The Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering or another closely related engineering degree. Graduate work and research in civil engineering reflect the very broad nature of the field, which encompasses the design, construction, and enhancement of the infrastructure of society.
The program includes course work in structural analysis and design, geotechnical engineering and foundations, transportation planning and operations, traffic engineering, construction engineering, water resources engineering, and smart cities.
Faculty research interests include geotechnical studies of subsurface conditions, soil testing "superpave" mix design, intelligent transportation systems, traffic safety, structural dynamics, nonlinear structural analysis and software development, reinforced concrete, construction engineering, hydraulic modeling, coastal ocean modeling, stormwater management, and watershed management. Students completing the program find positions in consulting firms, construction, and construction-related industries, in city, county, state, and federal government agencies, and academic institutions.
The Civil Engineering MSCE program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, and both thesis and nonthesis options are available. The thesis option requires 24 credit hours of formal graduate-level course work and 6 credit hours of thesis. The nonthesis option requires 30 hours of formal course work and completion of a culminating experience. For nonthesis MS students, the culminating experience is submission of a portfolio that satisfies program requirements. It is strongly suggested that part-time students pursue the nonthesis option.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Please Note: Civil Engineering MSCE may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.
International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit UCF Global. If you have questions, please consult UCF Global at (407) 823-2337.
UCF is not authorized to provide online courses or instruction to students in some states. Refer to State Restrictions for current information.
Program Prerequisites
A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering or another closely related engineering degree.
Calculus and Differential Equations must be passed for admission to this Graduate Programs
- MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 1
- MAC 2312 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 2
- MAC 2313 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 3
- MAP 2302 Ordinary Differential Equations 1
Degree Requirements
Elective Courses (See Program Details For Groupings by Focus Area)
24 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 24 credits from the following:
- CEG6065 - Soil Dynamics (3)
- CEG6115 - Foundation Engineering (3)
- CEG6317 - Advanced Geotechnical Engineering (3)
- CES5144 - Matrix Methods for Structural Analysis (3)
- CES5325 - Bridge Engineering (3)
- CES5606 - Advanced Steel Structures (3)
- CES5706 - Advanced Reinforced Concrete (3)
- CES5821 - Masonry and Timber Design (3)
- CES6010 - Structural Reliability (3)
- CES6116 - Finite Element Structural Analysis (3)
- CES6209 - Dynamics of Structures (3)
- CES6220 - Wind and Earthquake Engineering (3)
- CES6230 - Advanced Structural Mechanics (3)
- CES6527 - Nonlinear Structural Analysis (3)
- CES6715 - Prestressed Concrete Structures (3)
- TTE5204 - Traffic Engineering (3)
- TTE5805 - Geometric Design of Transportation Systems (3)
- TTE5835 - Pavement Engineering (3)
- TTE6205 - Highway Capacity (3)
- TTE6256 - Traffic Operations (3)
- TTE6270 - Intelligent Transportation Systems (3)
- TTE6315 - Traffic Safety Analysis (3)
- TTE6526 - Planning and Design of Airports (3)
- TTE6625 - Mass Transportation Systems (3)
- CGN6655 - Regional Planning, Design, and Development (3)
- CWR5125 - Groundwater Hydrology (3)
- CWR5205 - Hydraulic Engineering (3)
- CWR5515 - Numerical Methods in Civil and Environmental Engineering (3)
- CWR5545 - Water Resources Engineering (3)
- CWR5634 - Water Resources in a Changing Environment (3)
- CWR6102 - Advanced Hydrology (3)
- CWR6102 - Advanced Hydrology (3)
- CWR6235 - Open Channel Hydraulics (3)
- CWR6236 - River Engineering and Sediment Transport (3)
- CWR6535 - Modeling Water Resources Systems (3)
- CCE5220 - Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (3)
- CEG6610 - Smart Underground Structures: Tunnels and Shafts (3)
- CES6876 - Smart City Built Infrastructure (3)
- CGN5617 - Infrastructure Systems Optimization and Identification (3)
- CGN6342 - Modeling Human Behavior with Emerging Data (3)
- CGN6343 - Cyber-Physical Systems and Smart Cities (3)
- ENV6128 - Smart Air Quality Monitoring and Air Pollution Control (3)
- ENV6533 - Smart Water and Wastewater Management (3)
- STA5703 - Data Mining Methodology I (3)
- TTE5531 - Active Mobility and Technologies: Synergy and Challenges (3)
- TTE5532 - Policy Aspects of Smart City Transportation (3)
- TTE6533 - Mobility in Smart Cities: Technologies and Application Areas (3)
- TTE6275 - Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (3)
- TTE6608 - Algorithms and Models for Smart Cities (3)
- CGN5340 - Internet of Things: Applications in Smart Cities (3)
- CGN5341 - Interdisciplinary Introduction to Smart Cities' Applications (3)
- CCE5205 - Decision Support for Infrastructure Projects (3)
- CCE5006 - Infrastructure Systems Management (3)
- CCE5220 - Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (3)
- CCE5937 - Special Topics (3)
- CCE6036 - Advanced Construction Planning and Control (3)
- CCE6211 - Design and Monitoring of Construction Processes (3)
- CCE6045 - Cost Analysis of Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (3)
- At least half of the credit hours used to meet program requirements must be at the 6000 level.
Non Thesis Students - Required Course Selection
0 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Nonthesis students must take at least one course where a research project is required (one course marked with an asterisk - See Program Details Section Below for asterisks).
- Elective courses beyond those listed in the graduate catalog, and others outside the department and/or program, are permitted at the discretion of the student’s advisor and/or graduate program director in the form of a signed and approved Program of Study. Elective courses can be from Engineering and Computer Science courses, where XXX is EAS, EEE, EEL, COP, CEN, CIS, COT, CDA, CNT, CAP, EGM, ESI, BME, EML, EIN, CGN, CWR, TTE, CEG, CES, CCE, ENV, EES, EMA, or OSE; or from course prefixes outside the College, where XXX can be CHM, CHS, PHY, PHZ, GIS, ANG, POS, SYA, CCJ, BCH, BSC, HMG, HSC, MAA, MAD, MAP, MAS, MAT, MCB, MTG, PAD, PCB, STA, or ZOO.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: XXX 6971 - Thesis (with the course prefix of CGN, CEG, CES, CWR or TTE) For those pursuing the thesis option, students must complete 6 credit hours of thesis and successfully defend the thesis. The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all thesis defense announcements are approved by the student's adviser and posted on the college's website and on the university-wide Events Calendar at the College of Graduate Studies website at least two weeks before the defense date.
Nonthesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: Nonthesis students must complete at least 6 additional credit hours of electives from the lists above or other courses as approved by the student's adviser. Please note that at least one course in the nonthesis program of study must be one of the courses in the "Program Details" section below that has an asterisk, which denotes that this course provides an independent learning experience for the student.
- Students are required to complete a culminating experience. The culminating experience for nonthesis MS students is submission of their portfolio of activities by the course Withdrawal date of the semester prior to their intended graduation. The portfolio requirements are listed on the CECE website. Make sure and contact your program’s coordinator early in your graduating semester to find out when the portfolios are to be turned in for evaluation. The Graduate Student Services Coordinator (Arvin Cortez) should be able to tell you who the coordinator is for your degree program if you do not already know.
Grand Total Credits: 30
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Students must develop an individual plan of study with a faculty adviser by their second semester of study. At least one-half of the required credits must be taken at the 6000 level.
Research studies are required in one or more courses. The research study and report will focus on reviewing and analyzing contemporary research in a student's particular specialization within the profession in order to help students acquire knowledge and skills pertaining to research-based best practices in that specialization area. In addition, students may engage in directed independent studies or a research report during their studies. Courses with asterisks represent those with specific independent learning experiences, and all nonthesis students must choose at least one course with an asterisk.
Geotechnical Engineering
- CEG 6065 - Soil Dynamics 3 Credit Hours *
- CEG 6115 - Foundation Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CEG 6317 - Advanced Geotechnical Engineering 3 Credit Hours
Structural Engineering
- CES 5144 - Matrix Methods for Structural Analysis 3 Credit Hours
- CES 5325 - Bridge Engineering 3 Credit Hours *
- CES 5606 - Advanced Steel Structures 3 Credit Hours
- CES 5706 - Advanced Reinforced Concrete 3 Credit Hours
- CES 5821 - Masonry and Timber Design 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6010 - Structural Reliability 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6116 - Finite Element Structural Analysis 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6209 - Dynamics of Structures 3 Credit Hours *
- CES 6220 - Wind and Earthquake Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6230 - Advanced Structural Mechanics 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6527 - Nonlinear Structural Analysis 3 Credit Hours
- CES 6715 - Prestressed Concrete Structures 3 Credit Hours *
- CES 6840 - Composite Steel Concrete Structures 3 Credit Hours *
Transportation Engineering
- TTE 5204 - Traffic Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- TTE 5805 - Geometric Design of Transportation Systems 3 Credit Hours
- TTE 5835 - Pavement Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- TTE 6205 - Highway Capacity 3 Credit Hours *
- TTE 6256 - Traffic Operations 3 Credit Hours
- TTE 6270 - Intelligent Transportation Systems 3 Credit Hours *
- TTE 6315 - Traffic Safety Analysis 3 Credit Hours *
- TTE 6526 - Planning and Design of Airports 3 Credit Hours
- TTE 6625 - Mass Transportation Systems 3 Credit Hours
- CGN 6655 - Regional Planning, Design, and Development 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 5125 - Groundwater Hydrology 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 5205 - Hydraulic Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 5515 - Numerical Methods in Civil and Environmental Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 5545 - Water Resources Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 5634 - Water Resources in a Changing Environment 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 6102 - Advanced Hydrology 3 Credit Hours *
- CWR 6126 - Groundwater Modeling 3 Credit Hours *
- CWR 6235 - Open Channel Hydraulics 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 6236 - River Engineering and Sediment Transport 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 6535 - Modeling Water Resources Systems 3 Credit Hours *
Construction Engineering and Management
- CCE 5205 - Decision Support for Infrastructure Projects 3 Credit Hours
- CCE 5006 - Infrastructure Systems Management 3 Credit Hours
- CCE 5220 - Sustainable Infrastructure Systems 3 Credit Hours
- CCE 5937 - Construction Contracts 3 Credit Hours
- CCE 6036 - Advanced Construction Planning and Control 3 Credit Hours *
- CCE 6211 - Design and Monitoring of Construction Processes 3 Credit Hours *
- CCE 6045 - Cost Analysis of Sustainable Infrastructure Systems 3 Credit Hours
Equipment Fee
Students in the Civil Engineering MSCE program pay a $16 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $8 per semester.
Independent Learning
A research or design project serves as the independent learning experience for thesis students. Nonthesis students are required to take at lease one course where a research project is required and submit an end-of-program portfolio.
