cebok

American Society of Civil Engineers

Civil EngineeringBody of Knowledgefor the 21st CenturyPreparing the Civil Engineer

for the Future

Prepared by the Body of Knowledge Committee of the Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice

January 12, 2004

ASCE and American Society of Civil EngineersRegisteredin U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

American Society of Civil Engineers1801 Alexander Bell DriveReston, Virginia, 20191-4400

www.asce.org

Copyright 2004 by the American Society of Civil Engineers.All Rights Reserved.Manufactured in the United States of America.

iiiCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Contents

Abbreviations 1

Abstract 1

Executive Summary 3Background 3Purpose of Report 4Committee Approach 5Body of KnowledgeWhat Should Be Taught and Learned? 5Body of KnowledgeHow Should It Be Taught and Learned? 6Body of KnowledgeWho Should Teach and Learn It? 8The Next Steps 9Closing Thoughts 9

Introduction 11Foundation for This Report: The Changing Civil Engineering

Landscape 11A New Skill Set and Mind Set for a New Century 12Education for a Complex Future 12A Long Way to Go 12Fewer Credits 13Growing Complexity 14Greater Accountability 14Relevance to this Report 14

Formation of and Charge to the BOK Committee 15Definition of B+M/30&E 15Other Education Options 16

Purpose of Report 16Audience 17Guiding Principles 17

Orientation toward the Future 18Broad Interpretation of Practice 18Institutional Flexibility in Fulfilling the BOK 19

Approach 20Work Plan 20Correspondents 20Conferences, Workshops, Articles and Papers 20

Body Of KnowledgeWhat Should Be Taught And Learned? 21BOK Defined by Outcomes 21Levels of Competence Definitions 22The 15 Outcomes 24Attitudes 29

Prevailing Thoughts 30

iv CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Civil Engineers and the Topic of Attitudes 31Attitudes as Catalysts 32Which Attitudes? 33Can Attitudes Be Taught and Learned? 33Connecting Attitudes to Outcomes 35

A Lifelong Effort 36Comments on Outcomes 12 Through 15 36Some Thoughts for Civil Engineering Educators 37

Body Of Knowledge How Should It Be Taught And Learned? 39BOK Teaching and Learning Modes 39

After High School and Before Licensure 39The Beginning of Life-long Learning 41

Existing Graduate Programs 41Development of New Undergraduate/Graduate Curricula

Compatible with the BOK 4221st Century Education Opportunities 43

Distance Learning as a Means of Accessing Some of the BOK 45Non-Traditional Education Providers 47

Experience and the BOK 49Essential Role of Experience in Fulfilling the BOK 49Minimum Competency Required for Each Outcome 50

A Graphic Representation of the Civil Engineering BOK and Beyond 53Questions and Issues 54Incorporating the Civil Engineering BOK and Additional

Educational Requirements into the Licensure System 55Suggested Model Law Language Consistent with ASCE Policy

Statement 465 55Graduate Engineering Program Accreditation 56Alternate Undergraduate Engineering Educational Pathways 57Bachelors Plus 30 Credits Option 58Alternate Masters Programs 59Determining BOK Attainment 60Assuring the Quality of Graduate Education Institutions 62Other Engineering Disciplines 62Licensure Mobility 63Continuing Professional Development 64

Body Of KnowledgeWho Should Teach It? 65Four Characteristics of Civil Engineering Educators 66Scholars 66Effective Teachers 68Have Practical Experience 70Positive Role Models 71Summary 72

Body Of KnowledgeWho Should Learn It? 73Taking Responsibility 73

Student Focus 74Supportive Habits and High Standards 75Liberal Perspective 75

Student Obligations and Expectations 75Matching Students and the Civil Engineering Profession 78

The Next Steps 80

vCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Closing Thoughts 82

Acknowledgements 84

Appendix AASCE Policy Statement 465 85Academic Prerequisites for Licensure and Professional Practice 85Policy 85Issue 85Rationale 86

Appendix BMembers of the ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee 87Individuals Providing Special Assistance to the Committee 91Other Contacts 92

Appendix CKey Points about ASCE Policy Statement 465 93Academic Prerequisites for Licensure and Professional Practice 93Note 94

Appendix DCivil Engineering Education and Practice Statistics 954-year Undergraduate-Only Institutions Offering ABET-Accredited

Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering* 96

Appendix EBibliography 97

Appendix FCorrespondents of the ASCE Body of Knowledge Committee 101

Appendix GArticles, Papers, Presentations and Workshops 103Articles and Papers 103Conference Presentations 104Presentations and Workshops at Universities 105

Appendix HEngineering Program Outcomes Established by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology 106

Appendix IResources for Improving Teaching Effectiveness in Civil Engineering 107

Appendix JTypes of Masters Degree Programs Available to Civil Engineers 108Masters of Civil Engineering 108Masters of Construction Management 108Masters of Engineering Science 108Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering 108Masters of Science 109Masters of Science in Engineering Management 109Masters of Science in Civil Engineering 109

Appendix KCurricula Design Project to Support Implementation of ASCE Policy Statement 465 110Project Purpose 110Project Process 110Agenda for Workshop 1: Policy 465 and Institution-Specific Ideas

on Implementation 110

vi CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Workshop Resources 111Questions/Suggestions/Interested in Participating? 111

Appendix LUniversity of Louisville Five-Year Masterof Engineering Degree 112

Appendix MExploration of Potential Ways to Validate Fulfillment of the Body of Knowledge 114Introduction 114The Challenge 114Validation of ABET-Related BOK Attainment 115

Validation of BOK Attainment Through Non-Standard Programs 115ABET B+30 Programs 116

Non-ABET Bachelors and Non-ABET Masters 116Non-ABET B+30 117

No Quick Fix 117Notes 117

Appendix NCharge to Curricula Committee 118

Notes 119

Figures

Figure 1. The 15 outcomes in the recommended BOK consist of the ABETs 11 outcomes plus one depth outcome and three breadth outcomes. 23

Figure 2. Success in teaching and learning and in applying the 15 outcomes will be highly dependent on supportive teacher and learner attitudes. 35

Figure 3. Public and private universities across the U.S. are participating in the curricula design project. 43

Figure 4. Future civil engineers will have access to many education providers. 45

Figure 5. This BOK profile integrates outcomes, levels of competence, formal education, and pre-licensure experience. 53

Figure 6. Lowmans two-dimensional model of effective college teaching is based on interpersonal rapport and intellectual excitement. 69

Figure 7. The ExCEEd Model is consistent with well-established teaching and learning principles. 70

Tables

Table 1. A variety of institutions are leading the way by designing undergraduate/graduate degree tracks intended to fulfill much of the civil engineering BOK. 44

Table 2. Desired outcomes will be fulfilled by a combination of formal education and experience. 52

Table L-1. University of Louisville Civil Engineering Curricula 113

Table L-2. Master of Science Requirements 112

Table M-1. Various means may be available to validate fulfillment of the BOK 115

viiCIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Abbreviations

AAEE American Academy of Environmental Engineers

ABET Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

ACEC American Council of Engineering Companies

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

ASEE American Society for Engineering Education

B An engineering baccalaureate degree

B+M/30&E The means to fulfill the BOK (Bachelors plus Masters or approximately 30 credits and Experience)

BS Bachelor of Science

BOK Body of Knowledge, that is, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become a licensed professional civil engineer

BSCE Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

CCPE Canadian Council of Professional Engineers

CEU Continuing Education Units

CH Credit hour

CPD Continuing Professional Development

E Structured and progressive post-baccalaureate engineering experience accomplished before, during, and/or after completion of the M/30

EAC Engineering Accreditation Commission (of ABET)

ECEI Engineering Credentials Evaluation International

EdAC Educational Activities Committee (of ASCE)

ELQTF Engineering Licensure Qualifications Task Force (of NCEES)

viii CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

ETW ExCEEd Teaching Workshop

ExCEEd Excellence in Civil Engineering Education

GPA Grade point average

GRE Graduate Record Examination

HEC Hydrologic Engineering Center

IACET International Association for Continuing Education and Training

M Formal post-baccalaureate education program that leads to a masters degree and to the fulfillment of the requisite BOK

MBA Master of Business Administration

M.Eng. Master of Engineering

MOE Masters or equivalent

NACE National Association of Colleges and Employers

NCEES National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying

NHI National Highway Institute

NRC National Research Council

NSF National Science Foundation

PDH Professional Development Hour

QBS Qualifications-Based Selection

SAME Society of American Military Engineers

TAC Technology Accreditation Commission (of ABET)

TCAP3 Task Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice

TCFPD Task Committee for the First Professional Degree

USDLA U.S. Distance Learning Association

30 Post-baccalaureate educational program of approximately 30 credits that does not lead to a formal masters degree but leads to the fulfillment of the requisite BOK

1CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice.

