Objectives

The goals of the Department of Civil Engineering are rooted in the mission and goals of the Addis Ababa University. To that end, the program of the Department is committed to the following:

• To train civil engineers who can design and construct a wide range of civil engineering works such as buildings, bridges, roads, dams, water supply facilities and irrigation structures, etc.
• To undertake relevant research in line with the University programme,
• To provide consultancy-services to governmental and non-governmental organizations
• To strive to achieve self-reliance both in teaching and research by strengthening existing programmes and opening new graduate programmes in relevant fields, and
• To contribute to the advancement of science and technology through research.

Future plans

The Department has planned to expand the services of the Department by opening new graduate and undergraduate programmes. The opening of Mining Engineering in B.Sc. level, Construction Management and Sanitary Engineering in M.Sc level, upgrading the existing M.Sc programme in Structural Engineering to Ph.D level are among the plans of the Department. The Department's plan is very realistic and goes along with the objective of the University and demand of the nation.

Educational Programs

The Department of Civil Engineering is the oldest department in the Faculty of Technology. It was established in 1955 as the faculty was known then as the College of Engineering. The Department has long years of experience in training and research. The first batch of civil engineering students graduated with B.Sc. degree in July 1958 after four years of training. In an endeavor to meet the increasing demand of the country for professionals of higher qualifications, the department launched in 1979 a two-year postgraduate program in two areas of specialization, namely, structural and geotechnical Engineering. The number of the areas of specialization in the graduate program has increased to five in 2004.

During the period 1959 to 2004 more than 1500 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate students obtained their B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in civil engineering respectively.

Undergraduate Program of the Department (B.Sc.)

The present curriculum is updated to be compatible with the new education policy of the Ministry of Education. According to the new policy, students from high school, who have completed 10 plus 2 years of preparatory program and have passed the entrance examinations are admitted directly to the Department, thereby reducing the study duration to 4 years.

The graduates from the department will be engaged in various activities of civil engineering such as:

* Design of buildings, bridges, roads, dams, canals, etc.
* Supervision of various civil engineering construction projects. The projects include buildings, bridges, roads, irrigation and water supply, hydropower, urban drainage, etc.
* Planning and management of water resources and infrastructure development projects

Graduate Program in the Department (M.Sc.)

The Department offers a two-year full-time postgraduate program leading to a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in five areas of specialization in Civil Engineering.
The postgraduate program comprises of a three-semester course work and a one-semester thesis work on applied research. The areas of specialization:

* Construction Technology and Management
* Geotechnical Engineering
* Hydraulic Engineering
* Road and Transportation Engineering
* Structural Engineering

The applicant to the graduate program must have a B.Sc. Degree in Civil Engineering or its equivalent and meet the admission requirements of the school of Graduate Studies.

Facilities

Laboratories: The Department has laboratories for geotechnical, structural and materials, hydraulics, sanitary, and highway engineering. These laboratories are used for educational, research and consultancy purposes.

Computer center: The department has a computer center for graduate students having some 25 computers in a local area network (LAN) and 24 hours internet access.

Library: Two libraries are on service in the Faculty of Technology campus for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The department has also its own library having some volume of books and Journals.

Staffs

The academic staff of the department, which is entirely composed of Ethiopians, consists of professionals with the following qualifications; seventeen with PhD, six with M.Sc., and six with B.Sc. degrees. Six academic staff members are on study leave. The Department's supporting staff includes one secretary and five technical staff.