This program includes study in the areas of soil mechanics/foundations and geoenvironmental engineering. It includes studies of soil and related earth materials for problems related to the protection of human health and the environment. Related areas include soil mechanics, fate/transport in subsurfaces, subsurface remediation, and others. The degree requirements include core courses from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, complemented by electives in civil and environmental engineering, as well as electives from other departments such as mechanical and industrial engineering.
| Degree Requirements | With Report | With Thesis | Coursework Only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required core courses | 8 SH | 8 SH | 8 SH |
| Elective courses | 20 SH | 16 SH | 24 SH |
| Master of Science report/thesis | 4 SH | 8 SH | |
| Minimum semester hours required | 32 SH | 32 SH | 32 SH |
Graduate Certificate Options
Students enrolled in a master's degree have the opportunity to also pursue one of the many engineering graduate certificate options in addition to or in combination with the MS degree. Students should consult their faculty advisor regarding these options.
Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership
Master's Degree in Civil Engineering with a Concentration in Geotechnical/Geoenvironmental Engineering with Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership
Students may complete a Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a Concentration in Geotechnical/Geoenvironmental Engineering in addition to earning a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership. Students must apply and be admitted to the Gordon Engineering Leadership Program in order to pursue this option. The program requires fulfillment of the 16-semester-hour curriculum required to earn the Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership, which includes an industry-based challenge project with multiple mentors. The integrated 36-semester-hour degree and certificate will require fulfillment of the 8-semester-hour core curriculum and 12 semester hours of restricted electives from the geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering concentration coursework.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering encourages students pursuing a GIEL certificate to complete their MS coursework requirements in their first year and their GIEL certificate requirements in their second year. Students who prefer to complete their GIEL certificate requirements in their first year are asked to speak with their MS degree advisor beforehand. For students pursuing a concentration in geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering, the two courses required by the concentration are offered in alternate years. To complete this certificate program in two years, one of the courses needs to be taken in the first year and the other in the second year.
Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIVE 7301 | Advanced Soil Mechanics | 4 |
| CIVE 7302 | Advanced Foundation Engineering | 4 |
Options
Complete one of the following options:
Coursework Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 24 semester hours from the electives list below. | 24 | |
Report Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIVE 8674 | Master’s Report | 4 |
| Complete 20 semester hours from the electives list below. | 20 | |
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIVE 7990 | Thesis | 8 |
| Complete 16 semester hours from the electives list below. | 16 | |
Electives List
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | ||
| Environmental Sampling and Analysis and Lab for CIVE 5300 | ||
| Hydrologic and Hydraulic Design | ||
| Special Topics in Civil Engineering (Vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring) | ||
| Legal Aspects of Civil Engineering | ||
| Construction Equipment and Modeling | ||
| Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Environmental Biological Processes | ||
| Hydrologic Modeling | ||
| Surface Water Quality Modeling | ||
| Soil and Foundation Dynamics | ||
| Earthquake Engineering | ||
| Ground Improvement | ||
| Advanced Structural Analysis | ||
| Structural Dynamics | ||
| Engineering Probability and Statistics | ||
| Reliability Analysis and Risk Assessment | ||
| Finite Element Method |
Program Credit/GPA Requirements
32 total semester hours required
Minimum 3.000 GPA required