Graduate

Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Programs

Graduate programs of advanced study, research and design are available in the six major areas listed below. The strength of the curriculum is enhanced by a variety of complementary programs of study and research available throughout the University of Michigan.

Construction Engineering and Management

  • Construction Organization
  • Construction Project
  • Construction Operations

Environmental and Water Resources Engineering

Graduate degrees are offered in either Civil or Environmental Engineering.

  • Ecohydrology and Hydraulic Engineering
  • Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology
  • Environmental Chemistry and Soil Physics
  • Energy and Clean Tech

Geotechnical Engineering

  • Site Characterization
  • Stability of Earth Masses
  • Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
  • Engineering Geology
  • Rock Mechanics
  • Foundation Design
  • Soil Behavior
  • Soil Improvement
  • Soil and Foundation Dynamics
  • Numerical and Analytical Modeling

Structural and Materials Engineering

  • Earthquake Resistant Design
  • Behavior of Buildings and Bridges under Extreme Loading
  • Design and Validation of Smart Structure Technologies
  • Evaluation and Improvement of New and Existing Highway Bridges
  • Design and Development of High Performance
  • Mechanistic Evaluation of Properties of Concrete Pavement

Intelligent Systems

  • Dynamical Modeling of Complex Intelligent Systems
  • Cyber-Physical Intelligent Systems
  • Resilience Through Adaptation
  • Ultra-low Power Sensing and State Estimation for Civil Intelligent Systems
  • Advanced Functional Materials for Intelligent Infrastructure Systems
  • Integrated Structure and Materials Design for Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability
  • Intelligent Water Grids
  • Energy Harvesting

Next Generation Transportation Systems

  • Implication of emerging technologies on the planning, design, operations, and management of transportation systems

Graduate Degrees

  • Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Civil Engineering
  • Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Construction Engineering and Management
  • Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Environmental Engineering
  • Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Construction Engineering and Management
  • Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Structural Engineering
  • Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Smart Infrastructure Finance
  • Dual M.Eng. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Architecture
  • Dual M.Eng. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Business Administration (student initiated dual degree)
  • Dual M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Business Administration
  • Dual M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Science in Engineering
  • Dual M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering/MS in Natural Resources and Environment
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Environmental Engineering

Master of Science Programs / Master of Engineering Programs

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers three Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) degree programs and two Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree programs, as well as multiple options for dual degrees in collaboration with other programs at the university. The M.S.E. programs require 30 credit hours of graduate work (typically 10 courses) and have the option to include up to 6 credits of research. The M.Eng. programs require 26 credit hours of graduate work (typically 8 courses and 2 seminars) and do not require a thesis or other major research project.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for application to the M.S.E. program. Letters of recommendation are also required. Degree programs differ in the undergraduate degrees they require for regular admission.

Students who do not meet undergraduate degree requirements for regular admission may be granted conditional admission. Students may be required to take courses without graduate credit to remedy the deficiencies in their undergraduate programs.

M.S.E. in Civil Engineering

This program requires at least 15 hours of CEE courses. A student should expect to take at least eight hours in the area of specialization but will not be permitted to apply more than 21 hours in one area of specialization toward the M.S.E. degree. Study programs are available in the following areas of specialization:

  • Construction Engineering and Management
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Hydraulic and Hydrologic Engineering
  • Intelligent Systems
  • Materials and Highway Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation Systems Engineering

Regular admission is open to students holding an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering or an equivalent.

M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management

This program requires at least 18 hours of graduate courses in the Construction Engineering and Management Program. Also available are dual degree programs by which a student can receive a M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management and a Master of Business Administration degree. Regular admission is open to students holding a degree in any engineering discipline.

Dual M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Business Administration

The dual degree program requires 12 hours of core courses and 9 hours of graduate construction electives in the M.S.E. (CE&M) program and 30 hours of core courses and 15 hours of electives in the MBA program. Students also take a 3-hour independent study course (CEE 630) to integrate general Construction Engineering and Management skills. Students also take Construction Contracting (CEE 331) if they have not taken it or its equivalent previously. The dual degree program combines the two-year, 60-hour MBA program with the one-year, 30-hour M.S.E. (CE&M) program, resulting in a two-year (including Spring and/or Summer terms) 66- or 69-hour program. The dual degree program can be completed in two years if the first year is devoted to core MBA courses.

