Graduate Degree

Master of Science Programs/ Master of Engineering Programs

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers three Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) degree programs and one Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree program.

The M.S.E. and M.Eng. programs require 30 credit hours of graduate work (typically 10 courses) and do not require a thesis or other major research project. At least two courses, of which one is mathematically oriented, must be taken in departments other
than CEE.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for application to the M.S.E. program. Letters of recommendation are also required. Degree programs differ in the undergraduate degrees they require for regular admission.

Students who do not meet undergraduate degree requirements for regular admission may be granted conditional admission. Students may be required to take courses without graduate credit to remedy the deficiencies in their undergraduate programs.

M.S.E. in Civil Engineering

This program requires at least 15 hours of CEE courses. A student should expect to take at least eight hours in the area of specialization but will not be permitted to apply more than 21 hours in one area of specialization toward the M.S.E. degree. Study programs are available in the following areas of specialization:

• Construction Engineering and Management
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Hydraulic and Hydrologic Engineering
• Materials and Highway Engineering
• Structural Engineering

Regular admission is open to students holding an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering or an equivalent.

M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management

This program requires at least 18 hours of graduate courses in the Construction Engineering and Management Program. Also available are dual degree programs by which a student can receive a M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management and a Master of Architecture degree or a Master of Business Administration degree. Regular admission is open to students holding a degree in any engineering discipline.

M.Eng. in Structural Engineering

This degree program requires 30 credit hours with at least 15 hours of graduate courses in structural engineering and at least 6 hours of graduate credit in a minor area of emphasis. A feature of the program is the structural engineering project course that will include seminars and some mentorship from a practicing structural engineer.  An informal dual degree program, through which a student can receive the M.Eng. in Structural Engineering and a Master of Architecture degrees, is available. Regular admission is open to students holding a degree in any engineering discipline. Applicants with bachelor's degrees in architecture or other non-engineering programs may be granted admission if they have taken at least three semesters of calculus and a year of physics.

M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering

This program requires at least 15 hours of graduate courses in the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Program. Specific course requirements are given in the departmental Guidelines for this MSE degree. Students holding an engineering or science degree will be considered for regular admission.

Environmental Sustainability Concentration

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering participates actively in the College of Engineering Concentrations in Environmental Sustainability (ConsEnSus) Program for M.S., M.S.E. and Ph.D. students. The general description of the ConsEnSus program can be found here. Students interested in further details on implementation of this program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering should contact one of the Department ConsEnSus Advisors.

Ph.D. Programs

CEE offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with two designations: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. Ph.D. programs usually include 50 to 60 hours of graduate coursework beyond the bachelor's degree level. Foreign languages are not required. The focus of doctoral studies is the student's dissertation research, which must make a significant contribution to professional knowledge in the field. Major steps toward the Ph.D. degree include:

• qualifying examination (usually taken after completion of one or two terms of coursework beyond the master's degree)
• appointment of dissertation committee
• completion of coursework and English proficiency requirement
• preliminary examination
• advancement to candidacy
• completion of dissertation
• final oral examination

Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted only to students who show promise and provide sufficient evidence that they can meet scholastic requirements of study, including independent research, at an advanced level. The qualifying examination is only open to students with a GPA of better than B+.

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

Areas of specialization include:

• Construction Engineering and Management
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Hydraulic and Hydrologic Engineering
• Materials and Highway Engineering
• Structural Engineering

Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering

Areas of specialization include:

• Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology
• Fate and Transport of Surface and Groundwater Contaminants
• Hazardous Waste Treatment and Management
• Water Quality Engineering
• Environmental Policy and Economics