Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Civil Engineering, M.S.C.E.


College of Engineering  
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Concentrations:

  • Engineering for International Development
  • Geotechnical
  • Materials
  • Structures
  • Transportation
  • Water Resources

Also offered as Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways  

 


The M.S.C.E. degree provides a student with the opportunity to earn the advanced degree with either coursework only or research thesis options.  Students must have an accredited first degree in engineering or complete a list of prerequisite engineering coursework. The M.S.C.E. with thesis is a research-oriented degree in which the student writes, as a major part of the degree requirements, a thesis that defines, examines, and reports in depth on a subject area relevant to Civil Engineering. Both the thesis and non-thesis options prepare graduates for careers with governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or private industry and firms involved in Civil Engineering planning, design, or policy. 

The field of Civil Engineering has long been known for its breadth and ability to adapt to the new technological needs of society. The traditional areas of public works, such as highways, bridges, water supply, building design, and wastewater treatment, remain very important. Graduates of the major are prepared for careers with public agencies or private industry and with firms involved in planning, design, research and development, or regulation. The Department is well-equipped with structures, soils, pavement and hydraulics laboratories.

Accreditation

The Florida Board of Professional Engineers allows for successful completion of a graduate studies leading to Master’s degree in engineering to provide credit toward one year of engineering experience.

Major Research Areas

Civil Engineering, including Engineering Mechanics, Geotechnical Engineering, Pavement Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Planning, and Water Resources Engineering

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

  • Undergraduate degree in an Engineering discipline or completion of pre-requisites.
  • Undergraduate GPA greater than 3.00 preferred.
  • GRE with preferred minimum scores of V (25th percentile), Q (60th percentile), AW (15th percentile); or valid Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) or professional engineering (PE) certificate. Verification of FE or PE certification should be obtained from the PE board where the certification was obtained.
  • Two Letters of Reference provided at the time of application.
  • Statement of Purpose provided at the time of application.
  • Resume provided at the time of application.

Exceptions made on a case-by-case basis where warranted

Curriculum Requirements


Total Minimum Hours: 30 credit hours

  • Core Requirement: 5 credit hours
  • Concentration: 15 credit hours
  • Electives: 4 credit hours
  • Thesis/Non-Thesis: 6 credit hours

Concentration Requirements (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


The Department supports M.S.C.E. concentration areas in Engineering for International Development, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Structures Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and Water Resources. Students may select from one of these concentrations, or may select no concentration.

Engineering for International Development (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


Students must engage in full-time global training and service as part of the  concentration (e.g., in the U.S. Peace Corps, with a non-governmental organization, UNESCO-IHE, or equivalent).  This work must be incorporated into the student’s thesis. Students may register for CST 6990 for 0 credit hours while in their country of service.  Note that this concentration is available to thesis option students only.

Six (6) additional graduate level credit hours of coursework in international development engineering or closely related areas.

A minimum of one (1) course from the following applied anthropology courses (3 credit hours):

A minimum of one (1) course from the following global public health courses (3 Credit Hours):

Geotechnical (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


Materials Concentration (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


Structures (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


At least 1 course from the following list of design courses: (3 Credit Hours)

At least 1 course from the following list of analysis courses: (3 Credit Hours)

Transportation (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


Water Resources (15 Credit Hours Minimum)


Three (3) additional credit hours in Water Resources Engineering or closely related areas.

And complete four (4) courses (12 credit hours) from the following list:

Comprehensive Exam


For Thesis Option:  The thesis and defense are used in lieu of a comprehensive exam.

For Non-Thesis Option: Portfolio and oral interview are used in lieu of a comprehensive exam.  The purpose of the portfolio and interview is for students to demonstrate that they have achieved a minimum level of proficiency in stipulated competencies.  Specifically, by the time they graduate, students will demonstrate:

  • an ability to plan, compose and integrate verbal, written, virtual, and graphical communication of a project to technical and non-technical audiences, and
  • an ability to formulate and solve complex problems in Civil Engineering using relevant data and techniques.

Additional details regarding portfolio requirements will be provided to students by the Department.

Other Requirements


  • A maximum of 12 graduate level credits taken outside the CEE department may be applied to meet the degree requirements.
  • A maximum of 6 credits of independent study may be applied to meet the degree requirements.

Electives (4 Credit Hours Minimum)


Electives selected in consultation with advisor.

Thesis (6 Credit Hours Minimum)


Students must conduct a suitable research project under the guidance of their thesis advisor, write an original thesis based upon the results of the research project, and defend the thesis to a committee that must subsequently approve the completed thesis. For students in the EFD concentration, the thesis must be associated with research in a developing-world context.

Non-Thesis Option (6 Credit Hours Minimum)


Six (6) additional credit hours of elective courses.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathway


Also available as a Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathway