Program Overview

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Overview of the Civil Engineering PhD Program

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a graduate program leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering. This program is designed for students who wish to pursue advanced research in civil engineering and is typically completed in three to four years beyond the master's degree.

Department Research

The department's research areas include:

• Construction management
• Environmental engineering and science
• Environmental hydrology and hydraulic engineering
• Geotechnical engineering
• Materials
• Structural engineering
• Transportation engineering
• Sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems
• Energy-water-environment sustainability
• Societal risk and hazard mitigation
• Engineering materials and additive manufacturing technologies

Degree Requirements

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering requires:

• A minimum of 64 graduate hours for students entering with an approved master's degree
• A minimum of 96 graduate hours for students entering with an approved baccalaureate degree
• Completion of a thesis research project
• Passing of qualifying, preliminary, and final examinations
• Meeting the requirements outlined in the department's Graduate Handbook and the Graduate College Handbook

Entering with an Approved Master's Degree

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • CEE 599 | Thesis Research (min-max applied toward degree) | 32
  • Elective courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 32
  • Total Hours | 64
• Other Requirements:
  • A maximum of 8 hours of CEE 597 (or other independent study) may be applied toward the elective course work requirement; approval required
  • There is no department-wide foreign language requirement
  • 64 graduate hours must be completed in residence
  • A master's degree is required for admission to the PhD program
  • PhD exam and dissertation requirements:
    • Qualifying exam
    • Preliminary exam
    • Final exam or dissertation defense
    • Dissertation deposit
  • The minimum program GPA is 2.75

Entering with an Approved Baccalaureate Degree

• Course List Code | Title | Hours
  • CEE 599 | Thesis Research | 32-40
  • Elective Courses (subject to Other Requirements and Conditions below) | 56-64
  • Total Hours | 96
• Other Requirements:
  • A maximum of 8 hours of CEE 597 (or other independent study) may be applied toward the elective course work requirement; approval required
  • There is no department-wide foreign language requirement
  • 24 credit hours must be in major field
  • 24 credit hours of elective coursework must be at the 500-level, with at least 12 hours in major field
  • 64 graduate hours must be completed in residence
  • PhD exam and dissertation requirements:
    • Qualifying exam
    • Preliminary exam
    • Final exam or dissertation defense
    • Dissertation deposit
  • The minimum program GPA is 2.75

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD program, students will be able to:

1. Identify and utilize advanced mathematical, computational, design, and/or experimental skills to solve complex problems in civil and environmental engineering
2. Demonstrate technical knowledge and depth in at least one or more CEE subject areas and breadth of knowledge in at least one additional area
3. Communicate effectively (written, oral presentation, and other media) technical ideas, design concepts, or research results
4. Understand the student's professional and scientific ethical responsibilities
5. Propose, plan, and execute original research ideas that target current or future societal challenges related to civil and environmental engineering
6. Demonstrate skills to teach technical subjects in CEE at the university level

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Graduate College with full status in civil engineering is granted to graduates of accredited institutions whose requirements for the master's degree are substantially equivalent to those of the University of Illinois, provided the applicant's preparation is appropriate for advanced study in his or her chosen major field and his or her cumulative grade point average is at least 3.00 (A = 4.00). The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is currently optional, but it is strongly recommended that the GRE test be submitted to help faculty with admission and funding decisions for all PhD applicants.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the form of fellowships and research and teaching assistantships. Starting in Fall 2020, Grainger Engineering PhD students in their first five years of enrollment who meet the minimum eligibility requirements are guaranteed a funded appointment for fall and spring that includes a full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a stipend. All applicants, regardless of US citizenship, whose native language is not English and who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships must demonstrate spoken English language proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 50 or 24 on the speaking subsection of the TOEFL iBT or 8 on the speaking subsection of the IELTS. For students who are unable to take the iBT or IELTS, a minimum score of 4CP is required on the EPI test, offered on campus. All new teaching assistants are required to participate in the Graduate Academy for College Teaching conducted prior to the start of the semester.