Oct 05, 2024  
2020-2021 Academic Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Academic Catalog [Published Catalog]

Construction Engineering, with concentrations in Construction Materials and Structures, Construction Management and Technology, and Infrastructure (B.S.)


Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering

The construction industry is the largest industry in Egypt and much of the world. Construction engineering is a relatively new field that is designed to foster technological advances in the industry, to utilize modern design techniques, and to develop means to improve production, products, components and subsystems, and distribution and utilization of equipment. Construction engineering covers the basic civil engineering components such as structures, geotechnical, water resources, transportation, and environmental engineering. In addition, it covers, in detail, methods for the modeling of construction projects, numerical simulations, the evaluation of various construction strategies, and construction quality control. It deals with organizational planning, financial and human resources management, productivity measurement, accounting, information systems, strategy and policy formation, contracting, and construction law.

The specific objectives of the Construction Engineering Program are that students within a few years of graduation will be able to: Effectively apply in a holistic manner the fundamentals of science and engineering to pursue successful careers in the construction engineering profession; Fully integrate the broad spectrum of construction engineering topics including its areas of concentration with other engineering disciplines; Cope with and improve upon the ever-evolving technologies of the construction industry; Communicate effectively, work independently and as a part of a team, and fit within multidisciplinary projects and multi-cultural environments; Recognize and consider the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context with the ability to understand and respond to other cultures; Engage in lifelong learning and develop their ability to pursue further studies; Develop creative solutions to engineering problems, provide effective leadership and demonstrate commitment to professional and ethical conduct.

Students have the choice of one of three concentration areas within construction engineering. These are: 1) Construction Materials and Structures; 2) Construction Management and Technology; and 3) Infrastructure. The Construction Materials and Structures concentration provides students with the ability to integrate advances in construction materials with advanced knowledge in structural design and mechanics. The Construction Management and Technology concentration provides students with the tools that would enable them to become effective construction managers, through gaining a deeper appreciation of the technology and management aspects involved, and a greater exposure to the various facets of the industry. The Infrastructure concentration better equips students for involvement in civil infrastructure projects, and enables them to contribute to consulting practice in highway engineering, environmental and water resources engineering. The concentration shall be indicated in the students’ Diploma.
The undergraduate program in construction engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET

The program is also accredited by the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities.

Students are admitted to the Construction Engineering Program either upon admission to AUC or after successful completion of criteria courses. High school students with mathematics/science background are accepted depending on their High School grades and the available quota in the Construction Engineering Program. Undeclared and transfer students are admitted to the program upon completing criteria courses in sciences. Students are accepted based on their GPA and on available quota in the department.

Students should consult the course listings and their faculty advisor on a regular basis to ensure that prerequisites for engineering core, concentration and elective courses are met. A model course plan for the major is provided in the office of the Department of Construction Engineering.

A total of 162 credits is required for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Engineering:

Core Curriculum (33 credits)


The remaining 7 credit hours required to satisfy the core are fulfilled by the concentration Science/lab (4 credits), and the capstone Senior Projects I and II (CENG 4980  and CENG 4981 ) (3 credits).

Concentration Electives (12 credits):


To complete the requirements of any of the three concentrations, students must complete a set of four courses as indicated in each concentration.
Student should also carry out the Senior Graduation Project in their selected concentration subfield.

Construction Materials and Structures
In this concentration, student have to complete 4 courses (12 credit hours) as follow:
1. Two courses (6 credit hours) of Group A,
2. One course (3 credit hours) from Group B, and
3. One course (3 credit hours) from any other concentration, including Group B courses.

Construction Management and Technology


In this concentration, Students have to complete the following two courses
CENG 444/4430 - Risk Management and Bidding Strategies (3 cr.)  
CENG 447/4450 - Design, Modeling and Simulation of Construction Systems (3 cr.)  

In addition to any two courses from the Infrastructure or the Construction Materials and Structures Concentrations

Science Elective (3 credits)


Students should take a science elective course of total 3 credits selected from a set of courses accepted by the department

General Electives (0-6 credits):


Students may take courses of their selection to satisfy program requirement of 162 credit hours.

Dual Degree Option BSc/CENG-MPA


Students enrolled in the School of Science and Engineering may apply to complete the MPA on an accelerated basis in conjunction with completion of the BSc. in Construction Engineering. At present, this option is open only to students completing the BSc. in Construction Engineering. Students interested in this option should consult with their advisors during the Fall of their fourth year for potential admission to the program in their fifth year. The program is jointly administered by the Department of Public Policy and Administration in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Sciences and Engineering. Admission is based on the recommendation of the student’s SSE advisor and review by the PPAD department. Students who wish to be admitted to this dual degree should have a minimum GPA of 2.75. The program prepares students for careers in the public sphere with the highest ethical standards, strong competencies in environmental analysis and management as well as public governance, excellent leadership and communication skills, a sound understanding of the use of evidence and analysis in public service settings, and a commitment to building a better future for the people of Egypt and the region. Students pursue careers in government, nonprofit organizations, international development agencies, academia, and the private sector.

Students electing the dual degree option usually begin taking graduate courses in their ninth semester and receive both the BSc. and the MPA upon the completion of their coursework and master’s thesis, normally at the end of their 6th year.

Students who seek to register in this dual degree should complete four 400-level CENG-required courses that address issues of management or public administration. Courses will need to be approved by the department prior to registration.

Additionally, students must take at least seven PPAD graduate courses and write a thesis; or take the non-thesis track of two additional courses and a comprehensive examination administered by the Public Policy and Administration Department.

Complete all following five (5) courses:

Group 2: Complete one (1) of the following:

Group 3: Complete one (1) of the following:

Thesis Track

Students are required to write a thesis on some aspect of public administration relevant to their concentration. The preparation of the thesis and the thesis itself must comply with Departmental and AUC guidelines with regard to content, format, dates, and the review and supervision process. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these guidelines and meeting formal deadlines. Students preparing the thesis normally develop a preliminary thesis proposal during PPAD 5201 , a required core course, but may prepare an alternative thesis proposal if desired. Once the proposal is approved, students may enroll in PPAD 5298  (optional), the thesis research seminar, in the first semester in which they are working on the research component and write-up of their thesis. Thereafter, if additional work is required to complete the thesis, students can enroll each semester in PPAD 5299 . Students who choose to enroll in PPAD 5298  (optional) and PPAD 5299  must pay 3 credits of tuition for the first enrolment and thereafter pay 1 credit of tuition each semester, until the thesis is successfully defended and approved by the Dean. PPAD 5298 , the thesis research seminar, is optional and is designed to support the applied research required for the thesis and the writing of the thesis itself. Students will be required to read and comment on the work of other students, both orally and in writing, and to present draft thesis chapters.

Non-Thesis Track

Students who do not wish to undertake a thesis can choose to substitute the thesis with two additional PPAD 3 credit courses, with the approval of the program director, and then sit for a comprehensive examination after completing all program course requirements. A comprehensive examination is usually offered in mid-December and mid-April. Students not registered for courses or thesis credit hours and planning to sit for the comprehensive examination in any semester must register for comprehensives (PPAD 5288  ) in that semester and pay tuition equivalent to one graduate credit hour.

Comprehensive examination may be repeated once. A student who fails the comprehensive examination a second time would be dismissed from the degree program after the end of the semester in which the examination was retaken.