Master of Science in Civil Engineering
The Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering (MSCE) is intended to meet the needs of students who wish to prepare for careers in areas such as construction and project management, design, and analysis of complex systems (including structures, such as tall buildings and bridges), geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering, consulting, and research, as well as doctoral studies.
The program provides advanced study within the area of civil engineering and allows students to select coursework, in the areas of construction engineering and management, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering and water resources engineering.
Admission Requirements
Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. Regardless of citizenship, all applicants whose undergraduate education was not at a majority English-language country, must submit proof of English proficiency (minimum score: TOEFL Internet 80/Paper 550, IELTS 6.5 or PTE 58) before an admissions decision can be made. The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department does not require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or reference letters.
In addition, applicants must meet the following departmental requirements:
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 for applicants who graduated from ABET-accredited institutions with undergraduate degrees in civil engineering
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 for applicants who graduated from non-ABET-accredited institutions with undergraduate degrees in civil engineering
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 for applicants who graduated with undergraduate degrees other than civil engineering
Students not meeting the above requirements may be admitted and will be required to take additional prerequisite coursework.
Prerequisite Courses
Students with non-civil engineering undergraduate degrees may be given conditional admission to the MSCE program, and they must take at least the following prerequisite courses:
Students with non-civil engineering undergraduate degrees must have courses in Statics and Mechanics of material and must have two semesters of calculus-based college physics and mathematics through differential equations. Students must complete these classes before applying to the graduate program.
Students are expected to complete all of the prerequisite courses with a B- (2.7) or better before taking graduate courses. However, based on the student’s academic background and interest, the graduate advisor may approve up to 9 units of graduate courses that can be taken while a student is completing prerequisite courses.
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