Masters Degrees in Civil Engineering, USA

Advance your career with a master’s degree in civil engineering. Our convenient evening classes provide the flexibility your schedule demands.

MSOE’s Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCVE) program is designed to equip students with the advanced knowledge 
and skills necessary for professional practice. The MSCVE program was designed to address the new civil engineering Body of Knowledge requirements for graduate programs developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Students will be able to specialize in one of the following three areas: (1) construction management, (2) environmental and water resources engineering, and (3) structural engineering.

Completion of the MSCVE program satisfies the proposed educational requirement promulgated by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying calling for a minimum of a master’s degree or equivalent as a prerequisite for professional engineering licensure.

MSOE’s MSCVE program is tailored to the student who already has an undergraduate degree from an ABET-accredited civil engineering program. Students who do not have an ABET-accredited undergraduate degree in civil engineering may have to take additional prerequisite courses as specified by the Program Director. These additional prerequisite courses will be chosen by the MSCVE Program Director based on the student’s academic background to help ensure that the student is equipped to be successful in civil engineering graduate studies at MSOE.

Curriculum Format

The MSCVE program requires completion of 45 graduate credits. At least 36 of these credits shall be taken from courses within the student’s chosen specialty; up to 9 credits may be taken from courses within other civil engineering specialty areas or from courses offered by other departments.

During the last year of the student’s graduate studies, the student must complete either (a) a nine-credit, three-quarter Capstone Project consisting of CV-800, CV-890, and CV-892, or (b) a three-credit, one-quarter Capstone Report consisting of CV-800 only. The former is appropriate for students wishing to conduct graduate-level research for personal enrichment or as preparation for subsequent graduate studies; the latter is appropriate for students who wish to take additional coursework in preparation for professional civil engineering practice.

Objectives and Outcomes

Program Educational Objectives

- Formulate and solve ill-defined engineering or construction problems appropriate to civil engineering.
- Conduct a literature review in a specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.
- Analyze and/or design a complex system or process in a specialized technical area appropriate to civil engineering.

Student Outcomes

Graduate of the MSCVE program will:
- be able to evaluate complex systems or processes within realistic constraints such as customary standards of practice, costs, and sustainability.
- be able to choose to pursue registration as a professional engineer or certification as a professional construction manager will, after attaining the required years of work experience stipulated by the relevant licensing board, achieve that distinction.
- pursue opportunities to advance their technical and professional skills through lifelong learning.
- be able to obtain a Ph.D. in their area of civil engineering specialization, if desired.

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Students work closely with their graduate advisor and supervisory committee to define an appropriate plan of study that meets all degree requirements, including any prerequisite or preparatory work and a specified set of core courses.

Visit the website http://cce.eng.ua.edu/graduate/ms-program/civil-engineering/

Research Thesis Option (Plan I)

The thesis option is a research-focused program that includes conducting original research, writing a research thesis and defending the thesis to the student’s graduate supervisory committee. The research thesis option degree requirements are as follows:

A minimum of 30 credit hours, including:

21 credit hours of approved coursework, including
- 9 credit hours of core graduate coursework

- A maximum of 6 hours of approved 400-level courses

- A minimum of 15 hours of CE-prefix courses

3 hours of CE 593 or CE 693 Practicum
- Taken with permission under the supervision of the student’s graduate advisor

6 hours of CE 599 Thesis Research
- Taken with permission under the supervision of the student’s graduate advisor

- The graduate advisor must be a full member of the department’s graduate faculty

- Once taken, CE 599 must be taken every term until graduation

Paper/Report Option (Plan II)

The paper/report, or non-thesis, option requires a research paper, a policy and practice paper, or equivalent culminating experience, which is graded by the student’s graduate advisor. The paper/report option requirements are as follows:

A minimum of 30 credit hours, including:

27 credit hours of approved coursework:
- 9 credit hours of core graduate coursework

- A maximum of 6 hours of approved 400-level courses

- A maximum of 3 hours of CE 593 or CE 693 Practicum

- A minimum of 18 hours of CE-prefix courses

3 credit hours of CE 501 Masters Capstone Project – Plan II
- Taken with permission under the direction of the student’s graduate advisor

- The graduate advisor must be a full member of the department’s graduate faculty

- Requires completion a research paper, a policy and practice paper, or equivalent report with the topic, scope, and format pre-approved by the student’s advisor

- Must be taken the semester the student plans to graduate

Core Graduate Course Requirements

The faculty has defined core course requirements in four areas. Each student’s plan of study is required to include one of the following sets of core graduate courses:

- Construction Engineering and Management Core Coursework (MSCivE, Ph.D.):

CE 573 Statistical Applications in Civil Engineering
CE 567 Construction Accounting and Finance
CE 568 Construction Scheduling

- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Core Coursework (MSCivE, MSEnvE, Ph.D.):

CE 573 Statistical Applications in Civil Engineering
CE 575 Hydrology
CE 626 Physical and Chemical Processes

- Structural Engineering and Materials Core Coursework (MSCivE, Ph.D.):

CE 573 Statistical Applications in Civil Engineering
CE 534 Advanced Structural Mechanics
CE 531 Structural Dynamics

- Transportation Systems Engineering Core Coursework (MSCivE, Ph.D.):

CE 573 Statistical Applications in Civil Engineering
CE 559 Pavement Design and Rehabilitation
CE 655 Sustainable Transportation

Notes

- University Scholars (BS/MS) students are allowed 9 credit hours of coursework to double count between the BS and MS degrees.

- Students on graduate assistantships must register for a minimum of 1 credit hour of CE 593/693 each semester they are supported.

- Only 400-level courses without 500-level counterparts are allowed and must be approved prior to taking the class.

- Students are responsible for all forms and must route all forms through the Department prior to submission to UA’s Graduate School.

Find out how to apply here - http://graduate.ua.edu/prospects/application/

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Materials Science and Engineering offers interdisciplinary programs leading to the degrees of master of science and doctor of philosophy. Established in 2002, the program offers both the MS and PhD degree in materials science and engineering. While the program is relatively young, the participating departments and faculty on campus have an extensive legacy of research and of offering relevant materials science and engineering academic training.

From the smallest of the small to the opposite end of the spectrum, our students develop a foundation in the principles of materials science, selecting an atomic/nano approach or a bulk/macro approach. This foundation is then coupled with specialized knowledge in one area of materials, such as: energy production, storage and transmission; nanomaterials for a range of applications; electronic materials with a specialization in flexible electronics; biomaterials; modeling and mechanical behavior.

Recent doctoral graduate placements include: Post Doctoral Fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Reliability Engineer for Microsoft Corporation, Research Scientist for Toyota, Senior Research Engineer at LG Electronics, Post Doctoral Fellowship at Northwest National Lab, Senior Process Engineer at Global Foundries

Graduate Degrees Offered

- MS with an engineering emphasis or a science emphasis

All applicants must also submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university which you attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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