The Roman aqueducts and the pyramids of Egypt are early examples of civil engineering works. Today, civil engineering encompasses a wide range of projects and activities for the welfare and safety of the general public. Civil engineers are responsible for the planning, design, and construction of such projects as bridges, buildings, highways, traffic control systems, and facilities for the treatment of water supplies and waste water. Civil engineers are also involved in solving the problems of hazardous waste and air pollution. Specialized areas within the discipline of civil engineering include structural engineering, construction engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, water resources engineering, and foundation engineering.
Civil engineers are also active in such diverse fields as urban planning and aerospace engineering.
In addition to the traditional areas of civil engineering such as structural design, construction, and environmental engineering, men and women trained as civil engineers can be found in the aerospace industry, the computer industry, and almost every field of endeavor in both government and the private sector. Civil engineers can work as planners, designers, or both. Some work in sales, and many experienced engineers are in management positions. At the undergraduate level, the Department of Civil Engineering at The University of Memphis offers the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering . A student can specialize in structural, environmental, construction, foundation, water resources, and transportation engineering by taking the appropriate elective courses .