Structural Engineering

Note: Students who have a 3-course writing class for their college requirements may take MATH 18 in the Winter quarter of their 1st year to leave space for a GE in Spring. 

GE = General education/college requirement.

FS = Focus sequence course. The structural engineering major includes four focus sequences: civil structures, aerospace structures, geotechnical engineering, and structural health monitoring. For more info on specific course requirements in each focus sequence please see: Focus Sequences

FS CAPSTONE*: Most students take either SE 140A/B or SE 143A/B depending on their chosen FS with the exception of students completing the Structural Health Monitoring/Non-Destructive Evaluation (SHM/NDE) focus sequence.

TE = Structural Engineering majors must take 3 technical electives outside of their focus sequence courses. This means that the focus sequence courses and technical electives cannot overlap. Please refer to the Preapproved Technical Electives page on our website for details. 

Note about Math Classes: 

The MATH 20 series is required to satisfy SE major requirements. Students who take the math placement exam and start with Math 3C or 4C should take Math 3C -> Math 4C -> Math 20A. MATH 4C is recommended over MATH 10A because it is geared towards science and engineering majors, and will better prepare students for the MATH 20 series. Students starting with Math 3C or 4C are encouraged to reach out to the SE Undergraduate Advisor via the Virtual Advising Center to discuss their alternative plans. Information on entry-level Mathematics courses can be found on the Math Testing and Placement Website.

• Students starting with MATH 3C or MATH 4C must take the summer courses listed below in order to remain on a 4-year track. This is due to prerequisite chains and course offerings. Please see the SE Course Prerequisite Roadmap and Course Offerings page for details. 
• While PHYS 2B and PHYS 2BL are SE major requirements, they are not necessarily prerequisites to future SE courses. Students can then postpone them to later quarters (or summers) if necessary. 
• Students are welcome to explore taking courses over the summer at UCSD or a community college. If students are interested in taking classes at a community college, please refer to the How to Transfer Courses page on TritonLink for more details.

Math 3C Revised 1st-year Academic Plan: 

Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer Session 1	Summer Session 2
Math 3C	Math 4C	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 18
SE 1		Chem 6A	Phys 2A	Math 20C
		SE 3		Phys 2B
				Phys 2BL

Math 4C Revised 1st-year Academic Plan:

Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
Math 4C	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 18
SE 1	Chem 6A	SE 3	Math 20C
		Phys 2A	Phys 2B
			Phys 2BL*

Civil Structures Focus Sequence

Video introduction to civil structures

Safety in buildings and built infrastructure, bridges, ports, and tunnels among various others, is of paramount importance in a community. Such structures have to resist extreme loads arising from wind and earthquakes, besides several occupancy, traffic loads, and self-weight. Students taking the Civil Infrastructure Focus Sequence will become acquainted with the latest tools to design buildings and bridges. A 2-course capstone sequence will provide students with methods for the design and testing of steel and reinforced concrete structures, leading to exciting professional job opportunities.

	Fall Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
Freshman Year	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 20C
	SE 1	Phys 2A	SE 3
	Chem 6A	Math 18/GE	Phys 2B + 2BL
	GE	GE	Math 18/GE
Sophomore Year	Math 20D	SE 9	Math 20E
	SE 101A	SE 101B	SE 110B
	Phys 2C + 2CL	SE 110A	SE 105
	GE	GE	GE
Junior Year	SE 101C	SE 102	SE 131A
	SE 125	SE 115	SE 130B
	SE 130A	SE 103	SE 150A
	GE	GE	GE
Senior Year	SE 131B	SE 140A	SE 140B
	SE 181	SE 151A	TE
	TE	TE	GE
	GE	GE	GE

 

Aerospace Structures Focus Sequence

Video introduction to aerospace structures

Students in the Aerospace Structures Focus Sequence learn about key topics which are directly applicable to future employment in companies interested in high-performance structures; for example aerospace, automotive, transportation, and wind turbine/power generation. Course topics of aircraft structure design and analysis, composite materials, and joining of composites, are all applied in an intense senior capstone design 2-course sequence in which students design, analyze, build, and test an unmanned aircraft wing structure.

