2021 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
History of Civil Engineering and Engineering Ethics
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Yasuo Asakura / Masaki Kitazume / Junko Sanada
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue (M113) / 3-4 Fri (M111)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CVE.N301
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The lectures on civil engineering history focus on the history and development of civil engineering technologies. Civil engineering ethics presents how engineering ethics should be studied in civil and environmental engineering by using actual examples and case studies.
As well as understanding the history and social characteristics of the regions concerned, engineering ethics is fundamental for those who study civil and environmental engineering. The aim of this course is for students to obtain knowledge of how infrastructure systems have developed in human history, and to cultivate engineering ethics for those who work in the field of civil and environmental engineering.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the various aspects of the relationship between human history and civil engineering.
2) Understand and explain the relationship between social development and infrastructure from ancient days to the Meiji era.
3) Explain civil and environmental engineering and related technologies which have improved quality of life in the modern age.
4) Understand that a professional engineer should have duties and responsibilities to society.
Keywords
Civil engineering technology, infrastructure, engineering ethics
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course is mainly composed of lectures.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Outline of civil engineering history |
Understanding the development of civil engineering technology in the ancient era |
| Class 2 | Civil engineering history from the Kamakura to Edo era. |
Understanding the development of civil engineering technology from the Kamakura to Edo era |
| Class 3 | Industrial Revolution, Civil engineering history of the Meiji and Taisho era |
Understanding the industrial revolution, the development of civil engineering technology from the Meiji to Taisho era |
| Class 4 | Civil engineering history after WW II, and Civil engineering legal history and development of ground improvement technology |
Understanding the development of civil engineering technology after WW II and civil engineering legal history and the ground improvement technologies |
| Class 5 | How to research of civil engineering history |
Understanding why and how to study history |
| Class 6 | History of materials |
Understanding how to use researches of civil engineering history |
| Class 7 | Value of history in heritages of civil engineering |
Understanding the value of researches of civil engineering history |
| Class 8 | Disaster prevention measures in civil engineering history |
Understanding of the history of disaster prevention measures |
| Class 9 | Midterm exam and explanation |
Midterm exam and explanation |
| Class 10 | Introduction to civil engineering ethics |
Understanding why professional ethics is essential in science and technology |
| Class 11 | General process for problem identification & solution |
Understanding general process for engineering ethics |
| Class 12 | Ethics for student as a researcher |
Understanding the ethics in research and development |
| Class 13 | Ethics code for Titech students |
Exercise for development ethics code for Titech students |
| Class 14 | Presentation and discussion on ethics code |
Workshop style presentation and discussion on the ethics code |
| Class 15 | Final exam and explanation |
Final exam and explanation |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Handouts will be provided
Reference books, course materials, etc.
H. Takahashi: Recent Civil engineering history in Japan
Japan Civil Engineers Association
Evaluation methods and criteria
Report on civil engineering history (15%), examination on civil engineering history (35%), presentation on civil engineers' ethics (10%) and examination (40%)
Related courses
- CVE.C201 ： Soil Mechanics I
- CVE.C202 ： Soil Mechanics II
- CVE.C310 ： Foundation Engineering
- CVE.N310 ： Special Lectures on Infrastructure and Environment
Prerequisites
nothing in particular