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Civil Engineering M.S.C.E.

Total Semester Credit Hours = 30-36

Admission Requirements

Students entering the Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) program are expected to have a background equivalent to that of students graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) program offered at The University of Texas at Tyler, or to obtain such background through specified prerequisite coursework.

In addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate study at The University of Texas at Tyler, to be admitted to the MSCE program a student must meet the following admission requirements.

  1. Satisfactory score on the General Test (verbal and quantitative) of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
  2. Satisfactory grade point average on the student’s last four semesters of academic study and last 60 semester credit hours of upper division undergraduate or graduate courses.
  3. A bachelor’s degree in a Civil Engineering program accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission. Students who have not earned such a degree will be required to complete prerequisite coursework before starting the MSCE program as determined by the MSCE Graduate Coordinator.
  4. A demonstrated proficiency in the use of the English language, both spoken and written.
  5. Approval of the MSCE Graduate Coordinator and the Chair, Department of Civil Engineering.

Consideration for admission to the Master of Science in Civil Engineering program will also be given to one or more of the following: the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study, socioeconomic background, first generation college graduate, multilingual proficiency, geographic region of residence, and level of responsibility in other matters including extracurricular activities, employment, community service, and family responsibilities.

Graduation Requirements

There are three options to earning the Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE): (1) research option, (2) professional practice option, (3) technical and management development option.

Regardless of option selected, a student must complete a graduate course in advanced mathematics. At least 50 percent of the required total credit hours applied to the MSCE, excluding thesis or design project, must be Civil Engineering courses and at least two-thirds of the credit hours applied to the degree must be taught by a department in the College of Engineering. No more than three credit hours of independent study courses may be applied to the degree. The student must attain an average of 3.0 GPA on all course work applied to the MSCE. The program options and additional degree requirements are as follows:

Option 1 – Research (30 SCH): Students must successfully complete at least 24 semester credit hours of graduate coursework, including at least three courses in a primary area of study within civil engineering and at least two courses in a secondary area of study within civil engineering, successfully complete at least six credit hours of graduate thesis research, successfully prepare a research thesis, and pass a final oral examination that is primarily focused on the research thesis but may also address coursework. The final examination will be administered by the student’s graduate academic committee. This program option is intended primarily for students who wish to conduct research and expand civil engineering knowledge. (This is the only degree option for which graduate assistantships are available.)

Option 2 – Professional Practice (30 SCH): Students must successfully complete at least 27 semester credit hours of graduate coursework, including at least three courses in each of two areas of civil engineering, and at least three semester credit hours of graduate capstone design that culminates in the preparation of a design project report. Depending upon the student’s previous background, a course in management may be required, because the focus of this degree option is professional practice. Further, each student must pass the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination and must pass a final oral examination that is focused on the graduate design project. The final examination will be administered by the student’s graduate academic committee. This degree option is intended primarily for students who intend to practice civil engineering at the professional level.

Option 3 – Technical and Management Development (36 SCH): Students must successfully complete at least 36 semester credit hours of graduate coursework, including at least three courses in each of two areas of civil engineering and three courses developing business management and engineering management skills. At least two Civil Engineering courses used for the program must be graduate design courses. Further, students must pass a final comprehensive written and/or oral examination that addresses the student’s undergraduate and graduate education. The final examination will be coordinated by the student’s graduate academic advisor. This degree option is intended primarily for students in practice who want to enhance their technical skills and to develop management skills.