Structural Persistence in Civil Engineering Curriculum Design (Facet-Unt): A Comparative Analysis Of Three Reforms (1996–2005–2026)

Curricular reforms in engineering programmes are often presented as responses to regulatory and professional demands. This paper analyses three consecutive curricula (1996, 2005, 2026) of Civil Engineering at FACET-UNT through comparative documentary analysis and previously available empirical evidence. Using real student trajectory data, PERT analysis, and Cox survival models, the study shows that the theoretical duration (5.5 years) is structurally unattainable under the 2005 curriculum (mean actual duration: 9.8 years). The analysis of the 2026 curriculum indicates that, despite formal modifications, key structural determinants—formal duration, sequentiality, and progression mechanisms—remain unchanged. The findings suggest that the 2026 reform represents an adjustment within a stable architecture rather than a reconfiguration capable of altering the documented patterns. Implications for evidence-informed and complexity-aware curriculum design are discussed.