General Math Requirements

• During the first two years of school, aspiring civil engineers typically take general education courses like other students at the college or university they attend. During this time, they also take a number of general or foundational math courses necessary for further advanced study during their final two years of school. Math courses can begin as early as the first semester of study. Foundational math courses generally include first-year calculus. Calculus and analytic geometry are typically taught as part of the same course, although they may be taught separately on occasion.
  
  

Advanced Math Courses

• Beyond the courses in calculus and analytic geometry, civil engineers also take a variety of more advanced courses that provide the necessary foundation for work in their field. For instance, civil engineering students at the University of Illinois complete courses in introductory matrix theory, in calculus involving multiple variables, and in differential equations and orthogonal functions. Other schools, such as the University of Delaware, also require courses in probability and statistics as part of the civil engineering curriculum.
  
  

Applied Math

• Although all of the math courses taken by civil engineering students have applicability in the engineering field, some schools also require civil engineering students to take courses in applied mathematics. These applied math courses for civil engineering candidates are not the same as those taken by other students at the college or university. Instead, courses are typically in engineering math. For example, the University of Delaware requires three semesters of engineering math classes. Students generally take several courses in physics also, where the principles of calculus are applied at a more practical level.
  
  

Job Outlook

• Civil engineers who take the necessary math and engineering courses can expect significant job opportunities from 2008 to 2018. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in civil engineering is expected to grow by 24 percent during that period. Renewed emphasis upon rebuilding and improving the nation's infrastructure is expected to be the driving force behind this growth.