Graduate Advising

If you would like to enter the MS in Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering program at Michigan Tech and do not have a BS degree in an engineering discipline, here are some options:

Civil Engineering

Environmental Engineering

Students who consider the MS in Environmental Engineering Science have a first degree that is a non-engineering degree (e.g., chemistry, biology, physics, geology, environmental science, etc.).

The MS in Environmental Engineering requires that a student either have an ABET accredited engineering degree as their first degree (it can be a BS degree in any engineering field) or demonstrate through a combination of the coursework associated with their first degree and graduate degree that they meet engineering accreditation requirements. The amount of additional coursework (if any) is student specific; however, it typically requires 1–2 semesters of additional coursework beyond the 30 credits required for the MS degree.

After reviewing a student’s transcript from their previous degree, we can make a determination on the actual number of additional credits that would be required.

In contrast, an individual with a first degree that is non-engineering can obtain the 30-credit MS in Environmental Engineering Science without doing any make-up coursework. Students who pursue this option should understand that they will still be in demand by employers of our graduate students; however, they may not be able to become a professionally licensed engineer at a later date. Professional registration rules vary by state, so the student is encouraged to review the licensing laws in the states they seek to practice. 

For international students for whom English has not been the official language of instruction, the TOEFL is required. We recommend a TOEFL score of 600 (100 ibt), but there is no strict cut-off. All applicants must submit a GRE score to be considered for fellowships or graduate teaching assistantships. While your GRE score is important, we also have no specific cut-off for GRE scores, and consider the GRE score to be just one part of your overall application.  *At present time, the GRE requirement is being waived.

Yes/No. In general, your application for admission will be all that is required to be considered for financial support, but see the next item below.

• Departmental support for students is typically determined in February for the upcoming academic year.
• Students selected for this type of support should be notified no later than March 15.
• Faculty research assistantships are awarded on a rolling basis by faculty with current research projects. Admitted students can contact each faculty to seek graduate research assistantships. 

The University has internal and external fellowships for which graduate students can apply.

Graduate School Fellowships

Students admitted for the coursework degree can easily change to research once they find a faculty member willing to advise their research. Most students do this once on campus and they are able to meet with faculty in person. Typically, a change from a coursework to research degree would be done in the student’s first semester on campus.

The Department offers 12 graduate certificates (nine online), three Masters degrees: Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Environmental Engineering Science, and two PhD programs: Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering.

The Department offers certificates for which students can apply. The requirement of each certificate varies. It is possible to obtain the certificates enroute to and concurrently with a degree or independently from any degree.

Graduate Certificates