Welcome to the home of
Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology (SDCET) program
in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology at Penn State Harrisburg!

Message from the Chair

On behalf of the faculty and staff in the Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology Program, I would like to welcome you to our web site, which abounds with relevant and useful information. Graduates of this Penn State Harrisburg program have been in high demand as companies and corporations seek responsible, well-prepared employees. This indicates to us that we are meeting our primary mission of equipping undergraduate students for successful careers in their respective professions. SDCET's outstanding reputation grows as our graduates establish themselves locally or relocate throughout Pennsylvania, the United States, and beyond. We expect to continue this growth and further enhance our program of excellence.

I hope that you will enjoy browsing on our web site. Please let us know if we can provide further assistance to you.

Sincerely,
Joseph Cecere, Ph.D.

Short Description of the Program

The SDCET Program provides the basic education required for the structural engineering and construction profession. Through required course work, students learn general key engineering concepts needed for this major, with emphasis on the fundamentals, structural design principles, and construction techniques. The Program is broadened through courses in communication skills, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and other math-/science-/engineering-related areas. Students gain experience in working as members of a team and in using interdisciplinary approaches to solve problems. These experiences, as well as those related to design and construction, are developed through tasks and applications in the classroom, laboratory, and field. The Program culminates with a capstone project course in which the students' knowledge and skills are applied.

Program Mission, Objectives, and Outcomes

Mission

The primary mission of the Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology is to prepare undergraduate students for successful careers in structural design, construction, and related industries in accordance with the principles and mission of Penn State Harrisburg.

To accomplish this mission, the Program nurtures an environment conducive to academic excellence, executes a curriculum responsive to industry needs, and produces perceptive, socially responsible graduates for leadership positions in industry, private practice, and government. As effective educators, our faculty engage in scholarly activities to stay current and pursue new research initiatives in their fields of expertise.
The Program functions as a cohesive faculty/staff-team to perform those service tasks essential to the operations of the School, the College, and the University and to enhance and promote the image of the Program, the School, the College, the University and the global construction/structural design industry.
Building on the culture of its unique heritage, the Program aspires to grow into a premier program - foremost in teaching, in research, and in service.

Objectives

The SDCET Program is preparing graduates for professional careers where they will:

Possess skills necessary to maintain and advance careers in design or construction.
Be responsible practitioners and have an understanding of ethical and professional issues.
Function as interdisciplinary members and/or team leaders in addressing multiple facets of design and construction.
Have the ability to advance knowledge through professional and educational opportunities.

Outcomes

Students in SDCET at Penn State Harrisburg will demonstrate:

An ability to function efficiently on teams.
An ability to communicate effectively.
Recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning.
An ability to comprehend professional, ethical, and social responsibilities.
A respect for diversity and a level of knowledge necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in light of contemporary professional, societal, and global issues.
A commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement.
An appropriate mastery of and ability to apply current knowledge, techniques, skills, and professional engineering tools and adapt to emerging applications of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.
An ability to identify, formulate, analyze, and apply basic technical concepts and productivity software to solve technical problems involving hydraulics, geotechnics, structures, surveying, as well as construction methods and materials, scheduling, estimating, management, and safety.
An ability to conduct laboratory experiments and to critically analyze, interpret, and apply experimental results to improve processes.
An ability to apply creativity in structural design of systems, components, or processes appropriate to program objectives.
An ability to perform standard analysis and design in at least one recognized technical specialty within structural design and construction engineering technology that is appropriate to the goals of the program.