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MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM: Civil Engineering
MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM: CIVIL ENGINEERING
Overview
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil Engineering program is a graduate degree with a focus on research. The M.S. degree in Civil Engineering requires satisfactory completion of required coursework and defense of the M.S. thesis. In addition, M.S. students are required to attend CEE seminars.
Faculty Advisor
All M.S. students must have a faculty advisor who will supervise their research. The student’s advisor will also assist them with meeting the M.S. program requirements.
Program Requirements
A candidate for the M.S. in Civil Engineering must fulfill the School of Engineering requirements for an M.S. degree, along with the requirements described below. The School of Engineering academic requirements for M.S. students and steps to graduation can be found on the Office of Graduate Programs website.
Coursework: The M.S. degree in Civil Engineering requires a minimum of 24 credits of graded engineering coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least 12 credits must be civil engineering courses (CE designation), and a total of 30 credits consisting of graded coursework and research (CE 8999). A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. The M.S. degree program in CEE is offered in the following five areas of specialization (or track):
- Construction Engineering and Management
- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
- Infrastructure Systems Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
It is recommended that a plan of study be prepared under the guidance of the student’s faculty advisor by the end of the first semester of study. The plan of study may be revised, if necessary, at any time
Seminar: As an essential component of the graduate program in CEE, M.S. students are required to enroll in CE 7001 (with zero credit hours) and attend the CEE seminars during the 2024–2025 academic year.
M.S. Thesis: Each M.S. student must satisfactorily present and defend a thesis based on independent, original research supervised by the student’s M.S. advisor.
The M.S. Thesis Defense is conducted orally and publicly in front of the M.S. Thesis Committee. The M.S. Thesis Committee must consist of at least three UVA faculty members, including at least two CEE faculty members. Note that faculty with a CEE courtesy appointment should be considered as an external to the CEE department. Students must identify a member of the M.S. Thesis Committee to serve as the Committee Chair. Note that the Committee Chair (who may not be the student’s faculty advisor) must hold 50% or more of their primary appointment in the CEE Department.
More information about the tracks, M.S. Thesis Defense and timeline, and administrative forms can be found on the Master of Science in Civil Engineering webpage.
Students should consult “Transfer Credit” and “Time Limit” in the School of Engineering and Applied Science—Academic Rules section of the Record for policies that govern transferring credits and limits on the time that may be taken to earn a degree.