William Jennings Bryan, American statesman

ASCEs Board of Direction acted in recognition of increased complexity of civil engineering practice coupled with reductions in credit hours required for graduation.

Todays world is fundamentally challenging the way civilengineering is practiced. Complexity arises in every aspectof projects, from pre-project planning with varied stake-holders to building with minimum environmental and com-munity disturbance. Addressing this increased complexitywill require understanding and solving problems at theboundaries of traditional disciplines. At the same time,reductions in credit hours required for graduation are mak-ing the current four-year bachelors degree inadequate for-mal academic preparation for the practice of civilengineering at a professional level in the 21st century. Rec-ognizing the preceding, and in keeping with the leadershiprole of civil engineers in the infrastructure and environmen-tal arena and in protecting safety, health and welfare, theASCE Board of Direction acted.

The Body of Knowledge (BOK) Committee was charged with defining the BOK, addressing experi-ence, and describing the roles of faculty, practitio-ners, and students.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) PolicyStatement 465, unanimously adopted by the Board of Direc-tion in 2001, states that the Society supports the conceptof the masters degree or equivalent as a prerequisite forlicensure and the practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level. The ASCE created the Task Committee on Aca-demic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (TCAP3) todevelop, organize and execute a detailed plan for full real-ization of Policy Statement 465. (In November 2003, in rec-ognition of the long-term nature of implementing PolicyStatement 465, TCAP3 was changed to the Committee onAcademic Prerequisites for Professional Practice [CAP3], apermanent Board-level committee.)

TCAP3 developed an implementation master plan for whichthe Body of Knowledge (BOK) was the foundation. TCAP3

subsequently formed the Body of Knowledge Committeeand its charge included defining the BOK, addressing the

2 CIVIL ENGINEERING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

role of experience and describing the roles of faculty, practi-tioners, and students.

The BOK has what, how and who elements.

The BOK Committee conducted its deliberations and pre-sents its recommendations in this report arranged by thesethree themes: 1) what should be taught to and learned byfuture civil engineering students; 2) how should it be taughtand learned; and 3) who should teach and learn it. TheCommittees primary focus was the what.

Included in the 15 out-comes are the 11 out-comes currently used by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Tech-nology.

The what recommendations are cast in terms of 15 out-comes that, compared to todays bachelors programs,include significant increases in technical depth and profes-sional practice breadth. Included in the 15 outcomes are the11 outcomes currently used by the Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology (ABET). Each outcome is fur-ther described with a civil engineering commentary. Theoutcomes include recognition, understanding or abilitycompetency levels in broad and deep areas essential to thefuture practice of civil engineering at the professional level.

Attitudes are an essential part of the BOK.

Knowledge and skill, while necessary, are not sufficient to bea fully functioning professional civil engineer. A civil engi-neers attitude, that is, the manner in which he or sheapproaches his or her work, will determine how effectivelyhe or she uses hard-earned knowledge and skills. Accord-ingly, attitudes are an essential part of the BOK.

Stressed in the how recommendations are existing and newundergraduate/graduate tracks that help students fulfill theBOK, the growth of distance learning and non-traditional edu-cational providers, the essential role of experience in fulfillingthe BOK, and incorporating the BOK into the licensure process.

The who recommendations identify success factors for fulland part-time faculty. Teachers should be scholars, teacheffectively, have practical experience, and serve as positiverole models. Also addressed in the who recommendationsare student obligations and expectations and matching stu-dents to the civil engineering profession.

The BOK will prepare tomorrows licensed civil engineers to proactively function in the challeng-ing national and global environment of the com-ing decades.

The preceding recommendations of the BOK Committee,combined with those of the parallel Accreditation, Curriculaand Licensure Committees, are enabling CAP3 to move fur-ther ahead in carrying out its charge to implement ASCEPolicy Statement 465. By so doing, we prepare the civil engi-neer for the future.

The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister


Executive Summary

When we build, let it not be for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for.

John Ruskin, English philosopher

Background

Todays world is funda-mentally challenging the way civil engineering is practiced. The current four-year bachelors degree is becoming inade-quate for the professional practice of civil engineer-ing.

Todays world is fundamentally challenging the way civilengineering is practiced. Complexity arises in every aspectof projects, from pre-project planning with varied stake-holders to building with minimum environmental and com-munity disturbance. A 2001 ASCE report Engineering theFuture of Civil Engineering (www.asce.org/raisethebar) high-lighted the significant and rapid changes confronting theprofession, while recent events have demonstrated our vul-nerability to human-made hazards and disasters. The risksand challenges to public safety, health, and welfare will con-tinue to escalate in complexity, and the civil engineeringprofession must respond proactively. The 2001 report alsoconcluded that the current four-year bachelors degree isbecoming inadequate formal academic preparation for thepractice of civil engineering at the professional level in the21st century.

Recognizing the preceding and in keeping with the leader-ship role of civil engineers in the infrastructure and environ-mental arena, the ASCE Board of Direction acted. InNovember 2001, this fundamental preparation issue facingthe civil engineering profession led to the adoption by theboard of ASCE Policy 465, which supports the concept ofthe masters degree or equivalent as a prerequisite for licen-sure and the practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel. The board believed that education beyond the currentbachelors degree was needed to adequately prepare engi-neers for practice.


The Task Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (TCAP3) was charged with developing, organizing, and executing a plan to implement ASCE Policy Statement 465.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) created theTask Committee on Academic Prerequisites for ProfessionalPractice (TCAP3) in October 2001 and charged it to develop, organize and execute a detailed plan for full realiza-tion of ASCE Policy Statement 465. The essence of the pol-icy is that ASCE supports the concept of a masters degree orequivalent as a requirement for licensure and the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional level. (In November2003, in recognition of the long-term nature of implement-ing Policy Statement 465, TCAP3 was changed to the Com-mittee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice[CAP3], a permanent Board-level committee.)

TCAP 3 developed an implementation master plan for which the Body of Knowledge (BOK) was the foundation.

TCAP3 developed an implementation master plan forwhich the Body of Knowledge (BOK) was the foundation.Therefore, the BOK Committee was formed and chargedwith defining the BOK needed to enter the practice of civilengineering at the professional level (licensure) in the 21stcentury.

The BOK will be used to prepare an aspiring civil engineer for licensure and practice of civil engineer-ing at the professional level.

The BOK will be used to prepare an aspiring civil engineerfor licensure and practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level. The charge to the BOK Committee includedaddressing the role of experience and describing the respon-sibilities of full or part-time faculty, practitioners, and stu-dents in fulfilling the BOK.

Purpose of Report


The purpose of this report is to present the recommenda-tions of the BOK Committee and, secondarily, to describethe process used to arrive at those recommendations. TheCommittees recommendations follow these three themes:

what should be taught and learned,

how it should be taught and learned, and

who should teach and learn it.

The Committees primary effort was the what. CAP3 and itsconstituent committees will refine the what and focus onfurther developing the how and who.


Committee Approach

The BOK Committees approach was future-oriented and involved intensive interaction with stakeholders.

The BOK Committee took a future-oriented approachencompassing infrastructure and environmental problemsand opportunities for future decades. The committeeapproach included making a broad interpretation of prac-tice to include many roles and functions. Institutional andindividual flexibility was stressed. Committee correspon-dents were used to solicit concerns and ideas and to critiquedraft materials. Committee members proactively partici-pated in key conferences and workshops and presented andpublished papers and articles to expand interaction withstakeholders.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

What Should Be Taught and Learned?

The recommended 15 out-comes for tomorrows civil engineer broaden and deepen ABETs current 11 outcomes.

The committee selected an outcomes approach as the prin-cipal means of defining the what dimension of the civil engi-neering BOK for the 21st century. Relative to todays basicprograms, the outcomes collectively prescribe a substantiallygreater depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudesrequired of an individual aspiring to the practice of civilengineering at the professional level (licensure) in the 21stcentury. The 15 outcomes include and begin with the 11outcomes of the Accreditation Board for Engineering andTechnology (ABET) and prescribe more technical depth andadditional breadth. The 21st century civil engineer mustdemonstrate:

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, scienceand engineering.

