Civil engineering has seven disciplines in which civil engineers can pursue a career. As a civil engineer you could work in any of these seven general areas:

• Construction Management – Civil engineers in construction management are responsible for the direction and management of the construction project and for the finished structure. It is important that the person in this role understand economic principles, fundamentals of design, material properties, and management techniques.
• Geotechnical Engineering – Geotechnical engineers design footings, foundations, piles, dams, solid waste landfills, and wetland dewatering systems. They are involved with soil mechanics, testing soil, and determining methods of modifying soil properties. They also work on engineering pavement materials that last longer by studying the behavior of construction materials under environmental and load conditions.
• Public Works Engineering –  The public works engineer performs research into the management, planning, administration, safety, and cost engineering of public works infrastructures. They are responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the city infrastructure, which includes water, sewer, streets, ditches, sidewalks, and traffic control.
• Engineering Research – Research in the civil engineering field is very diverse. Research is being conducted on the environmental impact of urban expansion, water and land pollution, new and stronger construction materials, better construction methods, and construction on frozen ground and ice.
• Structural Engineering – The structural engineer designs structures, such as buildings and dams, that will resist forces caused by the natural environment and by man. Some of these forces are wind and earthquakes, and cargo and automobile traffic.
• Transportation Engineering – Transportation engineers design highway systems, pavement materials, airport runways, and rapid transit projects. They are also involved in the computer control of traffic signals.
• Water Resources Engineering –  Water resource engineers design, construct, and maintain drainage systems, retention ponds, navigational waterways, flood control levees, dams, and lakes. They deal with the application of fluid mechanics principles to water flow problems.

While students learn elements of all seven areas of civil engineering, they can specialize in one or more areas by taking more courses and pursuing a particular career within the selected field of civil engineering.