Looking up towards the rafters of a bridge

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Civil Engineering—MS, PhD

The world's infrastructure needs you. At Michigan Technological University, you'll address the needs of our society by combining theory, practice, creativity, and hard work. We are committed to providing an intellectual environment that empowers students to make significant contributions to both the field of civil engineering and society as a whole. Are you ready?

Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students. Explore our Online Master's and Doctoral Program.

Program Overview

With a four-to-one graduate student-to-faculty ratio, students in the master's or doctorate in civil engineering program can tailor their academic plan within six areas of emphasis:

construction engineering and management
geotechnical engineering
structural engineering
transportation engineering
civil engineering materials
water resources engineering

Delivery Options
- Online: MS, PhD
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS, PhD

Civil Engineering Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the civil engineering program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Civil Engineering is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD Requirements: Civil Engineering

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

MS, Civil Engineering: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Civil Engineering: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in twelve months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Civil Engineering: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate School. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Civil Engineering

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Additional Accelerated Master's Program Details

Online Programs

MS, PhD, Civil Engineering (Online)

Our online civil engineering MS and PhD degrees focus on structural engineering. Apply advanced structural engineering theory, structural analysis, and material dynamics. Visit our program website for more details about our curriculum.

SeeOnline Civil Engineering MS and PhD

Accelerated MS, Civil Engineering (Online)

For Michigan Tech students with a Bachelor's degree, fast-track your career or speed progress toward advanced studies through an online Accelerated Master's Program. The program allows you to earn both a Bachelor' and Master's in as few as five years.

This online Accelerated Master’s program allows you to count up to 6 approved credits towards both degrees. It is designed for highly motivated students who wish to enter a mid-level position in their careers after graduation or pursue doctoral studies. Set yourself up for success in an increasingly demanding job market with an online Accelerated Master’s from Michigan Tech.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about civil engineering at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Qingli Dai

Graduate Assistant

Angela Keranen

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your civil engineering MS and PhD. Sample areas include:

Geotechnical
Infrastructure
Structural
Water Resources

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

2 Letters of Recommendation (not required for online students)
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
GRE not required
No Additional Documents Accepted

International Students

TOEFL: Recommended Score of at least 100 iBT
IELTS: Recommended Overall Band Score of at least 7.0

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadlines

Fall Semester: January 15 (for full financial consideration)
Spring Semester: September 15
Summer Semester: February 15

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students. Explore our

Program Specific

Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
No GRE required
Completed course plan

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

All majors upon program approval

The CEGE Accelerated MS Course Plan form is required for students pursuing an accelerated MS degree from the department of civil, environmental, and geospatial engineering.

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

Michigan Tech has a tradition of excellence in civil engineering education, blending theory, practice, creativity, and hard work. You'll join an intellectual environment where students and faculty make the next breakthrough together.

Where You'll Work

We maintain eight start-of-the-art facilities for research, including world-class petrography laboratories for characterizing materials. Other laboratories support structural testing, concrete mixing and testing, asphalt testing, binder characterization, hydrodynamic and scour studies, complex data visualization, and rail transportation planning. Benedict Laboratory, the largest lab on campus, is one of a select few university labs that can test and evaluate ultra-high performance concrete.

Faculty Spotlight

Yousef Darestani

Yousef Darestani
Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

"Developing long-term, sustainable, and equitable green solutions to enhance the resiliency of coastal communities."

My research focuses on risk and resilience analysis and enhancement of infrastructures systems against weather related hazards. We leverage machine learning techniques to efficiently account for uncertainty in the hazards and complexities in system response to estimate vulnerabilities in coastal infrastructure systems such electric power and transportation systems.

Program Faculty