Civil Engineering Doctoral Program

Who Should Apply

To be qualified to enter the civil engineering Ph.D. program, a student must have completed a master’s degree in civil engineering or a related field, of which up to 30 credits may be transferred. 

Program Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, from an accredited institution

• Official college transcripts

• Two letters of recommendation

• Resume or curriculum vitae

• A statement of purpose

• For international students: An excellent TOEFL/IELTS score

• A competitive GRE or GMAT score (required for both part-time and full-time applicants)

• View General Admissions Requirements >

For information about fellowships and assistantships, contact Graduate Admissions. Contact >

Civil Engineering Doctoral Program Curriculum Overview

The civil engineering doctoral degree is an advanced graduate program with an emphasis on design.

By the end of this program, students will be able to:

• Conduct research (experimental and analytical work) themselves

• Write high quality technical reports or papers

• Use tools (software: Matlab, Abaqus, Midas, etc.) to solve civil engineering problems

• Independently design and analyze civil infrastructure

Degree Requirements

Completion of the doctoral program requires 84 credits of graduate work in an approved program of study beyond the bachelor's degree. Up to 30 credits obtained in a master's program can be included in this program. Of the remaining 54 credits, 15 to 30 credit hours of coursework, as well as 30 to 45 credit hours of dissertation work, are required. The preliminary requirements for the doctorate are regarded not as ends in themselves, but rather as preparation for the dissertation in which the student demonstrates ability.

Each Ph.D. curriculum must also adhere to the institute-wide standards listed in the academic catalog.

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Qualifying Examination

Within two years from the time of admission, a student must take a qualifying examination that tests his/her basic knowledge and ability to critically analyze the research literature. Upon satisfactory performance in the qualifying examination, and completion of the required course work, (s)he must take an oral preliminary examination. This examination is primarily intended to evaluate the student’s aptitude for advanced research and examine his/her understanding of the subjects associated specifically with the dissertation topics.

Doctoral Dissertation and Advisory Committee

Upon satisfactory completion of the preliminary examination and all course work, a student will become a doctoral candidate and start his/her dissertation research. Doctoral research work must be based on an original investigation and the results must make a significant, state-of-the-art contribution to the field, and must be worthy of publication in current professional literature. At the completion of the research, a student must defend his/her thesis in a public presentation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GENERAL REQUIREMENTS >

If you have existing graduate credits or experience in this area of study, contact [email protected] to discuss opportunities to include it in the curriculum.