Hi there!
I’m planning to major in Civil/Environmental Engineering. I’ve heard that UCSD and UCLA are very closely ranked in terms of engineering. However, I also heard that UCSD’s Civil Engineering program is quite limited and not as big as UCLA’s. Does anyone have any information on the Environmental Engineering program at UCSD?
UCSD does not offer a Civil Engineering major but a Structural Engineering major. http://structures.ucsd.edu
Here is information for Environmental Engineering at UCSD: http://maeweb.ucsd.edu/enviroeng
If both schools programs are ABET accredited, they pretty much teach the same type of curriculum.
UCSD doesn’t technically have a Civil Engineering department, but its Structural Engineering department is the next closest thing. It was the first accredited structural engineering department in the country, and has large, recognizable research facilities such as the Powell Structural Labs and the world’s largest outdoor shake table. It’s also closely linked to the visual arts department as part of its interdisciplinary focus.
I think the programs are comparable in size and influence, but UCLA has a broader scope as it includes all forms of civil engineering, not just structural. According to the QS rankings, UCLA is the world’s 14th-best school for civil/structural engineering and UCSD comes in at 26th.
The environmental engineering program at UCSD is in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department, not the civil engineering department like UCLA’s. It’s a fairly new program and hasn’t been accredited yet. However, UCSD is a world pioneer in environmental sciences thanks to its Scripps Institution of Oceanography roots.
Oops, sorry! I meant to say I got accepted in Environmental Engineering as part of the MAE program at UCSD and Civil Engineering at UCLA. What does it mean for me if it isn’t accredited yet?
I’m not exactly sure how different the two programs are.