Civil Engineering lab, student working in the Environmental lab
Civil Engineering

MSCE Program

Our practice-oriented Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) program build upon an undergraduate education and facilitates more advanced study in one of the branches of civil engineering. The program consists of 30 semester units of coursework (equivalent to 45 quarter units), and all graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening.

Mission Statement

The MSCE program is intended to serve both full-time and part-time graduate students who have a BSCE or closely related undergraduate degree that currently are, or intend to become, practicing civil engineers. Therefore, our program aims to strengthen knowledge of civil engineering principles and practices and to apply the knowledge and skills to real-world problems encountered by professional civil engineers.

Another purpose of the program is to facilitate applied research on relevant civil engineering topics. Such research should 1) serve societal needs by addressing contemporary issues, 2) contribute to the professional development of both students and faculty and 3) provide preparation for further academic study and research for those students who wish to pursue a Ph.D.

Vision 

We excel at delivering an inclusive, practice-oriented, world-class Civil Engineering education that changes people’s lives.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Civil Engineering Department adopted and adapted from ABET the following student learning outcomes. Upon completing their degree graduates of any of the MSCE program options should be able to develop:

  1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying advanced principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze, and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  3. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
  4. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  5. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  6. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.

All the courses offered in the MSCE program options are divided into two groups. Group A includes a list of courses from all options mapped to learning outcomes 1 through 3 that are related to theory analysis. Group B consists of a list of courses from all five options mapped to learning outcomes 4 through 6 related to design and engineering applications.

The MSCE program complies with the CSU Executive order 1071 by requiring all graduate students to enroll in courses mapped to learning outcomes 1 through 3, which constitutes more than 50 percent of the program credit hours (16 credit hours out of the thirty credit hours) required to complete a degree in MSCE. Students select the remaining units to satisfy the degree requirement from the list of approved elective courses.

MSCE Programs

Detailed curriculum requirements for each of the MSCE program options shown below:

Civil Engineering, M.S. - Construction Engineering and Management

CEM option will allow students seeking upper level construction engineering and management to develop their ability in construction field and project management. Additionally, CEM option will enable students to deal with diverse management methods in order to contribute to upgrading the deteriorated U.S. infrastructure systems that were rated as “D” according to ASCE Report.

Civil Engineering, M.S. - Environmental and Water Resources Engineering

Water resources engineering includes various civil engineering projects needed to provide safe drinking water and flood control works. These projects include aqueducts, pipelines, water treatment plants, dams, levees, and other similar works. Water is a very important topic in California, and water shortages will become an ever-growing concern as the state's population continues to grow. The implementation of desalinization plants, more efficient water usage, and new water distribution facilities are some of the solutions to these problems, all of which require civil engineers with expertise in water resources.

Civil Engineering, M.S. - Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical engineers focus on soil, rock, and underground water, and their relation to the design, construction, and operation of civil engineering projects. This work includes providing adequate foundations for structures, preventing or repairing landslides, identifying and remediating liquefaction hazards, and other similar activities.

Civil Engineering, M.S. - Structural Engineering

Structural engineers work on buildings, bridges, towers, and other structures. They are responsible for designing these structures in a way that will be safe, sustainable and economical. One of the most important aspects of structural engineering in California is earthquake-resistant design.

Civil Engineering, M.S. - Transportation Engineering

Transportation engineers provide fast, efficient, and safe transportation facilities. These include highways, railroads, ports, airports, and other similar projects. Transportation facilities are essential to society, and improving our transportation infrastructure is a high priority for the coming decades, all of which requires civil engineers with expertise in transportation engineering.

Program Admission Requirement

The MSCE program is intended for students who already have a BS degree in civil engineering. Successful applicants will be admitted to the programs either unconditionally or with conditions imposed on them. To receive unconditional admission, an applicant must satisfy all three of the below criteria:

  • The applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree from a civil engineering program accredited by ABET.
  • The applicant must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.00 (out of 4.00) in all undergraduate upper division coursework in mathematics, science and engineering and, additionally, in all coursework attempted with graduate standing.
  • Additional requirements may be imposed by individual options of the MSCE program.
  • INTERNATIONAL students are encouraged to apply; their application will be reviewed in its entirety and evaluated for its overall merit. 

Conditional admission may be granted in cases in which the applicant’s academic preparation for graduate study is such that criteria 1) and/or 2) above are not satisfied. In such cases, the applicant is required to submit recent letters of recommendation, and other documents attesting to the applicant’s aptitude for graduate studies. When an applicant is admitted conditionally, the conditions to be met and the time allowed for meeting them are stated in the letter of admission. If these conditions are not satisfied, the student may be disenrolled.

All applicants with a bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. (regardless of citizenship) must also provide proof of English language proficiency:

TOEFL: a minimum of 80 (Internet-based exam)

IELTS: a minimum of 6.5

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at the CSU Apply web site. Use major code 09081 and be sure to indicate the desired degree option in the application. New students are accepted every semester.

The application deadline for Fall semesters admission is April 1st.

Forms and Policies 

Related Links

Contact us:

For questions regarding each of the MSCE options you can contact the below faculty members: