How to upgrade the cultivation mode of existing civil engineering majors and form a sustainable supply of intelligent construction talents has become increasingly urgent for universities under the transformation of the construction industry and the development of new engineering. This paper first clarifies the relationship between the new major construction of intelligent construction and the upgrading of existing civil engineering majors. The main challenges faced by upgrading existing civil engineering majors are then identified using the Output Based Education (OBE) method. A basic framework covered from specific courses to the holistic plan is subsequently proposed. This paper further explores the specific measures to upgrade existing civil engineering majors, taking Dalian University of Technology as an example. Practice indicates that clarifying cultivation objectives, reconstructing course content, optimizing knowledge structure, highlighting practical training, improving teaching ability and methods, and innovating management mechanisms are effective for upgrading. The conclusions provide support for upgrading civil engineering majors in other universities and future research in this field.