The project is selected so that the students must interact closely with a local consulting engineering firm, a government agency or similar organization. Past projects have included a landfill design, an engineering building design and a waste-water treatment plant. The students work closely with design professionals on the projects. Drawings, preliminary reports, feasibility, alternative evaluation and a final written and oral presentation are key elements of the course. Also included in the senior year is a required civil engineering design elective course that students can choose in a specialty area.
Students can also choose design courses to fulfil other technical elective requirements.