M.Eng. in Civil Engineering

  • 30 credit-hours total.
  • Up to 9 credits of 400 level courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
  • Courses at the 300 level may be required to fulfil prerequisites, but do not contribute to the 30 credit-hours required.
  • Courses with grades below “C” cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in, and graduate from, the M. Eng. program.
  • A minimum of 3 credit-hours registration is required during the term of graduation.
  • A course of study must include
    • Seminar (ECIV 594) 
    • At least 3 credits of advanced math, statistics, or numerical methods (EGEN 505, EGEN 506, EM 525, EIND 455 or approved alternate)
    • At least 3 credits of a advanced business, management, law or policy (ECIV 507, EINV 434, EIND 425 or approved alternate).
  • The remaining credits will customized for each student based on desired professional outcomes and will include engineering an and advanced science courses. 
  • A maximum of 3 credit-hours of Independent Study courses (ECIV 592) are allowed.  This option allows students to pursue a specialized area of study under the supervision of a single professor.  An independent study course is not required to complete the M.Eng. degree. 
  • Programs-of-study must be submitted to, and approved by, the CE Department Head and the Associate Dean of Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education during the first semester of enrollment in the program.

Students with an ABET accredited BS degree already qualify to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam and ultimately the Professional Engineering (PE) exam.  Students completing the M.Eng. – CE degree will be able to petition to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam and ultimately the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. The PE exam can only be taken after gaining the required professional experience under the supervision of a registered professional engineer.  The M.Eng. -CE program will require students without an ABET accredited engineering degree to complete levelling courses intended to provide the knowledge prerequisite to graduate study and sufficient exposure to the civil engineering topics to allow the student to petition to take the FE exam.   

For those students pursuing the M.Eng.-CE degree without an accredited undergraduate engineering degree, leveling course will be required.  Leveling courses are intended to provide students without an accredited bachelor's degree in civil engineering, or a closely related field, with sufficient background in civil engineering to be eligible for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and ultimately professional registration.  Leveling courses are also pre-requisites for graduate level courses.  Students with a BS degree in Civil Engineering  (or closely related field) would typically be exempt from taking leveling courses.  Students with a different accredited engineering bachelor’s degree typically have fewer leveling course requirements than students without an engineering background.  Leveling courses will typically need to have been completed in the applicant’s undergraduate degree or taken at MSU as part of the Master's program of study.  A program plan that includes any required leveling courses will be developed in consultation with a graduate advisor after a detailed review of the student’s academic transcripts.  An example plan of study that includes a description of the leveling courses, admission requirements, advising approach and  a sample program of study are included as an attachment.