level 3, Application. Graduates must be able to use modern tools,
techniques, and skills to solve engineering problems; mere familiarity with these tools does not
constitute adequate compliance with this criterion.
Criterion 3(k) might be erroneously interpreted as applying solely to the use of information
technology. To ensure full compliance, however, the program must also demonstrate that its
graduates have the ability to use contemporary analysis and design methods and applicable
design codes and standards as practical problem-solving tools.

36

The ABET/EAC Criteria are aimed at the education of engineers, not the training of
technicians. Thus, in evaluating compliance with this criterion, the emphasis should be on
graduates general ability to use engineering tools for problem-solving. There is no
requirement for proficiency in the use of any specific engineering tool.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students ability to use
techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework or projects in which
computer software is used as a tool to solve an engineering problem.
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework or projects in which
codes and standards are used as tools to solve an engineering problem.
Employers assessment of recent graduates ability to use the techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Note that the mere inclusion of a particular tool in a course does not, by itself, demonstrate that
all students taking that course are able to use the tool.


37


BOK Out come 12
Specialized Area Related to Civil Engineering
Graduates can evaluate the design of a complex system or process, or evaluate the
validity of newly created knowledge within a specialized area of civil engineering.

Rat i onal e
The professional civil engineer must possess a high level of disciplinary depth, attained
through specialized technical or professional practice coursework at the graduate level (or
equivalent).
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
This BOK outcome is fulfilled through achievement of a portion of the ABET General Criteria
for Advanced Level Programs.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit eria for Advanced Level Programs
In comparison with traditional civil engineering curricula, the Civil Engineering BOK
incorporates significantly greater breadth in science and professional practice. In recognition
of these increased demands for curricular breadth, the Civil Engineering Program Criteria
require that undergraduates attain only Level 3 (Application) in four technical areas
appropriate to the civil engineering discipline. A higher level of achievement is required in
only one specialized area related to civil engineering, and this higher standard is attained
through graduate-level coursework.
The following portion of the General Criteria for Advanced Level Programs pertains to this
outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduates have an ability to apply advanced level knowledge in
a specialized area of engineering related to the program area.

38

Based on the requirement for advanced level program knowledge, the expected level of
achievement is interpreted as Level 6, Evaluation.
*
Graduates must be capable of evaluating
the design of a complex system or process, or of evaluating the validity of research findings
within a specialized area of civil engineering.
Some examples of specialized areas include environmental engineering, structural
engineering, geotechnical engineering, construction engineering and management, public
works management, transportation engineering, and water resources management. In a
professional practice-oriented masters degree program, civil engineering professional
practice could be defined as the specialized area. Civil engineering specializations in
nontraditional, boundary, or emerging fields such as ecological engineering, biotechnology,
and nanotechnology are encouraged.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
ASCEs intent is that programs can demonstrate compliance with this provision of the General
Criteria for Advanced Level Programs without creating new assessment systems for their
masters programs.
A program can demonstrate its graduates ability to apply advanced knowledge through project
reports, theses, or comprehensive exams that are required for successful completion of the
program and that have been evaluated and approved by the faculty. If the program chooses
to use this form of evidence, the content of the report, thesis, or exam must be clearly
associated with the designated specialized area related to civil engineering. A team-based
project can be used to demonstrate individual students ability only if individual team members
are evaluated separately.
A project, thesis, or comprehensive exam is not required for compliance with this criterion.
Programs that do not require a project, thesis, or comprehensive exam can demonstrate
compliance through other appropriate direct measures of student performance; e.g., students
performance on designated course examinations that are judged to be good indicators of
advanced knowledge in the specialized area.

*
Note that use of the verb applywould imply an expected level of achievement of Level 3, Application. The apparent
discrepancy results from the fact that the ABET/EAC General Criteria are not based on Blooms Taxonomy..

39


BOK Out come 13
Project Management, Construction, and Asset
Management
Graduates can explain key concepts and problem-solving processes used in
management.