	Fall Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
Freshman Year	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 20C
	SE 1	Phys 2A	SE 3
	Chem 6A	Math 18/GE	Phys 2B + 2BL
	GE	GE	Math 18/GE
Sophomore Year	Math 20D	SE 9	Math 20E
	SE 101A	SE 101B	SE 110B
	Phys 2C + 2CL	SE 110A	SE 105
	GE	GE	GE
Junior Year	SE 101C	SE 102	SE 131A
	SE 125	SE 115	SE 130B
	SE 130A	SE 160A	SE 160B
	GE	GE	GE
Senior Year	SE 131B	SE 143A	SE 143B
	SE 142	SE 171	TE
	TE	TE	GE
	GE	GE	GE

 

Geotechnical Engineering Focus Sequence 

Video introduction on geotechnical engineering

The geotechnical focus sequence provides students with an introduction to soil mechanics and its application to the design of underground structures like foundations, retaining walls, tunnels, landfills, bridge abutments, and pavements. Students will be able to sample and classify soils and then perform experiments and analyses to interpret the compressibility, hydraulic conductivity, and shear strength of soils, all of which are needed to write and interpret a geotechnical report. Design topics include shallow and deep foundations, slopes, and retaining walls. Students will learn to apply techniques to improve and reinforce soils.

	Fall Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
Freshman Year	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 20C
	SE 1	Phys 2A	SE 3
	Chem 6A	Math 18/GE	Phys 2B + 2BL
	GE	GE	Math 18/GE
Sophomore Year	Math 20D	SE 9	Math 20E
	SE 101A	SE 101B	SE 110B
	Phys 2C + 2CL	SE 110A	SE 105
	GE	GE	GE
Junior Year	SE 101C	SE 102	SE 131A
	SE 125	SE 115	SE 130B
	SE 130A	SE 103* (TE)	SE 150A* (TE)
	GE	GE	GE
Senior Year	SE 131B	SE 140A	SE 140B
	SE 181**	SE 182**	SE 184**
	TE	SE 151A	GE
	GE	GE	GE

*Students must take SE 103 and SE 150A as technical elective classes in their second year because SE 151A has SE 103 as a prerequisite, and SE 140A has SE 150A as a prerequisite. 

*SE 181, SE 182, and SE 184 can be taken in sequence in the third year as long as the student has completed SE 110A prior.

 

Structural Health Monitoring/Non-Destructive Evaluation (SHM/NDE) Focus Sequence

Video introduction to structural health monitoring

The Structural Health Monitoring/Nondestructive Evaluation focus sequence introduces students to a broadly interdisciplinary paradigm that integrates sensing and data acquisition, signal processing and information analytics, and risk-informed decision-making for the purpose of performing monitoring of structures for optimal life cycle performance. Students engaged in this focus sequence will take courses in nondestructive testing techniques, sensor and data acquisition principles, damage detection/localization strategies, advanced modeling model/test correlation, and a capstone experience in the context of a small-team consultancy project. Students with this introductory background can enter multiple sectors including aerospace companies, civil design/retrofit firms, engineering service/consultancy companies, and US government laboratories, to just name just a few.

	Fall Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
Freshman Year	Math 20A	Math 20B	Math 20C
	SE 1	Phys 2A	SE 3
	Chem 6A	Math 18/GE	Phys 2B + 2BL
	GE	GE	Math 18/GE
Sophomore Year	Math 20D	SE 9	Math 20E
	SE 101A	SE 101B	SE 110B
	Phys 2C + 2CL	SE 110A	SE 105
	GE	GE	GE
Junior Year	SE 101C	SE 102	SE 131A
	SE 125	SE 115	SE 130B
	SE 130A	SE 164	*SE 165
	GE	GE	GE
Senior Year	SE 131B	***SE 167	SE 168
	**SE 163	TE	TE
	TE	TE	GE
	GE	GE

• *SE 165 is the capstone class for this sequence, and students are required to take an additional technical elective (4 technical electives total).
• **SE 163 can be taken in the third year as long as the student has completed SE 110A prior.
•  ***SE 167 can be taken in the third year as long as the student has completed SE 101C prior.