The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) is pleased to present the 2019 NCSEA Structural Engineering Curriculum Survey results. The survey is a triennial review of the recommended NCSEA Structural Engineering Curriculum at over 175 civil or architectural engineering schools throughout the country that offer educational opportunities for students desiring to become structural engineers. For nearly 10 years, NCSEA has promoted the recommended NCSEA Structural Engineering Curriculum as the core subject matter deemed necessary by the profession for a sound educational background in structural engineering. The recommended curriculum consists of the following twelve courses:

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In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBOK, 3^rd ed.), which “defines the set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level.”  ASCE acknowledges that the “fulfillment of the CEBOK must include both formal education and mentored experience.”  Indeed, the CEBOK lists 21 desired outcomes, although 14 cannot be achieved without mentored experience after or separate from formal classroom experience. In 2019, ASCE also hosted the Education Summit: Mapping the Future of Civil Engineering Education. In the proceedings published in August 2020, the Summit listed four objectives of future engineering education; Objective 2 is to “Elevate professional skills to a truly equal footing with technical skills.”  …

Learning How to Teach Remotely

I taught Concrete Structures in the Architecture program at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the Spring 2020 semester. The course was envisioned by my predecessor and maintained by me as a technical and qualitative exploration of designing concrete, with a series of rigorous but practical design examples for different elements. The lectures included case studies of buildings, discussions of the theory behind concrete design, and sample problems solved on the chalkboards. …

An Analysis of Current Wood Engineering Education in U.S. Universities

Structural engineers are becoming aware of the impact the selection of structural materials can have on the environment. The building industry is acknowledging and embracing the contribution of the sustainable potential of wood to reduce the environmental footprint of a project through its carbon-storing capabilities and renewable qualities. …

The author’s “Masonry Education Survey,” administered in October 2018, sought to answer two overarching questions: 1) are industry practitioners satisfied with the masonry design knowledge that graduating structural engineers bring with them into the workforce, and 2) what aspects of masonry design are most important for graduating structural engineers to master. This survey elicited passionate responses from engineers, architects, contractors, suppliers, instructors, and industry representatives involved in the design, specifying, installation, and/or manufacturing of masonry systems for buildings. This article expands on material previously presented at the 13^th North American Masonry Conference, with additional survey results gathered through September 2019. …

What if students in capstone design classes completed structural designs for real sites, interacted with a real client, and added value for future construction?

In undergraduate education, structural capstone designs are usually retrospective or invented, even when planned for a real site. Universities create competitive design climates, even incorporating virtual reality into capstone design courses. Some universities invite practitioners to judge the students’ design presentations. However, the projects are not constructed. The students know that the project will never be constructed: it is just about learning and, ultimately, a grade. …

Field Work Complements Classroom Learning

In the spring of 2016, a group of eight students completing their master’s degrees in structural engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, were led out of the classroom and into the great outdoors for a very atypical educational experience. After years of calculus and physics, it was time for a much-needed mental break, where textbooks and exams were set aside for tape measures and cameras. …

Timber is one of the most widely used construction materials in the U.S., especially for low- to mid-rise residential structures. It is also one of the most sustainable materials available. The life cycle of the product involves the sequestration (the physical storage) of carbon, the production of oxygen, and the reduction of energy consumed in creating manufactured products. …