Structural Engineering, Career and Education

Structural engineering is the discipline in engineering that deals with the analysis and design of structures that support loads. Structural engineering is commonly seen as an integrative part of civil engineering and in most countries those who want to become structural engineers would normally follow a degree in civil engineering. However, in many parts of the world the field can also be studied as a separate degree, in its own right.

Structural engineers’ job is to design buildings but also large structures that are not buildings and which are meant to support buildings or loads. They may also be involved in the design of medical equipment, machinery, vehicles or any structural integrity that can cross one’s mind provided that this type of structure affects the function or the safety of the construction. Their task is to make sure that the design they develop satisfies the design criteria, the safety indication as well as the performance and serviceability of the structure. They must take into consideration the massive loads that the builds are often meant to endure as well as other aspects that can affect the resistance of the building, such as the changing climate or natural disasters.

Students who are thinking to become structural engineers can choose to pursue their career by following a bachelor in civil engineering or they may look for a technical college or university that offers a bachelor level program in structural engineering. Moreover, is most likely to study structural engineering for 3 or 4 years and for the first part of their course they may study structural engineering in general. However, students may choose to specialize in subfields such as earthquake engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering or roof engineering, among others. Graduates may become in the end structural engineers or they may be licensed as civil engineers depending on what part of the world they live in.