Program Overview

M.S. in Civil Engineering

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Civil Engineering is a graduate degree with a focus on research. The MS degree supports those wishing to pursue careers in industry, consulting, or government. The MS degree is also well suited for those who are interested in pursuing a path of research at the Ph.D. level. Our program is designed to provide a blend of research skills, fundamental knowledge development, and professional skills needed for careers in research and industry.

Program Overview

The MS degree program in CEE is offered in five areas of specialization:

• Construction Engineering and Management (CEM)
• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE)
• Infrastructure Systems Engineering (ISE)
• Structural Engineering (STR)
• Transportation Engineering (TRN)

Program Requirements

The MS degree in Civil Engineering at UVA requires successful completion of required coursework and defense of the MS thesis. These are briefly described below.

Coursework

The MS degree in Civil Engineering requires a minimum of 24 credits of graded engineering coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least 12 credits must be civil engineering courses (CE designation), and a total of 30 credits consisting of graded coursework and research (CE 8999). In addition, students must take the required core courses specified in their area of specialization.

M.S. Thesis

Each MS student must satisfactorily present and defend a thesis based on an independent, original research supervised by the student’s MS advisor. MS students will work with their advisor to identify a suitable master’s research topic. Up to six of the 30 credits toward the MS degree will typically comprise thesis research via the CE 8999 listing. The MS thesis Defense is conducted orally and publicly in front of the MS Thesis Committee.

CEE Seminar Series

As an essential component of the graduate program in CEE, MS students are required to enroll in CE 7001 (with zero credit hours) and attend the CEE seminars during the academic year.

Time Limit

All requirements for the MS degree must be completed within five years after matriculation to the graduate program.

Areas of Specialization

The MS degree program in CEE is offered in five areas of specialization:

• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Track (EWRE)
• Structural Engineering Track (STR)
• Transportation Engineering Track (TRN)
• Infrastructure Systems Engineering Track (ISE)
• Construction Engineering and Management Track (CEM)

Plan of Study

The Plan of Study must be prepared under the guidance of the student’s MS advisor and approved by the CEE Graduate Program Director. The approved plan of study may be revised if necessary but must be re-submitted for approval.

Thesis Defense

The purpose of the MS thesis defense is to test the student’s knowledge of their field of research. The defense is conducted orally and publicly in front of the entire MS Committee, which was previously approved by the Engineering Graduate Registrar’s Office. The first part of the MS Thesis Defense, which should last approximately 30 minutes, is an oral presentation of the thesis by the student. This will be followed by a one- to two-hour oral defense before the MS Committee.

Final Thesis Submission

To complete their MS, the student must submit their approved final thesis, along with the Thesis/Dissertation Cover, and Approval Pages Form to Libra, the online archive of UVA, by the deadline specified in the academic calendar. Students should discuss any copyright/embargo issues with their advisors prior to the upload. For more information on Libra and instruction of how to upload, please review the relevant guidelines.