Degree Requirements

The Department offers a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering with areas of specialization in Construction Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Water Resources Engineering, along with a concentration in Environmental Engineering.

Degree Requirements for Civil Engineering Specializations:

The student's POS, prepared in conference with and approved by the Graduate Adviser, must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. Twenty-one units of course work:
    • A minimum of twelve units should be selected from one of the specialty areas listed below; in exceptional cases, this requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Graduate Adviser, provided the substitute course is in the College of Engineering and enhances a coherent program in a specific professional area.
    • Eighteen units of 600- and 700-level courses in Civil Engineering and/or Construction Engineering. A total of no more than three units from courses numbered 797, 798, and 799 may be used to satisfy this requirement.
  2. Nine additional units:
    • Thesis students: Three units of CIV E 797, three units CIV E 798 and three units of CIV E 799A.
    • Non-thesis students: Six units of 500-, 600- or 700-level courses and three units of 797 or 798.
  3. The total number of 500-, 600- or 700-level courses may not exceed 12 units outside the department.
  4. No more than 12 units of 500-level coursework may be applied toward the Program of Study.

Degree Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concentration:

The student's POS, prepared in conference with and approved by the Graduate Adviser, must satisfy the following requirements:

  1. Twenty-one units of course work:
    • Fifteen units should be selected from the required courses listed below; in exceptional cases, this requirement may be waived at the discretion of the graduate adviser, provided the substitute course is in the College of Engineering and enhances a coherent program in a specific professional area.
    • Eighteen units of 600- and 700-level courses in civil engineering and environmental engineering. No more than three units can be taken in ENV E 797 and no more than three units can be taken in ENV E 798.
  2. Nine additional units:
    • Thesis students: Three units of ENV E 797, three units ENV E 798 and three units of ENV E 799A.
    • Non-thesis students: Six units of 500-, 600- or 700-level courses and three units of ENVE 797 or 798.
  3. The total number of 500-, 600- or 700-level courses may not exceed 12 units outside the department.
  4. No more than 12 units of 500-level coursework may be applied toward the Program of Study.

List of Courses

Construction Engineering

  • CON E 650 Construction Labor Productivity (3)
  • CON E 651 Project Production System Design in Construction (3)
  • CON E 652 Construction Operations Modeling and Technology (3)
  • CON E 653 Construction Scheduling (3)
  • CON E 654 Construction Claims (3)
  • CON E 655 Project Design and Portfolio Management (3)

Environmental Engineering

  • ENV E 554 Process Fundamentals of Environmental Systems (3)
  • ENV E 645 Aquatic Chemistry for Environmental Engineers (3)
  • ENV E 646 Microbiological Principles of Environmental Engineering (3)
  • ENV E 647 Physical and Chemical Processes of Water Pollution Control (3)
  • ENV E 648 Biological Processes and Bioremediation Engineering (3)

Prescribed Electives (six units):

  • ENV E 556 Air Pollution Engineering (3)
  • ENV E 558 Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering (3)
  • ENV E 637 Process Design for Industrial and Hazardous Waste Treatment (3)
  • ENV E 797 Independent Research (1-3) Cr/NC/RP
  • ENV E 798 Special Study (1-3) Cr/NC/RP
  • CIV E 631 Spatial Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 632 Computational Hydraulics and Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 633 Environmental Hydrology (3)

Geotechnical Engineering

  • CIV E 640 Advanced Soil Mechanics (3)
  • CIV E 641 Advanced Foundation Engineering (3)
  • CIV E 642 Groundwater Seepage and Earth Dams (3)
  • CIV E 644 Soil Dynamics (3)

Structural Engineering

  • CIV E 605 Prestressed Concrete Structures (3)
  • CIV E 607 Dynamics of Structures (3)
  • CIV E 608 Earthquake Engineering (3)
  • CIV E 610 Finite Element Analysis of Structures (3)
  • CIV E 612 Advanced Concrete Materials (3)

Transportation Engineering

  • CIV E 620 Traffic Flow and Control (3)
  • CIV E 621 Transportation Demand Analysis (3)
  • CIV E 622 Mass Transit Engineering (3)
  • CIV E 781 Seminar in Transportation Engineering (2 or 3)

Water Resources Engineering

  • CIV E 631 Spatial Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 632 Computational Hydraulics and Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 633 Environmental Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 634 Surface Water Hydrology (3)
  • CIV E 638 Sedimentation and River Engineering (3)
  • CIV E 730 Advanced Topics in Water Engineering (3)