Portland-State-University 2020-2021 Bulletin

Honors Program - BSCE and BSENVE

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Honors Program gives highly-motivated engineering students the chance to develop undergraduate degree programs that reflect their particular interests – many of these students go on to graduate school. Working closely with a CEE faculty advisor, Honors Program students choose a research area and complete an Honors thesis, usually during their senior year.

Honors Program Admissions Requirements:

  • Submit CEE Honors Program application form found on the CEE website (www.pdx.edu/cee);
  • Completion of a minimum of 90 credit hours;
  • Completion of courses required for admission to the BSCE or BSENVE programs;
  • Minimum PSU GPA of 3.50

Interested students should apply by spring quarter of the junior year but no later than the beginning of his/her senior year.

Upon acceptance into the Honors Program, the student will declare one of the following areas of interest within CEE for his/her research topic: Environmental/Water Resources, Geotechnical, Structural, or Transportation. The CEE Chair, in consultation with faculty, will assign the student an Honors advisor. The advisor will work with the student to complete a written proposal for the Honors thesis research. Honors thesis will follow ASCE document guidelines for style and formatting. CEE students who meet Honors Program requirements will graduate with Honors and will receive special recognition on their diploma.

Honors Program Graduation Requirements:

  • Completion of a written honors thesis in conjunction with a faculty adviser with a minimum grade of B+
  • Presentation of research to CEE faculty/students in seminar format
  • PSU GPA above 3.50

Note: The Honors thesis will count as a BSCE or BSENVE elective in the senior year: CE 403, Honors Thesis, 4 credit hours. Students in the University Honors Program can substitute HON 403 for CE 403 credits, and apply the thesis credits to both the University Honors Program requirements, as well as the CE or ENVE engineering elective requirements. Students working in both programs should schedule advising sessions with both the University Honors Program and the CEE Department early to ensure correct course planning for those two programs.