ABSTRACT
The engineer must have both technical and societal knowledge to be a socially responsible citizen and a professional. As such, it is important for the engineer to be liberally educated in the humanities and social sciences, as well as in mathematics and natural sciences. Civil engineers of the twenty-—rst century must be critical thinkers who can analyze problems and produce creative solutions. They must also be viewed by the public as unsel—sh and honest, which will maintain the positive public image that civil engineers now enjoy compared with the reputations of some other groups. Civil engineers of the twenty-—rst century must be good communicators in order to meet their responsibilities to clients and the public, and to ef—ciently interact within design teams. Knowledge of the humanities helps prepare engineers to ask the right questions, to be open-minded and creative, and to communicate well to bring about solutions to the broad-based problems that confront society and the civil engineering profession. The humanities are an essential part of undergraduate curricula, yet many students do not recognize the importance of the humanities to their future as a professional.
