Master of Science in Civil Engineering

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers graduate students a challenging, state-of-the-art education in the analysis, design and management of civil engineering systems. It is recommended that every student entering the Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering declare a field of specialization before registering for courses. The four specialty fields offered by the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department are briefly described below.

1.  Construction Engineering Management:  includes course work on integrated project management, building information modeling, advanced technology integration, construction methods, estimating, scheduling, safety, legal aspects, and finance. Students can also select from graduate course offerings in the traditional civil and environmental disciplines. With departmental approval, additional elective courses may be taken from other departments within the College of Engineering, the Mike Ilitch School of Business, or the Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
2. Environmental Engineering: focuses on applying scientific and engineering principles, theories, technologies, and methods to the protection and improvement of environmental quality and human health. Courses address the design and operation of water treatment and distribution systems, wastewater collection and treatment systems, industrial waste treatment, surface and groundwater hydrology, mathematical modeling of receiving water systems, environmental systems analysis, and land disposal of hazardous wastes. 
3. Geotechnical Engineering: offers comprehensive courses from fundamental theories to advanced applications and design in geotechnical engineering. The curriculum covers topics such as advanced soil mechanics, geohazard stability analysis, and the behavior of geostructures. Emphasizing hands-on learning, the coursework integrates field data analysis and computational modeling, preparing graduates to address complex geotechnical challenges in both academic and professional practice.
4. Structural Engineering: concerns the use of analysis and design methods to provide safe, functional, and efficient structures to support the civil infrastructure. Courses primarily address steel, concrete, and advanced composite building and bridge structures. 
5. Transportation Engineering: focuses on the application of technology and scientific principles for the planning, design, operations, and management of transportation facilities to provide the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. 

Construction Management Technology (CMT), Engineering Technology, and/or online courses cannot be used to fulfill credit requirements for the MS in Civil Engineering (MSCE), PhD in Civil Engineering (PhDCE) and MS in Environmental and Sustainability Engineering (MSESE) degrees, unless it is approved by the student’s academic advisor and graduate program director prior to registering for the course.

Admissions

Admission to the M.S. Civil Engineering may be granted on a regular or qualified basis. Regular admission is considered for applicants who have achieved an overall honor point average (GPA) of 3.0 in completing an undergraduate engineering degree from an institution accredited by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or from a comparable foreign institution. If the bachelor’s degree is in an engineering field other than civil and environmental engineering, the student may be required to complete a set of pre-requisite undergraduate courses before graduate credit may be accrued. Prospective candidates are required to have completed coursework in Calculus I, Calculus II, Differential Equations and Fluid Dynamics. If your institution offers equivalent courses under a different title (such as Mathematics I), we recommend including a course syllabus for review as part of your application.

The GRE is not required for admission to the M.S. in Civil Engineering. However, the department may request a recent GRE score for applicants if they are unable to reach an admission determination based on the required material.

Only in exceptional cases will a student without an undergraduate engineering background be admitted to the civil engineering graduate program. In such cases, significant undergraduate pre-requisite work will be required.

International students are required to submit a qualifying English proficiency score and a course-by-course academic evaluation. For the submission and review of your application, unofficial transcripts are sufficient. The academic evaluation is only required if admitted.

Supplemental materials such as a statement of purpose, resume and letters of recommendation are optional.