Rat i onal e
Civil engineering work is often performed within the broader context of a project management
process; and the efforts of the professional civil engineer often lead to construction, operation,
and maintenance of new or rehabilitated facilities.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome is specified in a portion of the Civil
Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
The following portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduatescan explain basic concepts in management.
The three forms of management most relevant to civil engineering are as follows:
Project management. Basic concepts in project management include project manager
responsibilities, defining and meeting client requirements, risk assessment and
management, stakeholder identification and involvement, contract negotiation, project
work plans, scope and deliverables, budget and schedule preparation and monitoring,
interaction among engineering and other disciplines, quality assurance and quality control,
and dispute resolution processes.
Construction management. Basic concepts in construction management include owner-
engineer-contractor relationships; project delivery systems (e.g., design-bid-build, design-

40

build); estimating construction costs; bidding by contractors; labor and labor management
issues; and construction processes, methods, systems, equipment, planning, scheduling,
safety, cost analysis, and cost control.
Asset management. Asset management seeks effective and efficient long-term
ownership of capital facilities via systematic acquisition, operation, maintenance,
preservation, replacement, and disposition. Basic concepts include optimizing life-cycle
performance, minimizing life-cycle costs, achieving maximum stakeholder benefit, and the
use of tools and techniques such as design innovations, new construction technologies,
materials improvements, geo-mapping, database management, value assessment,
performance models, web-based communication, and cost accounting.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb explain in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 2 (Comprehension). Graduates must be able to explain some
(but not all) of the key concepts in any one of the three management areas listed above. As
an alternative, graduates ability to explain generic, business-oriented management concepts
(e.g., those acquired from a management course outside of the engineering program) also
represents full compliance with this criterion.
It is not necessary for the program to offer one or more courses explicitly devoted to
management. Rather, management topics may be integrated into other courses or curricular
experiences.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students ability to
explain basic concepts in management include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework, projects, or
examinations in which students are required to explain or apply management concepts.
Successful completion of a course devoted specifically to some form of management.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
provide more comprehensive instruction, leading to students ability to explain or apply most of
the key concepts in all three management areasproject management, construction
management, and asset management.

41


BOK Out come 14
Business, Public Policy, and Public Administration
Graduates can explain key concepts and problem-solving processes used in
business, public policy, and public administration.

Rat i onal e
The professional civil engineer typically functions within both the public and private sectors and
thus requires an understanding of business, public policy, and public administration
fundamentals.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome is specified in a portion of the Civil
Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
The following portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduatescan explain basic concepts in business [and] public
policy.
Basic business concepts that are typically applied in the private, government and non-profit
sectors include legal forms of ownership, organizational structure and design, income
statements, balance sheets, decision (engineering) economics, finance, marketing and sales,
billable time, overhead, and profit.

Basic public policy and public administration concepts include the political process,
formulation of public policy, laws and regulations, funding mechanisms, public education and
involvement, government-business interaction, and the public service responsibility of
professionals.

Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb explain in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 2 (Comprehension). Graduates must be able to explain some
(but not all) of the key concepts in business, as listed above, and some (but not all) of the key
concepts in public policy or public administration, as listed above.

42

It is not necessary for the program to offer one or more courses explicitly devoted to business,
public policy, or public administration. Rather, these topics may be integrated into other
courses or curricular experiences.
Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students ability to
explain basic concepts in business and public policy include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework, projects, or
examinations in which students are required to explain or apply business and public policy
concepts.
Successful completion of a course devoted specifically to business and/or public policy.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
provide more comprehensive instruction, leading to students ability to explain or apply most of
the key concepts in business, public policy and public administration.

43


Out come 15
Leadership and Attitudes
Graduates can explain the role of the leader, leadership principles, and attitudes
conducive to effective professional practice of civil engineering.

