Building for the Future: New Civil Engineering and Architecture Course Gives Students Hands-On Experience

When De La Salle Collegiate Director of STEM Programs Scott Husken began talking with college administrators about the school’s engineering offerings, one message came through clearly: There is a growing need for civil engineers and architects.

During a meeting last year with the President of the University of Detroit-Mercy and the Dean of its Engineering program, Husken learned more about the demand for professionals in the field.

That conversation helped lead to the creation of De La Salle’s newest STEM offering, Principles of Civil Engineering and Architecture.

“We’ve been offering general engineering courses, but nothing specific to civil engineering and architecture,” Husken said.

The new senior-level course introduces students to the engineering, design, and construction principles behind residential and commercial structures. With 22 students enrolled in its first year, the course gives Pilots a chance to explore a field many may not have considered.

A Growing Field

Husken said the need for civil engineers was a significant reason for adding the course.

“The college administrators explained how they can’t produce enough civil engineers to meet the demand right now.”

Husken also said that the infrastructure investment in recent years has created significant opportunities in the field.

The 2021 Congressional Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provided funding for a variety of civic projects, including roads and bridges, highway projects, ports, airports, water infrastructure, and more.

For students who know they are interested in STEM but are not yet sure which direction they want to take, this civil engineering and architecture program provides another option to explore.

“If you have a STEM-minded son and he’s not really sure what he wants to go into, this is definitely a great opportunity,” Husken said.

Because the course is new, current seniors did not have the opportunity to take previous engineering courses specifically designed as prerequisites. The course is open to all seniors during its first two years.

In the future, Husken would like the course to become part of De La Salle’s traditional engineering track, with students taking other engineering courses before enrolling.

The math requirements are manageable for students who have a solid foundation in Algebra 1 and Geometry. Some lessons incorporate concepts from Trigonometry and Algebra 2, but Husken said students with a strong Algebra 1 and Geometry background can handle the course.

From the Classroom to the MakerSpace

In all of his Engineering classes, Husken emphasizes hands-on learning.

“We just got done building architectural-style models, and the students really like when we can get in the MakerSpace, a dedicated room in our STEM Center, and do hands-on projects,” he said.

A typical day in the class can look very different depending on the lesson. Students might be learning a mathematical concept, presenting to their classmates, working with computer-aided design (CAD) software, or building a project in the MakerSpace.

The hands-on work is connected directly to the concepts students are learning.

“They’re doing hands-on projects where they’re actually constructing architecture, and then the civil engineering lessons are the math concepts behind those structures,” Husken said.

That combination has appealed to students with a variety of interests.

Some students are highly focused on mathematics and engineering. Others are more interested in the creative and design aspects of architecture. Still others appear most interested in construction and the opportunity to work with their hands.

Husken has already seen that interest translate into extra work time. One student recently asked him, “When’s the next time we’re going to go into MakerSpace again?”

Husken has also opened the MakerSpace to students during his lunch period so they can continue working on their projects.

Designing a Home - and More

Students will soon begin working with Revit, a CAD program that allows them to design structures.

During the first semester, students are focused on designing a residential structure, with a project that requires students to think beyond simply drawing a house.

Students will design a Habitat for Humanity house that must be less than 1,500 square feet while meeting energy and municipal codes that govern the construction of an actual structure.

The second half of the course moves into commercial architecture.

For their final exam, students will select an empty lot somewhere in Southeast Michigan and develop a plan for the property.

They might choose an abandoned building and redesign it as a coffee shop or another commercial business.

Students will research building codes, soil testing and other requirements to determine what can actually be constructed on the site.

“It keeps everybody safe, which is ultimately what an engineer has to do: keep people safe,” Husken said.

What Lies Beneath the Building

The course also takes students below the surface.

Structural engineering is a significant part of the curriculum. Students analyze the beams used in commercial structures as well as the footings required for both residential and commercial buildings. The work involves a substantial amount of mathematics.

Another major component is wastewater management.

Students learn about sewage systems, wastewater disposal, and the importance of properly managing water to protect public safety.

The lessons have also changed the way Husken looks at the world around him.

Water management, he said, is something people may not think about when they are driving through a community.

Retention ponds, for example, are everywhere, but he had never paid much attention to them before his engineering training.

“There are so many roads and parking lots in the world, and they don’t properly drain water,” he said. “There’s runoff that has to go somewhere.That’s where retention ponds come into play.”

Energy efficiency is another area students explore. One topic is fenestration, the transfer of heat through windows and other openings in a building.

“There’s quite a bit of math associated with fenestration that I wasn’t aware of before taking the training,” Husken said.

A Course for Different Interests

Although the course has a strong mathematical foundation, Husken said there is no single type of student who belongs in the classroom.

“I’ve got some kids who are very math-minded and want to be an engineer of some sort,” he said. “And I’ve got some very creative students who want to become a design architect.”

Others, he said, seem drawn to the construction side of the field and have especially enjoyed the opportunity to create things in the MakerSpace.

That variety is one of the strengths of the course. Students can explore different aspects of a broad industry while developing skills in mathematics, design, technology, problem-solving, and construction.

And, according to Husken, the first group of students has embraced the opportunity.

“They have goals, and they’re willing to do what it takes to meet these goals,” he said. “I’ve been very impressed with my students so far.”

And for many of his students, the appeal is simple: They want to know how structures are built—and they want to build them themselves.

From Technology to STEM

Husken’s own path to teaching engineering was not a traditional one.

He began his teaching career as an English and history teacher before making a career shift into technology. He earned a master’s degree in educational technology from Central Michigan University, which led him toward teaching STEM courses.

Before coming to De La Salle, Husken taught computer science and robotics. He later began taking engineering courses so he could become certified to teach engineering.

“That’s kind of where my background was,” he said. “I started taking the engineering classes to get certified to teach engineering, and here I am.”

His preparation for this new course involved a 40-hour course offered through Project Lead the Way, which Husken took during the Spring of 2026.

Husken described the online training as “rigorous.”  He said, “I had to learn 40 weeks of curriculum, in 10 weeks, and I had to keep reminding myself I will have 4 or 5 days to teach a concept that I had to learn in an hour.”

In addition to the two-hour classes over ten weeks, he also had assigned homework of two to four hours after every class.

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