Civil engineers need more education.

PositionYour Life

Many Americans would be surprised--if not alarmed--to learn that the people responsible for designing roads, bridges, buildings, and drinking water facilities only are required to hold a bachelor's degree while doctors, lawyers, physical therapists, accountants, and even elementary school teachers are expected to hold professional and graduate degrees.

Despite practicing a profession where technology and techniques are ever-evolving, the educational mandates for today's young engineers are less than their counterparts' of 150 years ago. The American Society of Civil Engineers has released the report "Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century: Preparing the Civil Engineer for the Future," outlining a plan to broaden and deepen the requirements for future civil engineers. Leadership principles and technical specialization top the list of recommendations.

The report suggests that a graduate degree, or the equivalent of 30 credits, and practical experience be required in addition to an undergraduate degree before a civil engineer can sit for the licensure exam and practice professionally. The plan will lead to the revision of current undergraduate and graduate programs to reflect the basic skills and knowledge that will be expected of professional civil engineers, and eventually may lead to the creation of new programs.

The "Body of Knowledge" is developed to be flexible in how future civil...

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