Rat i onal e
Professional civil engineers are often called upon to assume leadership roles, in both the
public and private arenas. Successful civil engineers develop leadership skills to complement
their managerial abilities. They also adopt positive attitudes that enhance their professional
credibility, interpersonal relationships, and personal motivation.
How t he Out come i s Ful fi l l ed
The minimum standard for fulfillment of this BOK outcome is specified in a portion of the Civil
Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
The following portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertains to this outcome:
The program must demonstrate that graduatescan explain basic concepts in leadership.
Leadership, which differs from and complements management, requires broad motivation,
direction, and communication skills. Desirable behaviors of leaders, which can be taught and
learned, include earning trust, trusting others, formulating and articulating vision,
communication, rational thinking, openness, consistency, commitment to organizational
values, and discretion with sensitive information.
Consistent with Blooms Taxonomy, the verb explain in this criterion implies that the expected
level of achievement is Level 2 (Comprehension). Graduates must be able to explain some
key concepts in leadership, such as those listed above.
It is not necessary for the program to offer one or more courses explicitly devoted to
leadership. Rather, this topic may be integrated into other courses or curricular experiences.

44

Suggest ions for Demonst rat ing Compliance
Some possible measures that the program might use to demonstrate students ability to
explain basic concepts in leadership include:
Documented direct assessment of student performance on homework, projects, or
examinations in which students are required to explain leadership concepts.
Successful completion of a course devoted specifically to leadership.
Documented student performance in the application of leadership principles through
practical experiences in curricular or extracurricular leadership roles.
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations to enhance students understanding of leadership
and attitudes:

The program should provide more comprehensive leadership instruction, resulting in
students ability to explain most of the key concepts in leadership.
The program should develop students appreciation for the attitudesvalue-driven
feelings or emotionsthat are conducive to effective professional practice of civil
engineering. These include commitment, judgment, confidence, optimism, consideration
of others, persistence, curiosity, positiveness, entrepreneurship, respect, fairness, self-
esteem, high expectations, sensitivity, honesty, thoughtfulness, integrity, thoroughness,
intuition, and tolerance.
The program should provide opportunities for students to develop and practice leadership
by leading their peers in student projects and extracurricular activities and by receiving
feedback on their leadership performance.

45


Teachi ng t he BOK
Faculty
Rat i onal e
The Civil Engineering BOK should be taught by full-time or part-time faculty who exhibit the
following four characteristics:
They are scholarslife-long learners who are experts in the subjects they teach.
They are effective teachers, who engage their students in the learning process.
They have practical experience in the engineering subjects they teach.
They are positive role models for the profession.
How t he BOK i s Ful fi l l ed
This component of the Civil Engineering BOK is fulfilled through achievement of:
Criterion 5 of the ABET General Criteria for Basic Level Programs.
A portion of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria.
Comment ar y on t he Cri t eri a
General Crit erion 5
Criterion 5 requires that program faculty must have competencies to cover all of the curricular
areas of the program. Given the curricular areas specified in the Civil Engineering Program
Criteria, the faculty must have the competencies to cover the programs chosen four technical
areas appropriate to civil engineering, and to teach civil engineering design, management,
business, and leadership.
Faculty members teaching management, business, and leadership need not be civil
engineers. Furthermore, it is reasonable to expect that faculty members teaching emerging
non-traditional specialty areas appropriate to civil engineering might also not be civil
engineers.

46

Civil Engineering Program Crit eria
Two provisions of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertain to this outcome. The first is as
follows:
The program must demonstrate that faculty teaching courses that are primarily design in content are
qualified to teach the subject matter by virtue of professional licensure, or by education and design
experience.
[Commentary to be written]
The second provision of the Civil Engineering Program Criteria pertaining to this outcome is as
follows:
The program must demonstrate that it is not critically dependent on one individual.
[Commentary to be written]
Beyond t he Cri t eri a
Programs that aspire to full, robust implementation of the Civil Engineering BOK should
consider the following recommendations to enhance faculty effectiveness:

The program should implement a comprehensive faculty development program that
fosters long-term professional growth of all faculty members as effective teachers,
scholars, and role models.
The program should provide opportunities for faculty members to gain practical experience
and heightened expertise in the subjects they teach.
The program should ensure that most civil engineering faculty members hold professional
engineering licenses.




