Tsinghua College, the predecessor of Tsinghua University, began to enroll students of civil engineering as the preparatory students who would go to the USA for further study.

The Department of Engineering of Tsinghua College was established, including civil engineering, mechanic engineering, and electrical engineering.

In 1928, Tsinghua College was renamed National Tsinghua University. National Tsinghua University had a faculty of arts, faculty of science, and a law school, including 15 departments. In 1929, the Department of Engineering was renamed the Department of Civil Engineering.

Tsinghua University, including the Department of Civil Engineering, went south to Changsha and settled in Kunming. The Department of Civil Engineering of National South-west associated University was established.

In the adjustment of national colleges, the Department of Civil Engineering of Peking University and Yanching University merged into Tsinghua University. In the same year, the Department of Hydraulic Engineering was established. In 1954, the specialty of engineering surveying and specialty of highways and urban roads merged into Tongji University.

The Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Architecture were combined into the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering. In 1970, it was renamed the Department of Architecture Engineering. The major of construction materials and products was merged into the Department of Chemical Engineering. In 1979, the specialty of heat supply and ventilation was merged into the Department of Thermal Engineering.

The Department of Architectural Engineering was divided into three parts: the Department of Architecture, the Department of Civil Engineering, and the Department of Environmental Engineering. In 1984, the Department of Civil and Environment engineering was divided into the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Environment Engineering.

The School of Civil Engineering and the Department of Construction Management were established.