In this rapidly changing and increasingly competitive technological world, graduate degrees are highly desirable and most often master’s degrees are required to hold higher-level professional civil engineering positions in the industry, and in federal, state and municipal government agencies. The department’s graduate programs are designed to educate the technological leaders of the future in civil engineering, and are structured to accommodate both full-time and part-time students. The specialty areas include coastal, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering in civil engineering. A distance learning master’s degree program in civil engineering with coastal engineering concentration is also available, and can include transferable credits from other institutions.
Program Highlights
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For the MS program, there are three options; Thesis option with 24 credit hours of coursework and a six credit hour thesis, Project option with 27 credit hours of coursework and a three-credit hour research project, and Course option with 30 credit hours of coursework and a final comprehension examination.
Careers
Check out these ideas from ůůֱ²¥ Career Development Services and the . A median salary is a midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.
Civil Engineering Technicians
Apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
Civil Engineers
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
Requirements
Civil Engineering master's degree applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably, in civil or environmental engineering with a strong background in mathematics and physical sciences. Each applicant must submit an essay of 500 words or less describing personal and academic goals, professional objectives, preparation for graduate study, and how the chosen program will help the applicant achieve these goals and objectives. Two letters of recommendation must be submitted from former or current professors, or employment supervisors. Regular admission to a master’s degree program generally requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a lower undergraduate GPA may be considered for regular or provisional admission on the basis of successful engineering work experience or other credentials demonstrating potential for success in the graduate program. The submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required unless the applicant holds an ABET accredited engineering degree. TOEFL (or IELTS) is required for all applicants whose native language is not English unless their BS degrees are from USA institutions or countries where English is the primary language of the people. Provisional admission may also be possible for applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than the applicant’s intended graduate program. In such cases there will be pre-requisite course requirements. Provisional admission may be given to those applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in civil or environmental engineering; however, these students will be required to complete undergraduate coursework in addition to the graduate program requirements.
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Cost
Estimated rates for the 2024–25 academic year. Rates are subject to change. Anyone that is not a current Virginia resident will be charged non-resident rates. That includes international students.
Ways to Save
Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending ůůֱ²¥. For more information visit University Student Financial Aid.
Teaching & Research Assistantships
Teaching and research assistantships may be available on a competitive basis. The Civil and Environmental Engineering Visiting Council also offers Graduate Enhancement Awards to provide supplemental financial support to some of the graduate students who receive an assistantship.
Contact
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