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Our graduates carry out pioneering research in universities, work in for profit organizations and engineering firms, launch their own start-ups, hold leadership positions in government and nonprofit organizations and enter the emerging career paths in environment sustainability and renewable energy. With a degree in Course 1 students pursue careers in fields as diverse as energy and environment, engineering systems design, law, medicine and public health.
The civil and environmental engineering undergraduate major (Course 1) provides students with a rigorous academic curriculum from renowned MIT faculty. The ABET accredited undergraduate program prepares students for careers in a range of sectors from non-profit, government, to private and technology startups.
The undergraduate program provides a multidisciplinary educational experience, where students draw from diverse fields to tackle complex societal challenges. Beyond engineering principles, students engage with chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, machine learning, and urban planning to develop solutions for sustainable infrastructure, environmental remediation, clean energy, and disaster resilience. Students also participate in research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and gain practical experience through hands-on fieldwork. Opportunities range from studying atmospheric chemistry and climate change in Hawaii to exploring ancient Roman concrete and infrastructure in Italy, blending scientific inquiry with real-world application.
The requirements for the Course 1 bachelor of science in engineering (Course 1-ENG) are designed to allow students to explore the civil and environmental engineering discipline area that excites them most. Alongside learning core fundamentals, students have the option to pursue tracks that focus on emerging areas of civil and environmental engineering for in-depth exploration, along with lab and field subjects that support their interests.
The Course 1 bachelor of science in engineering prepares students to make an impact in solving the world’s greatest challenges. Students can pursue core tracks of study for in-depth exploration of particular areas of focus in emerging fields of civil and environmental engineering.
Learn more about the degree program and requirements
The dynamic structure of the undergraduate degree program allows students to choose one of our existing tracks, modified tracks, or to design a great variety of possible subject combinations to tailor their individual educational experience.
Sustainable materials and resilient infrastructure are critically important today as our communities strain to sustain limited natural resources, accommodate growth, and replace declining infrastructure.
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Help protect and extend the planet’s natural resources for clean energy, air, sea, and tackle climate change’s impact on food production, water, carbon and nutrient dynamics in the biosphere to improve the lives of people everywhere.
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Systems engineering is a contemporary interdisciplinary field where students design and manage large, complex systems over their lifecycles.
Learn MoreJointly offered by CEE and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science (EAPS), the Course 1-12 bachelor of science combines scientific understanding of the Earth’s systems with engineering skills—as well as an understanding of human and institutional behavior—to prepare students for careers in the global response to climate change.
Learn more about the program and degree requirements at climate-major.mit.edu
MIT CEE undergraduates with a strong academic record have the option to pursue their graduate degree studies alongside their undergraduate studies to obtain a Master of Engineering. Students take additional subjects, project classes and thesis work that are required within each of the tracks.
For current MIT students, the program is a natural extension of the Institute’s four-year Bachelor of Science degree, providing them an opportunity to gain practical experience and preparing them for emerging fields in today’s job market.
View the MEng degree requirements
Contact the Academic Programs Office to learn more
Learn about civil and environmental engineering as a minor. We offer three interdisciplinary minors to expand your knowledge and maximize career goals, which include:
Minor in Civil and Environmental Systems
Minor in Civil Engineering
Minor in Environmental Engineering Science
Learn more about our Undergraduate Minors
Course 1 students have incredible opportunities to engage in hands-on research that connects them with the community and expands their career prospects.
I knew coming into MIT I wanted to be Course 1 in order to further my knowledge in environmental science and prepare myself for a career that could help change our world's path as we deal with the fallout of climate change. ”
I like that through Course 1 I can combine my interest in engineering, material science, and sustainability. ”
Coming into MIT, I was excited to pursue civil engineering. It seemed like the perfect intersection between design and STEM, and my FPOP and mini-UROP experiences only reinforced that. ”
I had opportunities to be part of many really cool projects in Course 1: studying the effects of volcanic smog as part of TREX Hawaii, exploring microbial ecology in UROP, and building a variable rainmaker and automated solar water purifier in my design classes. ”
Majdolene Z Khweis ’15