Graduate Degrees and Requirements
The Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering Department offers the following graduate degree options: master of engineering (M.Eng.), master of science (M.S.), and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.). General descriptions for each of these degrees are provided below. Detailed descriptions of the requirements specific to each discipline can be found within the Graduate Handbook.
All students in the M.S., M.Eng., and Ph.D. programs must complete Scholarship and Research Integrity (SARI) requirements.
The SARI program at Penn State is designed to offer graduate students comprehensive, multilevel training in the responsible conduct of research, through a three-part program: an online course that must be completed in the first year of graduate study, a three-hour colloquium, CE 590, and two hours that can be completed by attending Office of Research Protection seminars.
M.Eng. Degree
The M.Eng. degree is intended to be a professional degree composed of a well-balanced, unified, and complete program of study leading to advanced professional practice. Students must complete 31 credits of graduate course work (18 credits of which must be at the 500-level) and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Handbook. While full-time students can complete the program in two semesters, part-time students take longer.
M.S. Degree
The M.S. degree program is a blend of graduate-level course work and research. Students must complete 30 graduate credits (18 credits of which must be at the 500 and/or 600-level, combined and 6 credits must be research-based), prepare and orally defend a thesis, and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Handbook.
Ph.D. Degree
The Ph.D. degree program is strongly oriented toward research. Students must complete 15 credits. In addition to meeting course requirements specific to their discipline, Ph.D. students must also successfully pass the qualifying exam, comprehensive exam, final oral exam, write a dissertation, and satisfy the other academic program requirements outlined in the Graduate Handbook. The duration of the program varies from three to five years depending on the student’s background and professional interests.
Minimum Course Requirements are dependent on area of specialization:
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical, Materials, and Construction Engineering
- Structural Engineering and Mechanics
- Transportation Engineering
- Water Resources Engineering
Applicants who do not meet these minimum course requirements can still be admitted on a provisional basis until the coursework is completed elsewhere or as part of the graduate studies at Penn State.
Other Programs
With a vast number of resources available at Penn State, there are many opportunities for interdisciplinary research, and many of our graduate students choose to pursue joint degrees with other programs.
- International Agriculture and Development (INTAD) Dual-Title Degree Program with the College of Agricultural Sciences
- Available for M.S. and Ph.D. students in civil engineering
- Climate Science Dual-Title Ph.D. Program with the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
- Available for Ph.D. students in civil engineering
- Operations Research Dual-Title Degree Graduate Program with the Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
- Available for M.S. and Ph.D. students in both civil and environmental engineering; also available as a Ph.D. minor