2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well asanalyze and interpret data.

3. an ability to design a system, component or process tomeet desired needs.

4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.

5. an ability to identify, formulate and solve engineeringproblems.

6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsi-bility.

7. an ability to communicate effectively.

8. the broad education necessary to understand the impactof engineering solutions in a global and societal context.


9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in,life-long learning.

10. a knowledge of contemporary issues.

11. an ability to understand the techniques, skills, and mod-ern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

12. an ability to apply knowledge in a specialized arearelated to civil engineering.

13. an understanding of the elements of project manage-ment, construction, and asset management.

14. an understanding of business and public policy andadministration fundamentals.

15. an understanding of the role of the leader and leader-ship principles and attitudes.

In addition to the 11 ABET outcomes, which are includedverbatim in the 15 BOK outcomes, four entirely new out-comes (Outcomes 12-15) address technical specialization,project management, construction, asset management, busi-ness and public policy and administration, and leadership.Commentaries are provided and competency levels are spec-ified for all outcomes.

Attitudes are an essential part of the BOK.

Knowledge and skill, while necessary, are not sufficient to be afully functioning professional civil engineer. A civil engineersattitude, that is, the manner in which he or she approaches hisor her work, will determine how effectively he or she useshard-earned knowledge and skills. Accordingly, attitudes arean essential part of the BOK. Aspects of attitudes addressed bythe committee and presented in this report include the defini-tion and impact of attitudes, examples, the wide range ofviewpoints regarding teaching about attitudes, and the rela-tionship between attitudes and outcomes.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

How Should It Be Taught and Learned?

Formal undergraduate education, graduate study or equivalent, co- and extra-curricular activities, and experience will be used to fulfill the BOK.

Having defined what constitutes the BOK, the committeeconsidered how it should be taught and learned. The teach-ing/learning modes are:

Undergraduate study typically leading to a BSCE;

Graduate study or equivalent;

Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities; and

Post-BS engineering experience prior to licensure.


The committee concluded that a BSCE would be the meansof initiating the teaching and learning of all outcomes. Fur-thermore, based on its breadth and depth of knowledge,skills, and attitudes, that BSCE could provide an attractiveand appropriate liberal education for the 21st century bothfor those on an engineering track and those aspiring to otherprofessions.

Both upper level undergraduate and graduate-level educa-tion, or its equivalent, and structured post-BS experience areessential to achieving the BOK. Requisite competency forten of the fifteen outcomes is achieved by adding experienceto the educational components of a students learning.

While structured post-BS experience is essential, experienceinterspersed within formal education is valuable. Addition-ally, the students formal education can be significantlyenhanced by participation in extra-curricular activities.

Curricula design projects are a step toward imple-mentation of the BOK.

The committee began searching for existing undergraduate-graduate programs that approximate, in terms of outcomes,the BOK defined in this report. Additionally, the committeebegan working with selected civil engineering departmentsthat want to be leaders in designing bachelors/mastersdegree tracks that will provide the prescribed BOK withinthe framework of each institutions culture, traditions andstrengths.

The first ten departments to join this effort, in the order inwhich they joined, are at Colorado State University; IowaState University; Case Western Reserve University; BucknellUniversity; Western Michigan University; California StateUniversity, Los Angeles; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technol-ogy; University of Louisville; Wentworth Institute of Tech-nology; and University of Oklahoma.

Distance learning will increasingly improve accessibility to high qual-ity formal education.

The committee concludes that distance learning, especiallythat which is web-based, will increasingly provide an effec-tive means for developing the knowledge, skills, and atti-tudes included in the BOK. Finally, the committee expectsthat the majority of civil engineers seeking licensing will fol-low a path that leads from an ABET/EAC-accredited bacca-laureate through an accredited engineering masters degree.Validating attainment of the BOK through an ABET/EACbaccalaureate and approximately 30 hours of upper levelundergraduate work plus graduate work will be morecomplex.


BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

Who Should Teach and Learn It?

Tomorrows civil engineer-ing faculty members should be scholars, effec-tive teachers, positive role models, and have practi-cal experience.

The following four characteristics of the model full or part-time civil engineering faculty member are evident to theBOK Committee:

Scholars: Those who teach the civil engineering BOKshould be scholars. Faculty should acquire and maintain alevel of expertise in the subjects they teach. Being ascholar mandates that engineering faculty be life-longlearners, modeling continued growth in knowledge andunderstanding.

Effective Teachers: Student learning is optimal when fac-ulty members effectively engage students in the learningprocess. The development of engineering faculty as effec-tive teachers is critical for the future of the profession.

Practical Experience: Educators should have practicalexperience in engineering subjects they teach. Most civilengineering faculty should hold a professional engineer-ing license.

Positive Role Models: Regardless of personal desires orchoice, every civil engineer who is in contact with stu-dents serves as a role model for the profession. Those whoteach should be aware that students view them in thatlight. The ideal civil engineering faculty member shouldpresent a positive role model for our profession.

These are explicit success factors for those who will teach the21st Century civil engineers. They reflect the need and theopportunity to raise the bar in all three dimensions of thecivil engineering BOK: the what, the how and the who.

The success of tomorrows civil engineering students will be enhanced if their aptitudes, interests, and aspirations resonate with the unique and special attributes of civil engi-neering.

Although civil engineering faculty and practitioners must beinstrumental in advocating and teaching the BOK necessaryfor 21st century professional practice, civil engineering stu-dents ultimately have the primary responsibility for theirown education. Students must be committed to excellencein their education.

Success in the study and eventual practice of civil engineer-ing is likely to be enhanced if personal aptitudes, interests,and aspirations resonate with the unique and specialattributes of civil engineering.


The Next Steps

The work of the Accredita-tion, Curricula and Licen-sure Committees, as well as the initial implementa-tion of ASCEs specialty certification, is building on the BOK.

Having completed its work with the publication of thisreport, the BOK Committee has been disbanded. While thisreport is now completed in its first edition, updates are likelyand will be prepared as needed. The current version of thisreport is available at the ASCE website (www.asce.org/raisethebar).

Building on the BOK foundation, the newly formed Curric-ula Committee is finding and creating programs that willhelp to fulfill the BOK and the Accreditation and LicensureCommittees are moving forward in essential Policy State-ment 465 implementation efforts. The BOK presented inthis report is also being used in implementation of the ASCEspecialty certification program.

Closing Thoughts

The ASCE encourages soci-eties representing other engineering disciplines to also consider the neces-sity for and ramifications of raising the bar in the long-term interest of maintaining public safety, health and welfare.

ASCE recognizes that expanding the civil engineering BOKthrough additional education and enhanced experience, as aprerequisite for licensure, probably cannot be fully imple-mented without somewhat similar modifications affectingother engineering disciplines. Engineering licensure in theU.S. is typically generic, rather than discipline-specific, andeducation and experience requirements are generally thesame for all engineering disciplines. The ASCE encouragessocieties representing other engineering disciplines to alsoconsider the necessity for and ramifications of raising thebar in the long-term interest of maintaining public safety,health and welfare.

The BOK Committee thanks TCAP3 and the ASCE Board ofDirection for the opportunity to serve. Defining the what,how, and who of the BOK needed to enter the practice ofcivil engineering at the professional level (licensure) in the21st century was challenging, but also satisfying, becauseimplementation of the BOK will markedly strengthen thecivil engineering profession.

The BOK will prepare tomorrows licensed civil engineers to proactively function in the challeng-ing national and global environment of the com-ing decades.

Increasingly, newly licensed civil engineers will possess abroader and deeper suite of knowledge, skills, and attitudesthat will enable them to more effectively function in thehighly challenging civil engineering environment of thecoming decades. They will be better prepared to:

Hold paramount public safety, health, and welfare,


Participate in the formulation ofas well as the imple-mentation ofprograms and projects related to theirexpertise,

Guard the natural environment and create a sustainablebuilt environment,

Conceive, plan, design, and manage large civil infrastruc-ture systems including transportation, water, wastewater,structures, land use, energy, and security,

Integrate an increasingly diverse workforce,

Lead global technology development and transfer, and

Grow personally and professionally throughout theircareers.

It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge

through the aid of science to plan on paper. Then it brings jobs and homes it elevates the

standard of living and adds to the comfort of life. That is the engineers high privilege.

Herbert Hoover, engineer, author, humanitarian and 31st U.S. President


Introduction

The beginning is the most important part of the work.Plato, Greek philosopher

Foundation for This Report: The Changing Civil Engineering Landscape

The Task Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (TCAP3) was charged with developing and organiz-ing a plan to implement ASCE Policy Statement 465.

In October 1998 the ASCE Board of Direction adopted Pol-icy Statement 465, which began as follows: The ASCE sup-ports the concept of the masters degree as the FirstProfessional Degree (FPD) for the practice of civil engineer-ing at the professional level. The ASCE Board formed theTask Committee for the First Professional Degree (TCFPD)in October 1999 and charged it with developing a vision offull realization of ASCE Policy Statement 465 and a strat-egy for achieving this vision.

Policy Statement 465 focused on the designation of a mas-ters as the first professional degree. However, in theTCFPDs view, the question was not what should be the firstprofessional degree but instead what should be the educa-tional prerequisite for the practice of civil engineering at theprofessional level, that is, licensure. The TCFPD recom-mended that the focus should be changed to establishing theprerequisite educational requirements for licensure andpractice at the professional level. Accordingly, Policy State-ment 465 was re-titled as Academic Prerequisites for Licensureand Professional Practice and revised to read: The AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports the concept ofthe masters degree or equivalent (MOE) as a prerequisitefor licensure and the practice of civil engineering at the pro-fessional level. The ASCE Board of Direction unanimouslyadopted the revised Policy Statement 465 in October 2001.The entire policy, an issue discussion, and rationale areincluded as Appendix A.


The current four-year bachelors degree is becoming inadequate for-mal academic preparation for the practice of civil engineering at the profes-sional level in the 21st century.

The TCFPD concluded in its report1 dated October, 2001,that the fundamental issue addressed by Policy Statement465 is that the current four-year bachelors degree is becom-ing inadequate formal academic preparation for the practiceof civil engineering at the professional level in the 21st cen-tury. Stated in another way, the TCFPD concluded that for-mal education beyond the bachelors degree would benecessary to fulfill the BOK.

There are a number of important issues behind the adoptionof Policy Statement 465 and the TCFPDs fundamental con-clusion that todays four-year bachelors degree is becominginadequate. These are summarized below.

A New Skill Set and Mind Set for a New Century

We must prepare for the world that will be, not the one that is or was.

Civil engineering must restructure its 150-year-old educa-tional model to meet the challenges of the 21st century.Future practitioners must be prepared to recognize andmanage increased complexity. Education beyond the currentfour-year bachelors degree will provide the next generationwith the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to ensurethe high standards of the profession and protect publicsafety, health, and welfare.

Education for a Complex Future

Todays world is fundamentally challenging the way civilengineering is practiced. Complexity arises in every aspectof projects, from pre-project planning with varied stake-holders to building with minimum environmental and com-munity disturbance. The 2001 ASCE report Engineering theFuture of Civil Engineering1 (www.asce.org/raisethebar)highlights the significant and rapid changes confronting theprofession, while recent events have demonstrated our vul-nerability to human-made hazards and disasters. The risksand challenges to public safety, health, and welfare will con-tinue to escalate in complexity, and the civil engineeringprofession must respond proactively.

A Long Way to Go

Engineering graduates need greater design profi-ciency, more knowledge of technologys role, and improved understanding of business, economics, and management.

The National Research Council (NRC) recently published areport2 citing three serious concerns with engineeringgraduates. Many have little knowledge of the design proc-ess, inadequate knowledge of the role of technology intheir professions, and little knowledge of business, eco-nomics, and management. These issues cut to the core ofcivil engineering. Graduates who do not understand The


Big Picture may not be able to provide safe, practicaldesigns in a complex future.

Fewer Credits

Credits required for gradu-ation have decreased while project complexity has increased.

Civil engineers are expected to simultaneously possessbroader capability and greater specialized technical compe-tence than was required of previous generationsa nearlyimpossible challenge with fewer required college credits.Students earn at least 20 fewer credits than did their coun-terparts in the 1920s. While they take comparable propor-tions of mathematics, science, and general education,todays students complete, on average, 18 fewer credits ofengineering topics. That is a whole semester less of technicaleducation at a time when, by almost universal agreement,the complexity of the modern engineering project escalates.How can tomorrows civil engineers design safe, cost-effec-tive projects, accounting for greater complexity and uncer-tainty, with less formal education?

The reduction in technical education for civil engineers dueto declining credit hour requirements is evidenced in anumber of ways. First, the requirement for attaining coreengineering knowledge in other disciplines, particularly inthermodynamics and electrical circuits, has been in declinefor a number of decades. Partly because of this reduction inthe breadth of technical education, the National Council ofExaminers for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) recentlyinitiated an evaluation of core knowledge attainment withinthe engineering profession. NCEES wants to align educa-tion, examination and professional practice needs with tech-nical knowledge across disciplines.

Second, there has been slippage in basic technical courserequirements within civil engineering sub-disciplines. Anexample is transportation engineers who have not beenrequired to take surveying courses. Therefore, they lack basicknowledge in geometrics, as pointed out recently by theAmerican Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in itsinput to the Engineering Licensure Qualifications TaskForce (ELQTF).

Third, the practice of civil engineering has become increas-ingly more complex technically in the past 30 years, yet thetechnical content of the undergraduate curriculum has notchanged substantially during that period. How can morecomplex technical issues, resulting from decades of engineer-ing research and technology-driven changes in professional


practice, be added to an otherwise over-full undergraduatecurriculum in the face of declining credit hour requirements?

Growing Complexity

To maintain what we have as we plan and build for the future, civil engineers will have to apply creative technologies and solu-tions.

The nations (and worlds) infrastructure has grown increas-ingly mature, dense, technically complex and intercon-nected, especially in urban areas. To maintain what we haveas we plan and build for the future, civil engineers will haveto apply creative technologies and solutions.

Fortunately, compared with a few decades ago, there arenumerous new tools and techniques to address project chal-lenges. Yet the ever-expanding body of scientific knowledgeand resulting engineering technology is not without conse-quences. The vast increase in technologies, materials, andprocesses available to the civil engineer has become daunt-ing. While cost-effective technologies provide more accurateand reliable information, someone must still interpret thedata in its ever-expanding detail while sufficiently under-standing the consequences of its adoption and application.

Greater Accountability

This complexity emerges in an era when the public is play-ing a more active role in private and public projects alike,through more open planning processes, environmental reg-ulations, and elevated community expectations that placegreater responsibility on those executing project develop-ments. To be sure, this involvement from end-users andstakeholders provides valuable input, but it adds an elementof complexity to the way projects are conceived, planned,designed, and built.

As the complexity in soci-ety and projects mounts, the risk to public safety, health, and welfare increases.

Complexity and the difficulties of managing may contributeto misapplication and unsafe practices. As the complexity insociety and projects mounts, the risk to public safety, health,and welfare increases.

Relevance to this Report

More education for civil engineers means a safer, better future for the greater public who rely on the value, judgment, and services the profession provides.

To effectively manage the complexity of the future and tomake informed, ethical, and safe decisions in the face of ris-ing uncertainty, ambiguity, and increased stakeholderinvolvement, civil engineers require additional fundamentalknowledge. More education for civil engineers means asafer, better future for the greater public who rely on thevalue, judgment, and services the profession provides.


The preceding serves as background for the BOK workdescribed in this report.

Formation of and Charge to the BOK Committee

The Task Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice (TCAP3) was charged with developing, organizing, and executing a plan to implement ASCE Policy Statement 465.

The ASCE created the Task Committee on Academic Prereq-uisites for Professional Practice (TCAP3) in October 2001 tobuild on the work of the TCFPD. TCAP3 was charged todevelop, organize, and execute a detailed plan for fullrealization of ASCE Policy Statement 465. With the forma-tion of TCAP3 Policy Statement 465 was moving from thestudy phase to the implementation phase.

BOK development is a key early step in implementa-tion of Policy Statement 465.

As one step in carrying out that charge, TCAP3 formed theBOK Committee in May 2002. Members of the committeeare presented in Appendix B. The BOK Committee wascharged to:

Define the body of knowledge (BOK) needed to enterthe practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel (licensure) in the 21st century. Address the roleof experience in the licensure preparation process.Design and/or identify bachelors plus masters or 30credits (B+M/30) programs plus experience that willimplement the BOK in the early part of the 21st Cen-tury. Describe the role of faculty, practitioners, andstudents in imparting the BOK by means of B+M/30programs. Seek input from and support for the pre-ceding from forward-looking academics and practi-tioners.

The committee defined the BOK as the knowledge, skills,and attitudes necessary to become a licensed professionalcivil engineer.

Definition of B+M/30&E

The BOK to be defined in support of ASCE Policy Statement465 applies explicitly to those civil engineering educationaltracks intended to prepare tomorrows civil engineering stu-dent to become a practicing (licensed) professional engineer.The committee expects that the majority of BSCE graduateswill want to eventually become licensed, and will, therefore,plan formal education paths to help fulfill the BOK.


The BOK will be fulfilled by a combination of pre-licensure education and experience.

Bachelors Plus Masters or 30 Credits and B+M/30 referto the total post-secondary education that helps to fulfill theBOK required for licensing and entry into the professionalpractice of civil engineering. Experience (E), which is alsopart of the charge, refers to structured and progressive post-baccalaureate engineering experience accomplished before,during, and/or after completion of the M/30. For additionalexplanation of these terms, refer to Appendix C.

Other Education Options

The BOK is for those future members of the civil engi-neering community who want to practice at the professional level, that is, become licensed.

The CAP3 and the BOK Committee recognize that there hasbeen and probably always should be a richness and variety incivil engineering education. Implementation of Policy State-ment 465 should not detract from that valuable attribute ofthe profession. Other bachelors and/or masters civil engi-neering options are possible and desirable but may not fulfillthe BOK needed for implementation of Policy Statement 465.

One example might be a BSCE followed by a traditionalengineering science-oriented masters degree. Such anundergraduate-graduate program could meet an individualcareer need while not providing the entire BOK. That wouldnot preclude the holders of those degrees from becominglicensed engineers because there could be many paths to ful-fillment of the total BOK.

Some practice-related outcomes of the BOK which mightnot be part of a traditional masters program may beachieved in the undergraduate program or perhaps in one ormore additional courses in the masters program.

Purpose of Report


The purpose of this report is to present the recommenda-tions of the BOK Committee and, secondarily, to describethe process used to arrive at those recommendations. Pre-sented here are the committees BOK views and recommen-dations arranged by three themes; 1) what should be taughtand learned, 2) how it should be taught to and learned bycivil engineering students, and 3) who should teach andlearn it. Stated differently, the three elements of the BOK, asrecommended by the committee and described in thisreport, are:

Content defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and atti-tudes;


Curricula and co-curricular and extra-curricularapproaches, methodologies, and techniques; and

Faculty and student characteristics.

The committee devoted most of its efforts develop-ing the what element of the BOK.

The committees primary effort was the what because it isneeded before moving on to the how and the who. Using thewhat as defined in this report, CAP3 and its constituentcommittees will refine the what while focusing on furtherdeveloping the how and the who.

Audience

This report is designed to be used by a broad and varied audience.

The BOK Committee hopes that the report, or portions ofit, will be read by a broad and varied audience includingASCE leaders, ASCE members, civil engineering and othereducators, licensure officials, accreditation personnel,employers, representatives of other engineering organiza-tions, leaders of other professions, and other stakeholders.Accordingly, the report is designed to be useful to a widerange of potential users.

The Abstract presents the reports essence. The ExecutiveSummary summarizes the essential recommendations andsupporting suggestions. A comprehensive description of thecommittees approach and its findings, recommendations,and suggestions form the body of the report. Highly detailedinformation appears in appendices.

Guiding Principles

Three principles guided the committees work: orientation toward the future, broad interpreta-tion of practice, and insti-tutional flexibility.

When embarking on its task of defining the BOK necessaryto achieve the goals of ASCE Policy Statement 465, the BOKCommittee established three primary principles in guidingits work. First, the approach would be future-oriented, thatis, focused on the needs of civil engineers well into thiscentury.

Second, the committee adopted a broad interpretation ofpractice to encompass the many and varied functions thatare performed by civil engineers. And finally, the Committeerecognized the need for institutional flexibility in fulfillingthe BOK. These three principles are described in moredetail, below.


Orientation toward the Future

The committee consid-ered the likely nature of infrastructure, environ-mental problems and opportunities decades ahead.

The committee was charged with defining the BOK neededfor professional civil engineering in the 21st century. There-fore, while implementing its charge, the Committee consid-ered the likely nature of infrastructure, environmentalproblems and opportunities decades ahead. The Committeeavoided being overly bound by todays conditions.

Possible scenarios include sea level rise, sharp decline in oilsupplies, increased globalization (clients, employees, partners,projects), resurgence of nuclear power plants, mining of land-fills, user fee-based transportation, privatization, increasedmulti-modal transportation, technology breakthroughs (e.g.,nano, biological and information technologies), a much largersenior population, and the need to interact more effectivelywith an increasingly sophisticated and demanding public.

To serve as benchmarks against which tomorrows possibili-ties could be based, TCAP3 assembled civil engineering edu-cation and practice statistics, which are presented inAppendix D. As another means of understanding the pastand present, and thus being in a better position to preparefor the future of civil engineering, the committee preparedthe bibliography included as Appendix E.

Broad Interpretation of Practice

The preceding charge includes the expression practice ofcivil engineering at the professional level which is takenfrom Policy Statement 465 (see Appendix A). As indicated inthe policy, practice of civil engineering at the professionallevel means, practice as a licensed professional engineer.Given the forward focus of the committees charge and thechanges that are likely to occur with movement well into the21st century, the BOK to be defined by the committee mustbe both broad and deep.

Subject to the licensure stipulation, the practice of civil engineering at the professional level is broadly interpreted.

The spectrum of possible interpretations of practice con-sidered by the Committee ranged from a narrow view focus-ing on the design function to a broad interpretationencompassing many and varied functions commonlyencountered within civil engineering. The committee chosea position closer to the latter, recognizing that one of ourprofessions attractive attributes is the rich variety of impor-tant and challenging roles and functions it offers.

The committees definition of practice includesbut is notnecessarily limited toplanning, design, investigation,teaching, applied research, management, public administra-


tion, construction, and operations. The civil engineeringprofessions BOK must support all of these functions.

The BOK Committee rec-ognizes that some mem-bers of the civil engineering community may not need to or want to practice as licensed pro-fessional engineers.

The BOK Committee recognizes that some members of thecivil engineering community3 may not need or want topractice civil engineering at the professional level, that is,practice as licensed professional engineers. Therefore, theyneed not fulfill the BOK. Examples are technicians; technol-ogists; individuals who perform fundamental research;holders of BSCE degrees who pursue careers outside of theengineering profession (e.g., business, law, medicine, armedforces, and pre-college teaching).

Civil engineering community members who choose rolesand functions such as the preceding would not, if personalor career changes require, be barred from licensure. How-ever, if they decided to seek licensure, they would beexpected to acquire the additional education and/or experi-ence needed to fulfill the BOK.

Institutional Flexibility in Fulfilling the BOK

Knowledge will increas-ingly be the coin of the realm with flexibility the byword in acquiring it.

From the outset, while the committee envisioned highexpectations in terms of defining a BOK consistent with thebroad and demanding future-oriented change, the commit-tee also envisioned flexibility in many aspects of implement-ing the BOK. Examples of areas in which flexibility couldoccur and, in fact, should be encouraged, as the BOK isimplemented are:

Teaching methods,

Faculty education and experience,

Modernizing curricula,

Course content and timing throughout the B+M/30process,

Teaching and learning delivery and access systems,

Relative emphasis on technical depth (e.g., many struc-tural engineering courses) or on professional practicebreadth (e.g., project management).

Flexibility respects and builds on each institutions culture,traditions, and strengths. The litmus test for flexibility iscompatibility of the B+M/30 with the BOK.

For additional discussion of flexibility, refer to the section ofthis report titled Comments on Outcomes 12 through 15(pages 36-37). Institutional flexibility in designing B+M/30


programs and individual flexibility in selecting or assem-bling B+M/30 programs are stressed.

Approach

The BOK Committee approached its assigned project in a systematic fashion.

The BOK Committee approached this BOK project in a sys-tematic fashion. This section describes the process by whichthis report was generated and by which comments on it weresolicited and incorporated.

Work Plan

The BOK Committee developed a project work plan, con-sisting of key tasks and target completion dates. The workplan was updated and extended as the committees workproceeded. It typically included completed, in-process andplanned tasks and deliverables.

