MS Plan A or Plan B

Whether you have chosen to specialize in Construction, Environmental, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, or Water Resources Engineering, you must choose to follow either Plan A or Plan B.

Plan A - Thesis option: Under this plan, you will need to take seven courses for 21 units, plus two research projects for six units (CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 & 798), and a thesis (CIV E/ENV E/CON E 799, three units), for a total of 30 units, needed to graduate.

Plan B - Non-thesis: Under this option, you will need to take nine courses for 27 units, and a research project for three units (CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 or 798), totaling 30 units, to graduate.

Admitted Students Guide

1. There will be an orientation at the beginning of the Fall semester and all newly admitted students are expected to attend.


2. A conditionally accepted student should meet with Graduate Adviser before taking classes, to discuss steps required to remove the condition.


3. After the conditions are met, the student is required to fill-out a change of status form, get the signature of the Graduate Adviser, and submit it to the SDSU Graduate Division.


4. A student should meet with the Graduate Adviser during office hours to complete a Program of Study (POS) via WebPortal (electronically), preferably immediately after the first semester. You should bring with you a list of 500 and 600 level courses that you have either taken or plan to take. POS should be submitted as early as possible, but no later than the semester prior to anticipated graduation.


5. Student should check on the WebPortal if he or she has been advanced to candidacy, which usually happens automatically with POS approval and after successful completion of four courses. Contact Graduate Affairs for delays with advancement to candidacy.


6. Plan A - Thesis option: preferably within the first semester, but no later than the end of the second semester, a graduate student opting for Plan A (a thesis) needs to find a thesis adviser. To help you find a thesis advisor, you can visit the faculty websites found at Department of CCEE to learn more about their research areas.


7. Plan B - Non-thesis: Students opting for Plan B are also expected to get a faculty advisor during their first semester at SDSU. It is the responsibility of the student to find a faculty advisor for the project (CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 or 798).


8. A student can enroll in CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 or/and 798. The student must fill-out CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 or/and CIV E/ENV E/CON E 798 form and get the signature of his or her project/thesis advisor, meet with the Graduate Adviser, and submit the form to the Department in order to get the section #, and schedule #. Plan B students must be advanced to candidacy to enroll in CIV E/ENV E/CON E 797 or/and 798.


9. A thesis option student should collect a hardcopy of the thesis form from Graduate Affairs in person, and also submit it to the Graduate Affairs, in person. This step requires advancement to candidacy.


10. A student is issued an add code for CIVE/ENVE/CONE 799A (thesis) by Graduate Affairs; not the Graduate Adviser. Students should review the information about the thesis formatting available from Montezuma Publishing (http://www. montezumapublishing.com/ thesis1/ThesisFormatting.aspx)


11. A thesis student must schedule a room, time, and date for the thesis defense, two weeks (minimum) in advance. This can be done through Nicole or Sandy in the Department office (E 424). Attach a half page abstract or synopsis to this form (Thesis Defense Procedures). Bring the completed form with abstract attached to the office at the time of the room request.


12. Once defended, a thesis option student should submit to the Graduate Division a copy of his or her thesis signature page.


13. A non-thesis student should submit a copy of his/her project report to the project advisor and Graduate Adviser. The student also ask the project advisor to notify the Graduate Adviser completion of his or her research by email.


14. A non-thesis student should submits hardcopy of Final Comprehensive Departmental Exam form to the Graduate Adviser. After receiving email or written confirmation of successful completion of the project from the project advisor, the Graduate Advisor signs and sends this form to Graduate Affairs.


15. Graduation is not automatic upon the completion of degree requirements. Students who intend to graduate must take the initiative. When you believe you are eligible, you should file an application via your web portal. For additional information and deadlines, check the Graduate Division website.