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Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering

Graduate Degree

M.S. in Civil Engineering

Welcome!

Our department offers a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.  This broad degree provides students with a deeper understanding of geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering, as well as construction management.  For questions about our graduate program or advising, please contact Dr. Jong-Won Choi, Graduate Coordinator for the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. 

Please speak with the department if you are a prospective student who has already earned a P.E. license or a current undergraduate student interested in graduate school, as special opportunities may apply to your situation.  The College of Graduate Studies automatically evaluates graduate applicants for fellowship opportunities.  Limited research and teaching assistantship positions exist through the department, as well.

Our department also participates in the Ph.D. in Engineering (Civil Engineering Specialization) program.  This doctoral program requires 63 credit hours for students who have previously completed an M.S. degree.  Students who have completed only a B.S. may be admitted directly into the Ph.D. in Engineering program but will need to complete 93 credit hours.  Please contact Dr. Mahesh Hosur, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, for more information.

Educational objectives:

After completing the M.S. in Civil Engineering degree, master’s graduates will demonstrate the following skills beyond those expected of a baccalaureate recipient:

  • A deeper understanding of problem-solving and research skills in the civil engineering field.
  • An ability to design increasingly complex systems in the fields of geotechnical, structural, transportation, and/or water resources engineering.
  • Professional communication skills.

Admission Requirements

  • Completion of a baccalaureate degree in civil engineering or a closely related field.  Graduate students with baccalaureate degrees from other fields may be asked to complete preparatory undergraduate coursework.
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale.
  • English proficiency (for more information, see Graduate Admissions link).
  • Students not satisfying qualifications for full admission may be admitted with stipulations on a case by case basis.

Degree Requirements

For all M.S. Civil Engineering students, no more than 3 graduate-level courses (9 SCH) from outside Civil Engineering may be applied to degree.  The first three graduate-level courses (9 SCH) must be civil engineering courses.

Thesis Track 30 credit hours total.  Students must complete 8 graduate-level courses (24 SCH) and successfully defend a thesis proposal and thesis (CEEN 5306, 6 SCH).

Research Project Track 36 credit hours total.  Students must complete 11 graduate-level courses (33 SCH) and successfully defend a research project report (CEEN 5305, 3 SCH).

Course-Only Track 36 credit hours total.  Students must complete 12 graduate-level courses (36 SCH) and successfully pass a comprehensive exam.  The comprehensive exam will include topics in geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering.

All students must complete at least one graduate-level course in each of the four civil engineering technical areas of the M.S. Civil Engineering degree, to be selected from the following courses:

Geotechnical Engineering - CEEN 5320 or CEEN 5342
Structural Engineering - CEEN 5311 or CEEN 5321
Transportation Engineering - CEEN 5353 or CEEN 5350
Water Resources Engineering - CEEN 5315 or CEEN 5340

Other courses may be applied to meet the technical content area requirement upon approval of the chair and graduate coordinator.