About Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department offers B.S. in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering, M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering on the Lincoln (City) and Omaha (Scott) campuses.

Our Mission

Our mission is to contribute to the economic and social prosperity of communities and to steward the human, environmental and physical resources committed to our care in Nebraska and the world.  We strive to meet this mission by:

  • Educating engineering professionals prepared for lifelong learning and personal growth; 
  • Discovering, creating, and applying new knowledge and technologies in civil and environmental engineering; 
  • Engaging with communities; and  
  • Safeguarding equity, inclusion, personal dignity, and respect for all. 

History of the UNL Civil and Environmental Engineering Program

The Civil and Environmental Engineering program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) was originally established as the Department of Civil Engineering in 1877. Although the program was initially modest, with only 20 graduates in the first two decades, the department has grown substantially since the 1920s. During that period, the department was involved in landmark civil engineering projects in Nebraska, including construction of the Nebraska State Capitol, the tri-county irrigation project, and development of a statewide highway system. These are only a few examples of the department’s rich history of providing for the public welfare of Nebraskans.