Master of Science in Engineering, Civil Engineering

Options within the Master of Science Engineering, Civil Engineering include:

Co-op Option in Engineering

  • The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering participates in the Graduate Master's Co-op Option in Engineering. For detailed information about the Co-op Program and curriculum requirements, please see the Graduate Catalog Engineering Co-op page.

Admissions Requirements

Admission to a particular engineering option is open to applicants with undergraduate degrees in engineering, mathematics or science. Applicants must meet all Graduate Admissions standards for this program, which includes two letters of recommendation. Official GRE scores are no longer required for this program.

Prerequisite Undergraduate Courses 

If an applicant does not hold an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering, a student is required to have completed prerequisite undergraduate courses in the areas of chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering which are relevant for each specialty option.  These courses are listed for each option and are required. University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) course numbers are provided for reference purposes. Course work that is equivalent to the UML courses specified are acceptable. However, an official determination of prerequisite course equivalency will be conducted by UML faculty that teach the specified undergraduate course, or by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Coordinator, only after the student has applied and been accepted into the graduate program. This list represents the minimum prerequisite course requirements. Additional undergraduate course work may be required to remedy academic deficiencies. Students will be notified of deficiencies in an acceptance letter. All deficiencies must be eliminated before a student can be classified as a "fully matriculated" graduate student.

Program Description and General Requirements

Graduate study in Civil Engineering is an intensive program of instruction at an advanced technical level. The program permits students to design, in consultation with their advisor, a plan of study that meets individual goals and career objectives.

Program options for the MSE - Civil Engineering include environmental, geo-environmental, geotechnical, structural and transportation.

The degree requires successful completion of 30 credit hours of course work, or 24 credit hours of instruction and a publishable thesis, or 27 hours of course work and preparation of a project report.

Courses are scheduled in the late afternoon and evening to provide study opportunities for students with full-time employment. Successful completion of undergraduate prerequisite courses is required prior to registering for graduate courses. However, undergraduate prerequisites and selected graduate courses, that do not have prerequisites, may be taken during the first year of study, but only with the written permission of the instructor.

Applicants who satisfy graduate admission requirements will be assigned to a faculty member who will serve as their academic advisor. Students receiving a teaching or research assistantship will normally be required to submit a publishable thesis. Those admitted to graduate study as non-degree students may apply for matriculated status. However, no more than 12 credits of work completed while in non-degree student status or transferred from another department or college will be used toward the MSE - Civil engineering degree. Matriculated status is preferred before initial registration and is mandatory prior to registration for second semester courses. Faculty will review a petitioner’s performance in all courses attempted.

Visit the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department website for more information.

Master of Science in Engineering - Civil Engineering (Environmental Option)

The program offers an opportunity to pursue a broad range of interests in the field of environmental engineering. The course of study is designed to meet an individual student's interests and career goals. Programs consist of civil engineering courses in water and wastewater treatment, groundwater remediation, solid waste management, environmental chemistry, hydrology, hydraulics, air pollution control and may include courses from allied disciplines such as biological and health sciences, environmental studies, chemistry and work environment. The program of study consists of five core courses and elective courses. Undergraduate core course prerequisites must be completed before beginning graduate course work.

For the Environmental option, the required undergraduate prerequisite courses include:

Degree Pathway: Master of Science in Engineering - Civil Engineering - Environmental Option

Master of Science in Engineering - Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Option)

The master's degree program in geotechnical engineering encompasses soil mechanics theory and applications in the fields of foundation and soil engineering. Course work emphasizes the engineering behavior of soil, soil property determination, and the use of advanced soil mechanics theory and soil structure interaction in the solution of soil and foundation engineering problems. Elementary courses in soil mechanics, statics, strength of materials and fluid mechanics are required as prerequisites for graduate core courses. Students receiving a teaching or research assistantship are required to submit a publishable thesis.

The program of study consists of one required course: CIVE.5310 Advanced Soil Mechanics, any five courses from a list of core geotechnical electives and four other elective courses, selected with the consent of a student’s faculty advisor. Additional advanced structural, geoenvironmental and geology courses may be taken as electives after consultation with a faculty advisor and approval from the Department.

For the Geotechnical option, the required undergraduate prerequisite courses include:

Degree Pathway: Master of Science in Engineering  - Civil Engineering -Geotechnical Option

Master of Science Engineering - Civil Engineering (Geoenvironmental Option)

The solution of environmental problems related to soil and/or groundwater often requires knowledge of both Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering. The Geoenvironmental program provides fundamental training in soil mechanics, groundwater hydrology, environmental chemistry, and soil engineering. Course work is offered in each area as well as in courses that combine disciplines generally required in the solution of complex site problems, such as, landfill design, remediation of hazardous waste sites, dewatering and soil improvement.

For the Geoenvironmental option, the required undergraduate prerequisite courses include:

Degree Pathway: Master of Science in Engineering - Civil Engineering - Geoenvironmental Option

Master of Science Engineering - Civil Engineering (Structural Option)

The structural option within Civil Engineering offers instruction and research in advanced concepts and techniques to develop innovative solutions for critical and challenging problems in Structural Engineering. A student seeking an MS Engineering in Structural Engineering must have at least one core course from each group (A, B, and C) to meet the core course requirements. Student study programs in structural engineering are developed with a faculty advisor to meet the needs of the individual. Students should also meet the prerequisite requirement in each graduate-level course by receiving an approval from the instructor.

Degree Pathway: Master of Science in  Engineering -  Civil Engineering - Structural Option

Master of Science in Engineering -  Civil Engineering (Transportation Option)

The program in Transportation Engineering offers courses in planning, design and operation of multimodal transportation facilities. It emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, supplementing engineering concepts with techniques from management, economics, operations research and environmental studies. It is designed to provide students with advanced technical knowledge for addressing transportation problems in a variety of practical situations. Specialization in a specific area can be achieved through thesis and project work. Graduate study plans are designed based upon student interest, professional needs and undergraduate preparation. Students are expected to have completed or show proficiency in the following courses in partial fulfillment of degree requirements:

For the Transportation option, the required undergraduate prerequisite courses include:

Degree Pathway: Master of Science in Engineering - Civil Engineering - Transportation Option

Updated 4/17/26

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