The work plan included studying the BOK approaches usedby other professions and entities. For documentation of thisaspect of the Committees research see its white paper titledMoving Toward a Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the21st Century: Background.4

Correspondents

Correspondents contrib-uted significantly to the substance of this report.

The BOK Committee formed a correspondents group toreview draft materials, respond to questions, and otherwiseprovide ideas and information for consideration by thecommittee. The correspondents group provided a means offeedback throughout the process and proved to be an effec-tive feature of the committees approach.

Correspondents are mostly civil engineers from the publicand private sectors and academia interested in the BOKaspects of ASCE Policy Statement 465. A list of correspon-dents is included as Appendix F.

Conferences, Workshops, Articles and Papers

Using a variety of mecha-nisms, the committee pro-actively interacted with stakeholders.

Another element of the committees approach was participa-tion in key conferences and workshops and writing BOKfocused articles and papers for selected publications withinand outside of civil engineering. These activities providedanother means of moving stakeholders from awareness tounderstanding and soliciting input and broadening support.Lists of completed and planned conferences and workshopsand articles and papers appear in Appendix G.


BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

What Should Be Taught And Learned?

Engineers must be society-wise as well as technology-wise.

Warren J. Viessman, Jr., environmental engineer

To help define the BOK, the committee first identified desired outcomes, that is, knowledge, skills and atti-tudes necessary to become a licensed profes-sional engineer.

Defining and explaining the civil engineering BOK for the21st century was one of the most difficult challenges facingthe BOK Committee. To help define the BOK, the commit-tee first identified desired outcomes taking into account theguidelines described above and studies4 of BOK models usedby other professions and entities.

By outcomes, the committee means knowledge, skills, andattitudes necessary to become a licensed professional civilengineer. The committee ultimately defined 15 outcomeswithout consideration of the courses, semesters, facultyexpectations, cooperative education, co- and extra-curricu-lar activities, access and delivery systems, and other admin-istrative and logistical aspects of teaching and learning theoutcomes. For example, topics listed in the outcomes couldappear in more than one course, one course could containmany of the outcomes, and, conceivably, one outcome couldencompass an entire course. This section of the reportdescribes the methods the committee used to define whatshould be taught and learned and then defines the desiredoutcomes.

BOK Defined by Outcomes

The committee chose ABETs 11 outcomes as the starting point for its BOK deliberations.

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology(ABET) is an organization of member societies in engineer-ing and engineering-related fields. As part of its mission, theABET accredits educational programs and promotes qualityand innovation in education.


As the starting point for its BOK deliberations, the commit-tee chose ABETs 11 outcomes5 (listed in Appendix H) forfour main reasons:

ABET outcomes are consistent with and partially fulfillthe intent of ASCE Policy Statement 465.

The outcome approach recently adopted by ABET placesmore emphasis on desired quality results and less on pre-scriptive inputs.

The accreditation community invested considerableeffort in exploring options and moving to the outcomesmodel. Building on this foundation was more prudentthan heading in a new direction.

The academic community is familiar with the outcomesapproach.

The draft ASCE commentary on program criteria6 was alsoreviewed, as was the literature.

The committee soon dis-covered that carrying out its charge required a broader and deeper state-ment of outcomes than that provided by the ABET outcomes.

Although the committee began with the ABET outcomes, itwas not constrained by them in breadth and/or depth. Thecommittee soon discovered that carrying out its chargerequired a broader and deeper statement of outcomes thanthat provided by the ABET outcomes, even when existingprogram criteria for civil and similarly named engineeringprograms were considered. As shown in Figure 1, the finalset of desired outcomes consists of the 11 ABET outcomes, asingle depth outcome, and three breadth outcomes.

Much more of a future civil engineering curriculum would be devoted to the single additional depth outcome than to the three additional breadth out-comes.

The amount of curricula that would be devoted to the singleadditional depth outcome and the three additional breadthoutcomes is not proportional to the number of outcomes. Infact, much more of a future civil engineering curriculumwould be devoted to the single additional depth outcomethan to the three additional breadth outcomes.

Levels of Competence Definitions

Integrating B+M/30 with E in BOK fulfillment begins withthe premise that B+M/30 lays the foundation for all out-comes and builds the superstructure for some. Experience,that is E, builds the superstructure for the other outcomes.In this section, the BOK committee proposed the compe-tence level required for each of the 15 outcomes to attainprofessional licensure.

Three levels of competence further explain the BOK.

Knowledge, skills, and attitudes can exist at many differentlevels of capability and usefulness. The BOK distinguishes


the following three broad levels of competence for individu-als intending to become licensed professional civil engineers:

Level 1 (Recognition) represents a reasonable level offamiliarity with a concept. At this level, the engineer isfamiliar with a concept, but lacks the knowledge to spec-ify and procure solutions without additional expertise.For example, an engineer might recognize that a particu-lar architectural plan poses significant construction diffi-culties without having the expertise to devise improvedconstruction or design alternatives.

Level 2 (Understanding) implies a thorough mental graspand comprehension of a concept or topic. Understandingtypically requires more than abstract knowledge. Forexample, an engineer with an understanding of profes-sional and ethical responsibility should be able to identifyand to communicate ethical issues arising from a practi-cal case study.

Level 3 (Ability) is a capability to perform with compe-tence. An engineer with the ability to design a particularsystem can take responsibility for the system, identifying allthe necessary aspects of the design, and match objectiveswith appropriate technological solutions. As an engineerdevelops, the engineers abilities also develop so that morechallenging and difficult problems can be solved.

Although the words recognition, understanding, and abilityappear in the ABET outcomes, they are not defined there.The committee determined that definitions were needed asshown by subsequent discussion of how the BOK could betaught and learned.

Given the importance of the pre-licensure BOK to maintain-ing competence and achieving career success, licensed civil

Figure 1. The 15 outcomes in the recommended BOK consist of the ABETs 11 outcomes plus one depth outcome and three breadth outcomes.

Note: Each outcome is supported by a commentary that elaborates on andillustrates the outcomes intent for civil engineering practice. Commentar-ies and competency levels are essential parts of the outcomes.

CE BOKin terms ofoutcomes

11 ABEToutcomes

1 Depthoutcome

(specializedtechnical area)

3 Breadth outcomes(project management,construction, and assetmanagement; businessand public policy and

administration; andleadership)

= + +


engineers would be encouraged to continuously enhancemastery of the BOK by improving abilities in some out-comes and moving from recognition and understandingtoward demonstrated ability and beyond with other out-comes. In addition, new outcomes may be appropriate ascareers evolve.

The 15 Outcomes

Commentaries explain outcomes; they are not prescriptive.

The BOK is presented in this section in the form of out-comes and commentaries developed by the BOK Commit-tee. The parenthetic notation at the end of the first 11outcomes indicates correspondence to ABETs 11 outcomes.

The purpose of the commentaries is to elaborate on and illus-trate each outcomes intent. The commentaries are notintended to be prescriptive. The outcome-commentary for-mat provides what the committee views as a desirable deliver-able for stakeholders: a list of succinct outcomes, each linkedfor illustrative purposes to an explanatory commentary.

Outcomes are viewed as being applicable over a long periodof time (e.g., years). In contrast, some illustrative topicsmentioned in commentaries will be ephemeral, requiringmodification in response to technological advances andother changes.

The 15 outcomes broaden and deepen ABETs current 11 outcomes.

The outcomes collectively prescribe the necessary depth andbreadth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of an indi-vidual aspiring to enter the practice of civil engineering at theprofessional level (licensure) in the 21st century. Relative totodays basic undergraduate civil engineering programs, theoutcomes prescribe additional breadth and more technicaldepth. The 21st century civil engineer must demonstrate:

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science,and engineering. (ABET a)

Commentary: A technical core of knowledge and breadthof coverage in mathematics, science and civil engineeringtopics is stressed in this outcome. Underlying the profes-sional role of the civil engineer as the master integratorand technical leader are most of the following:mathematics3 through differential equations, probabilityand statistics, calculus-based physics, biology, chemistry,ecology, geology/geomorphology, engineering econom-ics, mechanics, material properties, systems, geo-spatialrepresentation, and information technology.


Increased exposure to or emphasis on biological systems,ecology, sustainability, nanotechnology, and informationtechnology is expected to occur in the 21st century. Inimparting the common technical core, students shouldunderstand the fundamentals of several recognizedmajor civil engineering areas. (Note: The portion of thiscommentary which states students should understandthe fundamentals of several recognized major civil engi-neering areas differs from ABET Program Criteria forCivil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs7 whichcalls for proficiency in a minimum of four recognizedmajor civil engineering areas.)

