Master in Civil Engineering (MS) - Transportation Systems Engineering

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a Transportation Systems Engineering track enhances students' expertise in transportation planning, operations, and traffic engineering. The program offers both thesis and non-thesis options, emphasizing highway engineering, traffic, pavements, safety, planning, and intelligent transportation systems. Graduates are prepared for careers in consulting firms, construction-related industries, government agencies, and academic institutions, contributing to the improvement of transportation infrastructure and systems.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering (M.S.) program with a Transportation Systems Engineering track focuses on enhancing the transportation infrastructure of society. It equips students with knowledge and skills in transportation planning, operations, and traffic engineering to address challenges in transportation systems within communities and globally. The curriculum emphasizes highway engineering, traffic, pavements, safety, planning, and intelligent transportation systems.

Outline:

• Program Structure:
• Both a thesis option and a nonthesis option are available, each requiring 30 credit hours of graduate courses.
• Thesis Option:
• 15 credit hours of required courses
• 9 credit hours of elective courses (excluding thesis and research)
• Thesis (6 credit hours)
• Nonthesis Option:
• 15 credit hours of required courses
• 15 credit hours of elective graduate course work
• End-of-program portfolio submission
• Course Requirements:
• Required Courses (15 Total Credits):
• Complete all of the following:
• TTE 5204 - Traffic Engineering (3)
• TTE 5805 - Geometric Design of Transportation Systems (3)
• TTE 5835 - Pavement Engineering (3)
• TTE 6205 - Highway Capacity (3)
• TTE 6256 - Traffic Operations (3)
• TTE 6270 - Intelligent Transportation Systems (3)
• TTE 6275 - Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (3)
• TTE 6315 - Traffic Safety Analysis (3)
• TTE 6526 - Planning and Design of Airports (3)
• TTE 6625 - Mass Transportation Systems (3)
• TTE 6667 - Discrete Choice Modeling in Transportation (3)
• CGN 6655 - Regional Planning, Design, and Development (3)
• Complete at least 1 of the following:
• ESI 5219 - Engineering Statistics (3)
• STA 5206 - Statistical Analysis (3)
• Non Thesis Students - Required Course Selection (0 Total Credits):
• Choose ONE of the following courses:
• TTE 5204 - Traffic Engineering
• TTE 5805 - Geometric Design of Transportation Systems
• TTE 6256 - Traffic Operations
• TTE 6315 - Traffic Safety Analysis
• TTE 6526 - Planning and Design of Airports
• Elective Courses (9 Total Credits):
• Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses:
• All students (thesis and nonthesis) must complete at least 9 additional credit hours of approved electives from the required courses above or other courses approved by the student's advisor.
• Directed Research (XXX 6918) is not permitted in the MS program of study.
• Thesis/Nonthesis Option (6 Total Credits):
• Thesis Option:
• Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses:
• TTE 6971 - Thesis
• A final defense of the thesis is required.
• Nonthesis Option:
• Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses:
• Two additional electives, preferably from the required course list, although other courses may be chosen with the advisor's consent.
• Portfolio Requirement: Students are required to complete a culminating experience.
The culminating experience for nonthesis MS students is submission of an end-of-program portfolio.
• Program Prerequisites:
• A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering or a closely related engineering degree.
• Applicants without a directly related undergraduate degree should check prerequisites carefully.
Additional undergraduate courses may be required.
• Calculus and Differential Equations should ideally be passed prior to applying to the graduate program.
• Required courses:
• MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 1
• MAC 2312 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 2
• MAC 2313 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 3
• MAP 2302 Ordinary Differential Equations 1
• Articulation courses:
• STA 3032 - Probability and Statistics for Engineers (3 Credit Hours)
• TTE 3810 - Transportation Engineering (3 Credit Hours)

Assessment:

• Thesis Option:
• Thesis defense is required.
• Nonthesis Option:
• End-of-program portfolio submission is required.

Teaching:

• Faculty Research Interests:
• Intelligent transportation systems
• Traffic safety
• Traffic signal design
• Program Delivery:
• The Transportation Systems Engineering track in the Civil Engineering MS program may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online.
• Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Highway Engineer
• Traffic Operations Engineer
• Traffic Engineer
• Transportation Engineer
• Employment Opportunities:
• Consulting firms
• Construction-related industries
• City, county, state, and federal government agencies
• Academic institutions

Other:

• International Students:
• International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters.
• Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format.
• Contact UCF Global at (407) 823-2337 for questions.
• State Restrictions:
• Independent Learning:
• A research or design project serves as the independent learning experience for thesis students.
• Nonthesis students are required to take at least one of the courses designated in the "Non Thesis Students - Required Course Selection" section above, denoting an independent learning experience, and submission of an end-of-program portfolio.