Civil Engineering (MS)

Mission

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering supports the mission of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley by preparing students who are globally competitive to effectively practice engineering with professionalism and a commitment to ethnical responsibilities. Students will be afforded opportunities to meet and interact with practicing engineers, businesses, and governmental agencies as well as to participate in professional engineering organizations and in research. The program prepares students for local, regional, or worldwide employment in the engineering profession with either a 30‐hour degree program if the student completes a thesis or a 36‐hour degree program without a thesis. Students will select one of four concentrations: Construction and Structures, Geotechnical and Transportation, Energy and Utility Infrastructure, and Environmental and Water Resources.

The thesis option is designed to provide depth in one of the areas of concentration, and to promote cross‐cutting, inquiry‐based research. Students in the thesis option are required to take a minimum of four elective courses from one selected concentration area. Students are required develop and successfully defend a thesis proposal, and subsequently execute, document and defend the proposed research to meet graduation requirements.

The non‐thesis option is designed to provide advanced knowledge and technical capacity across all four areas of concentration. Students are required to take at least unique two electives from each concentration area.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree program with clear admission status, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:

  1. Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a bachelor’s degree in another field with courses and/or experience that prepare the applicant for graduate work in Civil Engineering.
  2. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours. Students with an undergraduate GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission.
  3. Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources.
  4. Letter of intent detailing professional goals and reasons for pursuing the graduate degree.
  5. CV or Resume.
  6. GRE General Test. GRE test scores are valid for 5 years. A waiver of the GRE requirement will be granted to applicants who show proof of completing a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral).

Application must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Program Requirements

Required Courses (12 Credits)

CIVE 6331Infrastructure Engineering

3

CIVE 6341Advanced Water Resources Engineering

3

CIVE 6352Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

3

CIVE 6359Advanced Construction Scheduling

3

Choose one of the Following Options

Thesis Option:

Prescribed Electives (12 Credits)

Choose ONE concentration
(At least three courses must have the CIVE prefix):

Construction and Structures Concentration
CIVE 6323Building Information Modeling

3

CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6353Slope Stability and Retaining Walls

3

CIVE 6361Theory of Structures

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Energy and Utility Infrastructure Concentration
CIVE 6323Building Information Modeling

3

CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Environmental and Water Resources Concentration
CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6343Water Quality Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6345Geo-Environmental Engineering

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

MECE 6362Finite Element Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Geotechnical and Transportation Concentration
CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6352Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

3

CIVE 6353Slope Stability and Retaining Walls

3

CIVE 6354Advanced Transportation Engineering

3

CIVE 6355Advanced Traffic Engineering

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

MECE 6360Advanced Mechanics of Materials

3

MECE 6362Finite Element Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Capstone Requirement:
Thesis (6 Credits)

Once taken, must be repeated each semester until thesis is successfully defended.

Oral Comprehensive Exam

CIVE 7300Master Thesis I

3

CIVE 7301Master Thesis II

3

Non-Thesis Option:

Prescribed Electives (24 Credits)

Choose TWO courses from EACH concentration
(at least one courses must have the CIVE prefix):

Construction and Structures Concentration
CIVE 6323Building Information Modeling

3

CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6353Slope Stability and Retaining Walls

3

CIVE 6361Theory of Structures

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Energy and Utility Infrastructure Concentration
CIVE 6323Building Information Modeling

3

CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Environmental and Water Resources Concentration
CIVE 6332Geothermal Engineering

3

CIVE 6343Water Quality Engineering

3

CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6345Geo-Environmental Engineering

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

MECE 6362Finite Element Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Geotechnical and Transportation Concentration
CIVE 6344Risk, Sustainability and Resilience in Civil Infrastructure

3

CIVE 6352Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

3

CIVE 6353Slope Stability and Retaining Walls

3

CIVE 6354Advanced Transportation Engineering

3

CIVE 6355Advanced Traffic Engineering

3

CIVE 6399Topics in Civil Engineering

3

MANE 6340Operations Research and Analysis

3

MATH 6364Statistical Methods

3

MATH 6375Numerical Analysis

3

MECE 6360Advanced Mechanics of Materials

3

MECE 6362Finite Element Analysis

3

CIVE 6381Independent Study and Research

3

Capstone Requirement

Course or extra-curricular project report

Total Credit Hours: 30-36