Math for Civil Engineering Technicians
Course Dates and Times
This online course will be held Nov. 30, 2026–Jan. 22, 2027.
- Live orientation session: Monday, Nov. 30 | 7–8 a.m. CST via Zoom.
- Live weekly discussion sessions: Thursdays | 7–8:30 a.m. CST via Zoom.
- Note: No live discussion will be held during the weeks of Dec. 21 and Dec. 28, 2026, due to the holidays.
About the Course
This six-week course serves as a baseline mathematics course for civil technicians, inspectors, and surveyors. It will cover practical mathematical principles used by civil technicians in the field.
Students will learn the skills necessary to complete volume and area calculations, unit conversions, angles, and other daily calculations in inspection and surveying.
Registration
- Register to attend
- Cost: $250 (Free for Tribal Nation members and employees; separate registration is required.)
Please let us know how we can ensure that this workshop is inclusive to you. What accommodations or access needs can we help facilitate? Contact Deanna Loggins at [email protected] when you register to help us provide you with the best access.
Course Format
The course starts with an instructor-led live orientation. Then, each week of the course will include a prerecorded lecture and self-paced classroom lesson, available on Mondays, as well as a live, instructor-led discussion each Thursday from 7–8:30 a.m. CST. Students are encouraged to attend the discussion sessions to hear a recap of the week’s lesson, get help with their assignments, and ask questions.
In addition to the weekly lectures, the course includes topical assignments that must be completed during the same week as the lesson. Students are expected to watch the weekly recorded session and complete the assignments prior to each live discussion session.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Compute area, volumes, and slopes
- Convert units from metric to imperial and from imperial to metric
- Compute angles using trigonometry
- Estimate stockpile and other quantities
Who Should Attend
This course is intended for anyone who would like to learn practical math, which is used by civil technicians in the field.
Course Instructor
Carolyn M. Fackler, P.E., MPa, has been a practicing civil engineer for over 20 years, mostly in government, and has been teaching part time at Dakota County Technical College in the Civil Engineering Technology program for the last three years. She is a civil servant who enjoys finding ways to make technical topics more approachable and promoting understanding of public works.
Accessing the Course
This training is offered via the course management system Canvas. Upon completing your online registration, you will receive an email confirmation. To access the course, please visit Canvas and login with your University of Minnesota internet ID and password. Once you have been enrolled, your course will appear on your Canvas dashboard.
If for any reason you do not have access to the course after enrolling, please contact Deanna Loggins at [email protected] for assistance.
Technical Requirements
Because it's built using web standards, Canvas runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or any other device with a modern web browser. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer work best for this course.
Credit
Questions?
Please contact [email protected].
Sponsors
This workshop is presented by Minnesota LTAP at the Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota. Minnesota LTAP is sponsored by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This course is subsidized through funding from LRRB and FHWA.