47


48
Appendi x A: BOK Out come Rubri c


OUTCOME
Level 1:
KNOWLEDGE
Level 2:
COMPREHENSION
Level 3:
APPLICATION
Level 4:
ANALYSIS
Level 5:
SYNTHESIS
Level 6:
EVALUATION
1 Math and
science
Define key factual
information related to
mathematics through
differential equations,
calculus-based
physics, chemistry,
and one additional
area of science.
Explain key concepts and
problem-solving
approaches in
mathematics through
differential equations,
calculus-based physics,
chemistry, and one
additional area of science.
Solve problems in
mathematics through
differential equations,
calculus-based physics,
chemistry, and one
additional area of
science.
Analyze a complex
problemto determine
the relevant
mathematical and
scientific principles; and
then apply that
knowledge to solve the
problem.
Create new
mathematical or
scientific knowledge.
Evaluate the validity of
newly created
mathematical or
scientific knowledge.
2 Experiments Identify the
procedures and
equipment necessary
to conduct civil
engineering
experiments.
Explain the purpose,
procedures, equipment,
and practical applications
of civil engineering
experiments.
Conduct civil
engineering experiments
according to established
procedures, and report
the results.
Conduct civil
engineering
experiments according
to established
procedures, and analyze
and interpret the
results.
Design a civil
engineering experiment
to meet a need; conduct
the experiment, and
analyze and interpret
the resulting data.
Evaluate the
effectiveness of a
designed experiment in
meeting an ill-defined
real world need.
3 Design a system
component or
process
Define engineering
design; list the major
steps in the
engineering design
process; and list
constraints that affect
the process and
products of
engineering design.
Describe the engineering
design process; explain
how real-world constraints
affect the process and
products of engineering
design.
Determine the required
characteristics (e.g.,
dimensions, material) of
a simple component (e.g.,
a structural member) to
meet a well-defined set
of requirements and
constraints.
Analyze a complex
systemor process (e.g.,
a truss or water
treatment process) to
determine if a given
design alternative meets
specified requirements
and constraints.
Design a complex
systemor process to
meet desired needs,
within realistic
constraints such as
economic,
environmental, social,
political, ethical, health
and safety,
manufacturability, and
sustainability.
Evaluate the design of a
complex system,
component, or process to
ensure that it meets a
clients needs and
accounts for all relevant
constraints.
4 Multi-
disciplinary
teams
List the key
characteristics of an
effective multi-
disciplinary team.
Explain the factors
affecting the ability of a
multi-disciplinary teamto
function effectively.
Function effectively as a
member of a multi-
disciplinary team.
Organize an existing
multi-disciplinary team
to accomplish a
complex task.
Create and organize a
multi-disciplinary team
to accomplish a
complex task.
Evaluate the
composition,
organization, and
performance of a multi-
disciplinary teamin
accomplishing a complex
task.





