Prospective Students

Application Process

Step One: Admission Criteria or Eligibility:

To be considered for admission to the MS program, a graduate applicant must meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the CCEE Department (listed below) and the university as listed in the Graduate Bulletin. Admission to MS program in CCEE primarily depends on GPA and GRE* scores.

1. The minimum GPA is 2.85 for US students, and 3.0 for international students.
2. TOEFL requirements are imposed by the University, and the minimum score is 80 for the TOEFL internet based score or 6.5 for the IELTS.
3. Temporary change in policy*: We have temporarily waived our GRE requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No GRE test score is needed for our graduate program until further notice. (Otherwise: We use GRE as a floating criterion; the minimum varies from year to year. If the GPA is near the minimum criteria, then we except a higher GRE score, and vice versa. The minimum required combined GRE score, based on the new GRE scale, is 305 and the analytical writing score is 3.5.)
4. The admission criteria for students with Bachelor of Science degrees in CCEE and those with non-CCEE degrees are the same, primarily depending on the GPA. However, deserving applicants with non-CCEE degrees may be admitted "Conditionally" since they are required to clear undergraduate CCEE courses as prerequisites.

Step 2:

After reviewing the Admission Criteria, listed above, please follow the steps provided on the SDSU Graduate Admissions website

Step 3:

All applicants to the program must first fill out an online application on Cal State Apply (calstate.edu/apply) and pay the required fee by the deadline set by SDSU Graduate Admissions Office. An SDSU RED ID Number will then be assigned which allows tracking of application status online.

Step 4:

When applying, please be sure to choose one of the five areas of specialization within the Civil Engineering stream (Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, or Water Resources Engineering) or the concentration area in Environmental Engineering.

Step 5:

Applicants are also required to provide a Statement of Purpose (SOP). The SOP must describe your goal(s) for the graduate program, along with relevant background information expressing why the applicant should be admitted to the graduate program. The SOP should not exceed 500 words total.

Step 6:

After submitting the application, the applicant should send official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. If applicable, the TOEFL test scores should be sent directly from ETS (Institution Code: 4682). Official test scores and transcripts must be received by the deadline set by the SDSU Graduate Admissions Office.

Send to:

Graduate Admissions Office
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-8225
USA

Step 7:

The applicant must also submit a one-page document with the following information: provide three references who know the applicant's scholastic abilities, relevant research activities/projects, or related work experience and provide their (1) name, (2) affiliation, (3) relationship to the applicant, (4) email, and (5) phone number. At least one reference should be a former professor who taught, supervised, or mentored the student. Please note that this is not a request for letters of recommendation. The CCEE department may request letters of recommendation, at a later date, from the three references provided.

• Email your purpose letter and list of three (3) references to the following address: [email protected]

Conditional Admission to the MS program

The list of these undergraduate courses that need to be taken by such "conditionally" admitted students are determined by the CCEE Graduate Advisor after admission and after reviewing the students' transcripts.

Students with undergraduate degrees similar to CCEE are likely to have fewer prerequisites to complete than those with undergraduate degrees less related to CCEE. Applicants with non-CCEE degrees or with deficient scores should check the potential prerequisites list.

1. If the applicant needs more than 15 units of prerequisites to remediate because their degree is outside of the CCEE majors, the applicant will not be considered for admission. However, prospective applicants with non-CCEE degrees are encouraged to contact the program's graduate advisor to define a plan to take courses even before applying to the MS program (to bring down the list of deficiences to a maximum of 15 units).
2. An applicant may be also admitted conditionally if the student's GPA is slightly below the minimum required: 2.85 for US students and 3.0 for international students. In this case the student has to keep B or better grades in all 600 level courses during the first semester.

Class schedules for the current and upcoming semesters are posted here: https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/schedule/search

Please note that meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission to the MS program

International Applicants

Please note the following:

1. Please review the Graduate Admissions Criteria and follow the steps provided on the SDSU International Graduate website. Inquires about the process for international applicants should be sent directly to the International Admissions Department at [email protected] or Contact website.

2. The Financial Statement Form required of foreign applicants is available online at the Admitted International Graduate Students page.

3. Prospective international students visiting campus can meet with a designated person helping international students during regular office hours at the Prospective Student Center (Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm). Virtual Tours are available.

4. Engineering Scholarships: Please visit the University’s Financial Aid and Scholarships website for more information on the various scholarship and financial aid opportunities available. Scholarships are awarded based on various criteria including academic excellence, career plans, membership in organizations, financial need, and city/area of origin. There are thousands of dollars in scholarships available for you to consider. We encourage you to apply!