JBU to begin offering civil engineering degree
by March 19, 2025 11:27 am 476 views
John Brown University in Siloam Springs will start offering a civil engineering degree program this fall. The private university will prepare students to meet the rising demand for infrastructure development and improvement, according to a news release.
Students who complete the program will earn a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. They will be prepared for careers in structural, transportation, environmental, geotechnical, and water resource engineering.
“Civil engineering plays a critical role in shaping the infrastructure that supports modern life, from safe transportation systems to sustainable water management,” said John Lee, department chair of engineering.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in civil engineering is projected to rise by 6% from 2023 to 2033. The demand for civil engineers is increasing amid challenges with aging infrastructure in the United States. Their demand is also great in areas where rapid population growth contributes to a rise in new development.
JBU’s civil engineering program will provide students “with a strong technical foundation while emphasizing ethical leadership and sustainable design,” according to the release. “The program will cover areas such as structural engineering, transportation networks, geotechnical engineering and environmental sustainability.”
Students in the new program will also collaborate with JBU’s construction management and mechanical engineering programs and share resources such as the university’s high bay lab.
“This new major won’t just benefit engineering students — it’s also going to be great for the CM program,” said Rick Faust, department head of the construction management department. “Many of the areas in civil engineering, like soil mechanics, environmental engineering, and geotechnical engineering, are closely related to construction management. The addition of this major will promote collaboration across disciplines, enrich the student experience, and better prepare our graduates for the complexities of the industry.”
According to a JBU spokesman, the new program will not have a student limit.