Dual M.S.E. in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Science in Engineering

Dual MSE degree programs combine a 30-hour MSE (CE&M) program with another 30-hour Master’s program resulting in a 51-hour program, 9 hours of which satisfy requirements for both programs. Usually these 9 hours are core courses from the other Master’s program, used as electives in the Construction Engineering and Management program. An applicant who has recently received or is working toward a Master’s degree in another area of engineering at Michigan can complete the MSE (CE&M) with an additional 21 hours of coursework.

M.Eng in Construction Engineering and Management

This two-semester, 26-credit program is designed for those with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent and who want to pursue a professional career in the construction industry. Students with degrees from other disciplines will be accepted into this program but may require additional coursework. The MEng (CE&M) program includes core CE&M courses covering fundamentals, a CE&M elective allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge in specific knowledge areas, and electives in related subjects.

Dual M.Eng in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Architecture

The dual degree program combines the two-year 60-hour M.Arch. program with the one-year, 26-hour M.Eng. (CE&M) program, resulting in a two and one-half year, 71-hour program.

Dual M.Eng in Construction Engineering and Management/Master of Business Administration

The dual degree program requires the 12 hours of core courses and 9 hours of graduate construction electives in the MEng (CE&M) program and the 30 hours of core courses and 15 hours of electives in the MBA program. Students also take a 3-hour independent study course (CEE 630) to integrate general Construction Engineering and Management skills. Students also take Construction Contracting (CEE 431) if they have not taken it or its equivalent previously. The dual degree program combines the two-year, 60-hour MBA program with the one-year, 26-hour M.Eng. (CE&M) program, resulting in a two-year (including Spring and/or Summer terms) 66- or 69-hour program. The dual degree program can be completed in two years if the first year is devoted to core MBA courses.

M.Eng. in Structural Engineering

This two-semester, 26-credit program is designed for those with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent and who want to pursue a professional career in structural design practice. Students with degrees from other disciplines will be accepted into this program but may require additional coursework. Students in this program will take at least five graduate-level structural engineering courses and will also select a minor area of professional emphasis.

M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering

This program requires at least 18 hours of graduate courses in the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Program. Specific course requirements are given in the departmental Guidelines for this MSE degree. Students holding an engineering or science degree will be considered for regular admission.

Dual M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering / MS in Natural Resources and Environment:” Engineering Sustainable Systems: Specialization in Sustainable Water Resources or Energy Systems”

This dual degree program combines a Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Civil Engineering or in Environmental Engineering, and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Natural Resources and Environment. More detailed information is available in the program guidelines.

Ph.D. Programs

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with two designations: Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering. Ph.D. programs usually include 50 to 60 hours of graduate coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level. Foreign languages are not required. The focus of doctoral studies is the student’s dissertation research, which must make a significant contribution to professional knowledge in the field. Major steps toward the Ph.D. degree include:

  • preliminary examination appointment of dissertation committee
  • completion of coursework and English proficiency requirement
  • advancement to candidacy
  • research proposal defense
  • final oral exam
  • completion of dissertation

Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted only to students who show promise and provide sufficient evidence that they can meet scholastic requirements of study, including independent research, at an advanced level. The preliminary examination is only open to students with a GPA of better than B+.

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

Areas of specialization include:

  • Construction Engineering and Management
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Hydraulic and Hydrologic Engineering
  • Intelligent Systems
  • Materials and Highway Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Next Generation Transportation Systems

Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering

Areas of specialization include:   

  • Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology
  • Hazardous Substance Treatment and Control
  • Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics
  • Management Policy and Economics
  • Surface and Groundwater Hydrology
  • Watershed Hydrology and Ecohydrology
  • Water Quality Engineering
  • Geostatistical Modeling and Optimization
  • Atmospheric Modeling