49

OUTCOME
Level 1:
KNOWLEDGE
Level 2:
COMPREHENSION
Level 3:
APPLICATION
Level 4:
ANALYSIS
Level 5:
SYNTHESIS
Level 6:
EVALUATION
5 Engineering
problem-solving
List key factual
information related to
four technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering.
Explain key concepts and
problem-solving processes
in four technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering.
Solve well-defined
engineering problems in
four technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering.
Identify, formulate,
and solve an ill-defined
engineering problemin
four technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering.
Identify, formulate,
and solve an ill-defined
engineering problem
involving integration of
several different
technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering.
Identify, formulate, and
solve an engineering
probleminvolving
integration of several
different technical areas
appropriate to civil
engineering; and
evaluate the
effectiveness of the
solution.
6 Professional and
ethical
responsibility
List the professional
and ethical
responsibilities of a
civil engineer.
Explain the professional
and ethical responsibilities
of a civil engineer.
Apply standards of
professional and ethical
responsibility in a
relatively clear-cut
situation, to determine an
appropriate course of
action.
Analyze a complex
situation involving
multiple conflicting
professional and ethical
interests, to determine
an appropriate course of
action.
Synthesize their studies
and experiences to
foster their own long-
termprofessional and
ethical development.
Self-assess their long-
termprofessional and
ethical development and
can evaluate both in light
of competing and
complex real-world
alternatives.
7 Communicate List the
characteristics of
effective verbal,
written, and graphical
communications.
Describe the
characteristics of effective
verbal, written, and
graphical
communications.
Correctly apply the rules
of grammar and
composition in verbal
and written
communications; and
apply appropriate
graphical standards in
preparing engineering
drawings.
Organize and deliver
effective verbal, written,
and graphical
communications.
Plan, compose, and
integrate the verbal,
written, and graphical
communication of a
complex project to
technical and non-
technical audiences.
Evaluate the
effectiveness of the
integrated verbal, written,
and graphical
communication of a
complex project to
technical and non-
technical audiences.
8 Impact of
engineering
solutions
Drawing upon a
broad education,
identify global,
economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts of
engineering solutions.
Drawing upon a broad
education, explain the
global, economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts of
engineering solutions.
Drawing upon a broad
education, determine the
global, economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts of a
specific, relatively
constrained engineering
solution.
Drawing upon a broad
education, analyze a
complex engineering
solution to determine its
global, economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts.
Drawing upon a broad
education, develop a
complex engineering
solution that
appropriately accounts
for the global,
economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts of that
solution.
Drawing upon a broad
education and
experience, develop and
evaluate the
effectiveness of a
complex engineering
solution that
appropriately accounts
for the global, economic,
environmental, and
societal impacts of that
solution.


50

OUTCOME
Level 1:
KNOWLEDGE
Level 2:
COMPREHENSION
Level 3:
APPLICATION
Level 4:
ANALYSIS
Level 5:
SYNTHESIS
Level 6:
EVALUATION
9 Lifelong
Learning
Define life-long
learning.
Explain the need for life-
long learning and describe
the skills required of a life-
long learner.
Demonstrate the ability
to learn on their own,
without the aid of formal
instruction.
Analyze a complex
problemto differentiate
between aspects that are
already known and
aspects that must be
learned in order to solve
the problem.
Develop a plan to
acquire the expertise
necessary to solve a
complex problem.
Self-assess their learning
processes and can
evaluate themin light of
competing and complex
real-world alternatives.
10 Contemporary
issues
List contemporary
issues that affect
engineering
problems.
Explain how
contemporary issues affect
the identification,
formulation, and solution
of engineering problems.
Incorporate specific
contemporary issues into
the identification,
formulation, and solution
of a specific engineering
problem.
Analyze the global,
regional, and local
situation to determine
which contemporary
issues will affect the
identification,
formulation, and
solution of an
engineering problem.
Synthesize the
influences of all relevant
contemporary issues
into the identification,
formulation, and
solution of an
engineering problem.
Evaluate the extent to
which all relevant
contemporary issues
have been incorporated
into the identification,
formulation, and solution
of an engineering
problem.
11 Engineering
tools
Identify the
techniques, skills, and
modern engineering
tools that are
necessary for
engineering practice.
Explain how these
techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools
are used in engineering
practice.
Apply relevant
techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools
to solve a simple
problem.
Select and organize the
relevant techniques,
skills, and modern
engineering tools to
solve a complex
problem.
Create new techniques
and tools to solve a
complex problem.
Evaluate the
effectiveness of
techniques and tools that
have been developed to
solve a complex
problem.
12 Specialized area
related to civil
engineering
Define key factual
information in a
specialized area of
civil engineering.
Explain key concepts and
problem-solving processes
in a specialized area of
civil engineering.
Solve simple problems in
a specialized area of civil
engineering.
Analyze a complex
systemor process
involving a specialized
area of civil
engineering.
Design a complex
systemor process or
create new knowledge
within a specialized area
of civil engineering.
Evaluate the design of a
complex systemor
process, or evaluate the
validity of newly created
knowledge within a
specialized area of civil
engineering.
13 Project
management,
construction,
and asset
management
List key factual
information related to
management, such as
project, construction,
or asset management.
Explain key concepts and
problem-solving processes
used in management.
Solve simple
management problems,
such as those in project,
construction, and/or asset
management.
Analyze complex
problems involving
project, construction,
and/or asset
management.
Develop management
plans for a complex
real-world engineering
project.
Evaluate the
effectiveness of
management plans for a
complex real-world
engineering project.


14 Business, public
policy, & public
administration
List key factual
information related to
business, public
Explain key concepts and
problem-solving processes
used in business, public
Solve simple problems
involving business,
public policy, and public
Analyze complex real-
world problems
involving business,
Develop a business
plan, devise public
policy
Evaluate the
effectiveness of a
business plan, a public


51

OUTCOME
Level 1:
KNOWLEDGE
Level 2:
COMPREHENSION
Level 3:
APPLICATION
Level 4:
ANALYSIS
Level 5:
SYNTHESIS
Level 6:
EVALUATION
policy, and public
administration.
policy, and public
administration.
administration. public policy, and
public administration.
recommendations, and
create or adapt a
systemof public
administration to meet a
real-world need.
policy recommendation,
and a systemof public
administration in a
complex, real-world
situation.
15 Leadership
principles and
attitudes
Define the role of the
leader and list
leadership principles
and attitudes
conducive to effective
professional practice
of civil engineering.
Explain the role of the
leader, leadership
principles, and attitudes
conducive to effective
professional practice of
civil engineering.
Apply leadership
principles to direct the
efforts of a small,
homogenous group to
accomplish a simple task;
and graduates
demonstrate attitudes
conducive to effective
professional practice of
civil engineering.
Organize the efforts of
a large, diverse group to
accomplish a complex
task; and analyze a
complex task to
determine which
attitudes are most
conducive to its
effective
accomplishment.
Create a new
organization to
accomplish a complex
task; and create an
organizational climate
that fosters the
development of
attitudes conducive to
task accomplishment.
Evaluate the leadership
of an organization and
the attitudes of its
members.

LEGEND:
Should be attained through
bachelors level education
(B)
Should be attained through
masters level education
(M/30)
Should be attained through
experience (E)
Attained through post-
licensure experience, if at all.



52
Appendi x B: Cri t eri on-t o-Out come Cross-Ref erence

Body of Knowledge Outcomes
Criterion to Outcome Matrix
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Criterion 3a p.10
Criterion 3b p.13
Criterion 3c p.17
Criterion 3d p.20
Criterion 3e p.22
Criterion 3f p.26
Criterion 3g p.28
Criterion 3h p.30
Criterion 3i p.32
Criterion 3j p.34
Criterion 3k p.36
B
a
s
i
c

L
e
v
e
l

G
e
n
e
r
a
l

C
r
i
t
e
r
i
a

Criterion 4 p.11 p.14 p.17 p.23
Appl y knowledge of mathematics through
differential equations, calculus-based physics,
p.11
and at least one additional area of science,
consistent with the program educational
p.11
Appl y knowledge of four technical areas
appropriate to civil engineering.
p.23
Conduct ci vil engineering experiments and
anal yze and interpret the resulting data.
p.14
Design a system, component, or process in
more than one civil engineering context.
p.18
Explain basic concepts in management. p.40
Explain basic concepts in business and public
policy.
p.42
Explain basic concepts in leadership. p.44
C
i
v
i
l

E
n
g
i
n
e
e
r
i
n
g


P
r
o
g
r
a
m

C
r
i
t
e
r
i
a

Explain the importance of professional
licensure.
p.27
Advanced
Level Criteria
Demonstrate advanced level program
knowledge.
p.38

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