Civil Engineering, MS

Department Chair

Dr. Andria Costello Staniec, 151 Link Hall, costello@syr.edu, 315-443-2311

Program Director:

Dr. Andria Costello Staniec, 151 Link Hall, costello@syr.edu, 315-443-2311

Faculty

Riyad S. Aboutaha, Shobha K. Bhatia, David G. Chandler, Ruth Chen, Andria Costello Staniec, John V. Dannenhoffer, Cliff Davidson, Charles T. Driscoll, Jr., Chris E. Johnson, Christa Kelleher, Eric M. Lui, Sinead Mac Namara, Dawit Negussey, Zhao Qin, Baris Salman, Laura J. Steinberg, Svetoslava Todorova, Teng Zeng

Program Description

The graduate programs in civil engineering at Syracuse University have earned a reputation for superior quality and placing students at the center of attention. Degree recipients working in the public sector, private industry, and academic institutions have made important contributions to the profession. The Civil Engineering program provides coursework and research opportunities in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, and construction engineering and management.

In addition to these core areas, the students and faculty in the Civil Engineering program engage in interdisciplinary teaching and research, expanding the opportunities available to graduate students. The department is home to the Center for Environmental Systems Engineering, which serves faculty in environmental, chemical, and mechanical engineering with a shared interest in environmental systems. The Geofoam Research Center is also administered in the department. We also have a collaborative degree program with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and we engage in joint teaching with faculty in the School of Architecture, the Whitman School of Management, and SUNY-ESF.

The M.S. degree in Civil Engineering is a flexible and individually structured program with either a thesis or non-thesis option. Students anticipating further graduate study at the doctoral level should pursue the thesis option. Applicants will also have the option of selecting one of three available tracks; Construction Engineering and Management, Geotechnical Engineering, or Structural Engineering. Students usually complete the M.S. degree within one to two years.

Admission Requirements

B.S. in Civil Engineering or the equivalent from an accredited institution. Candidates with undergraduate degrees in another field must have their programs evaluated to determine if additional undergraduate courses are to be included in their program of study.
At least a 3.0 in a 4.0 rating system or equivalent in the B.S. program coursework.
Satisfactory scores on all required graduate entrance examinations. A TOEFL score of 80 or higher is required for international students.
Departmental approval.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Formulate and solve problems in the fundamentals of their specialty track

2. Formulate and solve specialized problems in advanced fundamentals

3. Use computer programs as well as codes and standards to do analysis and design

4. Use productivity tools in solving engineering problems

5. Solve engineering problems in evolving complementary specialties

6. Do independent research and communicate findings

Program Requirements

Programs are planned by the students in consultation with their advisors. At least half of the coursework must be at or above the 600 level. Students who have taken the lower level of a double-numbered course (e.g., a course offered at the 400 and 600 levels) may not take the higher level of the same course for credit.

M.S. candidates may transfer a maximum of six credits from other institutions and are expected to complete their entire program within five calendar years of admission.

Thesis and non-thesis options are available. Students anticipating further graduate study at the doctoral level should pursue the thesis option.

Requirements with Thesis (30 credits)

Completion of 9 credits of core courses in any one of the following areas: construction engineering and management, geotechnical engineering, or structural engineering. These required courses are specified in the Graduate Program Profile.
Completion of 15 credits of elective coursework satisfying the distributional requirements, as specified in the Graduate Program Profile.
Completion of 6 credits of CIE 997 - Masters Thesis
Defense of thesis
Participation in the zero credit faculty/student seminar program (CIE 660 )

Requirements without Thesis (30 credits)

Completion of 9 credits of core courses in any one of the following areas: construction engineering and management, geotechnical engineering, or structural engineering. These required courses are specified in the Graduate Program Profile.
Completion of 21 credits of elective coursework satisfying the distributional requirements, as specified in the Graduate Program Profile.
Completion of CIE 995 - Master’s Exit Paper (zero credits)
Participation in the zero credit faculty/student seminar program (CIE 660 )