Transportation engineering involves the
planning, design, construction, operation, and
maintenance of large scale transportation facilities
such as highways, airports, railroads, harbors,
pipelines, and public transit systems. The civil
engineer designs, builds and manages the
infrastructure that provides for movement of both
people and freight.
At the University of Virginia,
undergraduate courses in transportation engineering
focus on geometric design, pavement design, road user
and vehicle characteristics, traffic studies and
urban transportation planning. Computer methods are
introduced and applied in many transportation
applications. Complementary courses include
probability and statistics and systems engineering
courses. This transportation curriculum provides an
excellent introduction to the methodology of
transportation systems analysis and design.
The field of transportation engineering is
comprised of two main streams of development:
technology and planning. Technology is critical to
the understanding of the function of the system, in
predicting its performance and its costs, and in
identifying alternatives in the form of fixed plant
investments as well as operational changes. Planning
methods are critical to long range plans and short
term system management problems, such as energy
shortages and air pollution.
The opportunities in transportation
engineering appear to be excellent in the future.
Graduates may be employed by governmental agencies,
private companies, railroads, shippers or
transportation consultants. The transportation
program at the University of Virginia is a flexible
one that will prepare the student for a wide choice
of careers.
Transportation Courses for
Undergraduates
There are a select number of undergraduate
courses available through the Center in the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Course CE 344 is
required for Civil Engineering majors during their
sixth semester. The remaining courses can fulfill the
required electives for civil engineering
students.
CE 344 Transportation Facilities
Design
CE 444 Traffic Operations
CE 445 Introduction to Transportation
Planning
CE 446 Introduction to Geographic
Information Systems
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