2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well asanalyze and interpret data. (ABET b)

Commentary: Civil engineers frequently design and con-duct field and laboratory studies, gather data, createnumerical and other models, and then analyze andinterpret the results. Licensed civil engineers should beable to do this in at least one of the evolving or currentmajor civil engineering areas. Examples are traffic, geo-technical, and water quality investigations.

3. an ability to design a system, component, or process tomeet desired needs. (ABET c)

Commentary: Critical design methodology and processelements include problem definition, scope, analysis,risk assessment, environmental impact statements, cre-ativity, synthesizing alternatives, iteration, regulations,codes, safety, security, constructability, sustainability,and multiple objectives and various perspectives.

Other important design or design procurement ele-ments are bidding versus qualifications-based selection(QBS); estimating engineering costs; interactionbetween planning, design and construction; designreview; owner-engineer relationships; and life-cycleassessment. Understanding large-scale systems is impor-tant, including the need to integrate information, orga-nizations, people, processes, and technology. Designexperiences should be integrated throughout the profes-sional component of the curriculum.

4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.(ABET d)

Commentary: Licensed civil engineers should be able tolead a design or other team as well as participate as a


member of a team. This requires understanding teamformation and evolution, personality profiles, teamdynamics, collaboration among diverse disciplines,problem solving, and time management and being ableto foster and integrate diversity of perspectives, knowl-edge, and experiences.

5. an ability to identify, formulate and solve engineeringproblems. (ABET e)

Commentary: Assessing situations in order to identifyengineering problems, formulate alternatives, and rec-ommend feasible solutions is an important aspect of theprofessional responsibilities of a civil engineer.

6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsi-bility. (ABET f)

Commentary: The civil engineer is to hold paramountpublic safety, health, and welfare. A thoughtful andcareful weighing of alternatives when values conflict iscrucial to the responsible conduct of engineering.Therefore, civil engineers practicing at the professionallevel need to demonstrate an understanding of and acommitment to practice according to the seven Funda-mental Canons of Ethics and the associated Guidelinesto Practice Under the Fundamental Canons of Ethics.

7. an ability to communicate effectively. (ABET g)

Commentary: Effective communication includes listen-ing, observing, reading, speaking, and writing andrequires understanding of the fundamentals of interact-ing effectively with technical and nontechnical or layindividuals and audiences in a variety of settings. Pro-fessional civil engineers need to be versatile with mathe-matics, graphics, the worldwide web and othercommunication tools.

8. the broad education necessary to understand the impactof engineering solutions in a global and societal context.(ABET h)

Commentary: Professional civil engineers need to appre-ciate, from historical and contemporary perspectives,culture, human and organizational behavior, aestheticsand ecology and their impacts on society including thehistory and heritage of the civil engineering profession.

9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in,life-long learning. (ABET i)


Commentary: Life-long learning mechanisms availablefor personal and professional development includeadditional formal education, continuing education,professional practice experience, active involvement inprofessional societies, community service, coaching,mentoring, and other learning and growth activities.

Personal and professional development can includedeveloping understanding of and competence in goalsetting, personal time management, communication,delegation, personality types, networking, leadership,the socio-political process, and effecting change.

In addition to the preceding, professional developmentcan include career management, increasing disciplineknowledge, understanding business fundamentals, con-tributing to the profession, self-employment, additionalgraduate studies, and achieving licensure and specialtycertification.

10. a knowledge of contemporary issues. (ABET j)

Commentary: To be effective, professional civil engineersshould appreciate the relationship of engineering tocritical contemporary issues such as multicultural glo-balization of engineering practice; raising the quality oflife around the globe; the growing diversity of society;and the technical, environmental, societal, political,legal, aesthetic, economic, and financial implications ofengineering projects.

11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engi-neering tools necessary for engineering practice. (ABET k)

Commentary: This includes the role and use of appro-priate information technology, contemporary analysisand design methods, and applicable design codes andstandards as practical problem-solving tools to comple-ment knowledge of fundamental concepts. Alsoincluded is the ability to select the appropriate tools forsolving different types and levels of problems.

12. an ability to apply knowledge in a specialized arearelated to civil engineering.

Commentary: For a professional civil engineer, special-ized technical coursework (or the equivalent) is neces-sary. Examples of specialized technical areas includeenvironmental engineering, structural engineering,construction engineering and management, publicworks management, transportation engineering and


water resources management. Civil engineering special-izations in non-traditional, boundary, or emergingfields such as ecological engineering and nano-technol-ogy are encouraged.

13. an understanding of the elements of project manage-ment, construction, and asset management.

Commentary: Efforts of the professional civil engineeroften lead, in the context of projects, to construction ofstructures, facilities and systems that, in turn, must beoperated and maintained.

Project management essentials include project managerresponsibilities, defining and meeting client require-ments, risk assessment and management, stakeholderidentification and involvement, contract negotiation,project work plans, scope and deliverables, budget andschedule preparation and monitoring, interaction amongengineering and other disciplines, quality assurance andquality control, and dispute resolution processes.

Important construction elements are owner-engineer-contractor relationships; project delivery systems (e.g.,design-bid-build, design-build); estimating construc-tion costs; bidding by contractors; labor and labor man-agement issues; and construction processes, methods,systems, equipment, planning, scheduling, safety, costanalysis and cost control.

Asset management seeks effective and efficient long-termownership of capital facilities via systematic acquisition,operation, maintenance, preservation, replacement, anddisposition. Goals include optimizing life-cycle perfor-mance, minimizing life-cycle costs, and achieving maxi-mum stakeholder benefit. Tools and techniques includedesign innovations, new construction technologies,materials improvements, geo-mapping, database man-agement, value assessment, performance models, web-based communication, and cost accounting. Includingasset management recognizes that civil engineers, duringtheir careers, are likely to be involved with some aspect ofcapital facilities management.

14. an understanding of business and public policy andadministration fundamentals.

Commentary: The professional civil engineer typicallyfunctions within both the public and private sectors that


requires at least an understanding of business, publicpolicy, and public administration fundamentals.

Important business fundamentals topics as typicallyapplied in the private, government and non-profit sec-tors include legal forms of ownership, organizationalstructure and design, income statements, balance sheets,decision (engineering) economics, finance, marketingand sales, billable time, overhead, and profit.

Essential public policy and administration fundamen-tals include the political process, public policy, laws andregulations, funding mechanisms, public education andinvolvement, government-business interaction, and thepublic service responsibility of professionals.

15. an understanding of the role of the leader and leader-ship principles and attitudes.

Commentary: Leading, in the private and public arenawhich differs from and complements managingrequires broad motivation, direction, and communica-tion knowledge and skills. Attitudes generally acceptedas being conducive to leadership include commitment,confidence, curiosity, entrepreneurship, high expecta-tions, honesty, integrity, judgment, persistence, positive-ness, and sensitivity. Desirable behaviors of leaders,which can be taught and learned, include earning trust,trusting others, formulating and articulating vision,communication, rational thinking, openness, consis-tency, commitment to organizational values, and discre-tion with sensitive information.

Attitudes

Attitudes are an essential component of the what dimension of the BOK.

As stated earlier, the BOK is defined as the knowledge, skillsand attitudes necessary to become a licensed professionalengineer. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are the essentialcomponents of the what dimension of the BOK. Individualexperiences and review of studies prompted the BOK com-mittee to include attitudes in the BOK.

By attitudes, the committee means ways in which one thinksand feels in response to a fact or situation. Attitudes reflectan individuals values, how he or she sees the world, not interms of sight, but in terms of perceiving, interpreting andapproaching. As noted by John C. Maxwell,8 your behaviorfollows your attitude. The two cannot be separated.


Some potential attitudes might be considered skills or beheavily dependent on skills. Examples are creativity and asser-tiveness that, for purposes of this report, are viewed as skills.

Attitudes are explicitly mentioned in Outcome 15 (anunderstanding of the role of the leader and leadership prin-ciples and attitudes). Many desirable attitudes are listed inthe Outcome 15 commentary.

Prevailing Thoughts

Attitudes were found to be integral parts of the BOK of other professions and specialties such as archi-tecture, accounting and project management.

