Graduate programs leading to the M.Eng., M.S., and Ph.D. are available in both curricula. The selection of a graduate program and degree is based on student interest, area of graduate concentration, and satisfaction of prerequisites.
Civil and Environmental Engineering M.Eng
This is a 30-credit structured program of advanced professional study aimed at preparing students for professional practice. Except for computational mechanics, candidates for this degree in the civil engineering discipline must have an accredited bachelor’s degree in engineering. In environmental engineering, a B.S. in the physical or natural sciences is also acceptable. There is no project or thesis requirement, but students may elect to do one, at either the three- or six-credit level, in consultation with their advisers.
Civil and Environmental Engineering M.S.
This research degree is open to students with undergraduate degrees in engineering or the physical or natural sciences. In addition to the satisfactory completion of an approved set of advanced courses, candidates for this degree must complete a six-credit thesis.
This thesis must provide documentation of an independent research-related effort and be approved by the student’s faculty adviser.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Ph.D
Student’s chosen area of study. It includes the preparation of a dissertation that carefully documents the original contribution of the student’s research. The Ph.D. program consists of a total of 72 credit hours beyond the Bachelors degree. This includes a maximum of 30 credit hours for the dissertation and a minimum of 42 course credit hours. If the student holds a Masters degree, 24 course credit hours can be applied towards the 42 course credit hours requirement. In addition to the examination processes required of all Rensselaer doctoral students, civil engineering and environmental engineering students working toward this degree must pass a qualifying examination during the student’s second semester if a student has an M.S. degree counting as a degree requirement or at the end of the student’s fourth semester if the student does not have an M.S. degree counting as a degree requirement.
Environmental engineering students must also take a candidacy examination within two semesters after passing the preliminary examination. This is an oral examination based on a thesis proposal submitted by the student at least two weeks prior to the examination. The student’s thesis committee will administer the candidacy examination. Environmental engineering candidates are required to submit a draft of a journal article prior to graduation.