Civil Engineering Education At The University Of Florida And The Middle East Technical University, Republic Of Turkey

Civil engineering is a discipline that amalgamates art and science to create and refine infrastructure work, provides solutions according to the needs of modern civilization, and protects the environment. The dynamics of the current global marketplace suggests that civil engineers are among the best-positioned professionals to be able to utilize the cutting edge technology. Civil engineers find numerous opportunities in industry, be it through consulting practices, research or development. However, for civil engineering to maintain its importance in a global business setting, it is imperative that institutions’ curricula be regularly revised to meet the world’s perpetual evolving social and environmental needs. Both the civil engineering programs leading to a bachelor’s of science degree are four-year programs. The College of Engineering at the University of Florida has 11 academic departments, while the College of Engineering at the Middle East Technical University has 14. Civil engineering is one of the departments in the College of Engineering at both universities. However, the required credits required between the programs are quite varied. The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree at the University of Florida consists of 131 credits, while that of the Middle East Technical University consists of a minimum of 152 credits. The University of Florida allows for 52 general education credits while the Middle East Technical University provides for 39. In terms of core engineering credits, the University of Florida requires 79 engineering-based credits, while the Middle East Technical University requires 85. This paper compares and analyzes the current civil engineering undergraduate curriculum at the Middle East Technical University with that of the University of Florida’s. The results of this study indicate that both curricula meet the educational requirements of both the United States and that of the Republic of Turkey.