There is a wealth of study and professional opinion on therole of attitude, that is, thinking and feeling, in individualand group achievement. The BOK used these professionalopinions as support in its rationale for including attitudes asone of the three essential components of the BOK.

As the committee reviewed the licensing and certificationpractices of other professions and specialties4, attitudes werefound to be integral parts of the BOK and of other profes-sions and specialties such as architecture, accounting andproject management.

Additionally, the committee reviewed studies that empiri-cally investigate the role of attitude in life achievement. Psy-chiatrist and author M. Scott Peck8 claims that how onethinks determines the workings of the unconscious mind.According to Peck, the conscious mind makes decisionsand translates them into actions. The unconscious mindresides below the surface; it is the possessor of extraordinaryknowledge that we arent naturally aware of.

Motivational author Napoleon Hill10 devoted decades tostudying successful people. He concluded that the only com-mon denominator amongst successful people was the men-tal ability to vividly picture a goal. According to Hill, thesubconscious mind will translate into its physical equivalent,by the most direct and practical method available, any orderwhich is given to it in a state of belief, or faith that that orderwill be carried out.

Studies point to the essen-tial role of attitudes in individual and group achievement.

English writer James Allen11 speaks of the power of the con-scious mind in his book As a Man Thinketh. He refers to it as agarden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed torun wild and observes that regardless of whether the mind iscultivated or neglected, it will bring forth. Allen goes to say,thought-forces and mind-elements operate in the shapingof a persons character, circumstances, and destiny. In otherwords, as you deeply think so will you become.


Joseph Murphy12, a theologian and scientist using the con-scious mind-subconscious mind nomenclature, focuses onthe power of how one thinks and feels. His book portraysthe subconscious mind as being receptive to the consciousmind, impressionable, sleepless, non-reasoning, creative,eager, action or execution-oriented, intelligent, idea rich,and ageless. Murphy explains: If you imagine an objectiveclearly, you will be provided with the necessities, in ways youknow not of, through the wonder-working of your subcon-scious mind.

Civil Engineers and the Topic of Attitudes

Knowledge and skills are, relative to attitudes, more comfortably and fre-quently discussed by civil engineers and probably many other professionals.

Relative to attitudes, knowledge and skills are typically morecomfortably and frequently discussed by civil engineers andprobably by many other professionals. This tendency isexplained, in part, by the objectivity and specificity ofknowledge and skills in contrast to with the subjectivity andambiguity of attitudes.

For example, mention knowledge of conservation of mass orskill in using spreadsheets to civil engineering professionalsand most will understand the topics and agree with theirprofessional relevance. In contrast, engage civil engineeringeducators and practitioners in discussions of attitudes suchas curiosity, integrity, and sensitivity, and the individualwords are likely to have highly-varied interpretations.

Some civil engineering educators and practitioners will ques-tion the relevance of certain attitudes to civil engineeringeducation and practice. Others will agree that while knowl-edge and skills are integral to civil engineering education,attitude development lies outside of the educators responsi-bility. Some may argue that tomorrows civil engineering stu-dents need not develop constructive attitudes as an integraland essential part of their education and experience.

A position taken by some is that an understanding of ethicalresponsibility (Outcome 6) is sufficient to address the atti-tudes issue. Others counter this position with the argumentthat attitudes associated with ethical behavior, while essentialto practicing civil engineering at the professional level, are notsufficient. Finally, some will argue that attitudes are impor-tant but believe that attitudes, and the values they reflect, arelargely fixed by the time a young person enters college.

Clearly, attitudes appropriate to the BOK are difficult todescribe and articulate. Furthermore, attitudes and their


impactspositive and negativeare easier to see in othersthan in ourselves.

As noted in the later sections of this report titled Body ofKnowledgeWho Should Teach It? and Body of Knowl-edgeWho Should Learn It?, the committee believes thatthe success of implementing the future civil engineeringBOK will depend on the characteristics of those who teachand those who learn. Those characteristics include recogni-tion of the importance of attitude and the willingness andability to teach, learn and apply them.

Attitudes as Catalysts

Despite the complications of subjectivity and ambiguity, theBOK Committee members are convinced that attitudesmust join knowledge and skills as one of the three essentialcomponents of the what dimension of the civil engineeringBOK.13 The manner in which a civil engineer views andapproaches his or her work is very likely to determine howeffectively he or she uses hard-earned knowledge and skills.

Some attitude sets are contagious and have pro-ductive catalytic and syn-ergistic effects within the professional practice of civil engineering.

Certain attitudes empower individuals to find ways to applyand build on their knowledge and skills. Furthermore, thesedesirable attitudes increase the receptivity of team members,colleagues, clients and other stakeholders to welcome andwork with the individual and/or accept his or her findingsand recommendations.

Some attitude sets are contagious and have productive cata-lytic and synergistic effects within the professional practiceof civil engineering. These attitude sets accelerate careersand are essential to those who aspire to lead.

Other attitudes, or attitude sets, tend to limit an individualsability to fully appreciate the potential application of whatthey know, that is, their knowledge and skills. These unde-sirable attitudes hamper the individuals effectiveness withinthe typically complex team and stakeholder environments.Certain attitudes tend to isolate an individual, stifle his orher efforts, agitate others and deny everyone the full benefitof the individuals knowledge and skills.

At the personal level, constructive attitudes enable each civilengineer to practice enlightened stewardship with his or herunique set of knowledge, skills and other traits. Sadly, wesometimes see gifted individuals whose professional perfor-mance falls far short of their potential. Valuable knowledgeand skills are underutilized and careers are much less thanthey could be. The missing ingredient? Constructive attitudes.


Knowledge and skill, while necessary, are not suffi-cient to effect a fully func-tioning professional civil engineer.

Knowledge and skill, while necessary, are not sufficient toeffect a fully functioning professional civil engineer. Becauseof their catalytic effect, certain attitudes are also needed andshould be taught as part of the process of fulfilling the BOK.

Which Attitudes?

The committee assembled a list of attitudes possibly supportive of effective professional practice.

Having stated the critical role of attitudes in the civil engi-neering BOK, a question naturally arises, Which attitudesshould be included in the BOK? As a partial answer to thequestion, the committee assembled the following list of atti-tudes, that is, value-driven feelings or emotions, possibly con-ducive to effective professional practice of civil engineering:

Professional attitudes are intimately linked with the corpo-rate or professional culture in which a civil engineer oper-ates. Therefore, the institution itself, whether it is a civil andenvironmental engineering department at a university, acorporation, or a governmental entity, should define the setof attitudes it believes to be most appropriate to the mosteffective functioning of its civil engineers. A given civil engi-neering department or employer might select that a subsetof appropriate professional attitudes and integrate them intotheir education or development programs. The selected atti-tudes might be tailored to the departments or employersprincipal focus or function such as design, construction,research, or public works.

Can Attitudes Be Taught and Learned?

The essential question is: can attitudes be learned as a result of the teaching and, furthermore, what does that learning mean?

We can teach about attitudes, just as we can teach about anytopic. The essential question is, Can attitudes be learned?Furthermore, what does that learning mean?

While teachers and mentors can convey and students andyoung engineers can understand the concept of a given con-structive attitude, getting students to adopt and practice the

Commitment JudgmentConfidence OptimismConsideration of others PersistenceCuriosity PositivenessEntrepreneurship RespectFairness Self esteemHigh expectations SensitivityHonesty ThoughtfulnessIntegrity ThoroughnessIntuition Tolerance


attitude is a different and more challenging matter. But thisis not new; moving students and young engineers fromunderstanding something to acting on it is also challengingin other aspects of their educational and work experience.

Numerous attitude teaching and learning opportunities nat-urally occur, or can be made to occur, during the B+M/30&E process. Such opportunities occur within formal edu-cation via lecture, case studies of exemplars and failures,journaling, and faculty example; within co- and extra-cur-ricular activities; and during pre-licensure experience.

Within formal education for example, consider an assign-ment to research and write a report on an existing majorcivil engineering project. If cast in terms of high expecta-tions and high support, we can teach attitudes such as confi-dence, curiosity, judgment. Possibly, some of these attitudeswill be learned.

In the extra-curricular area, encouraging civil engineeringstudents to run for elected office in student organizationspromotes attitudes such as confidence, entrepreneurship,and positiveness.

Consider the civil engineers pre-licensure experience. Acivil engineering firms construction manager can offer totake the young civil engineer to a construction site meetingwith an owner and the contractor. On the way to the meet-ing, the construction manager c

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