Graduate Degree Programs

The civil engineering graduate program is designed for both full-time and part-time students who want to advance their academic and professional skills in civil engineering and related areas. Many students are full time, while many also work full-time jobs and complete evening classes. Depending on a student’s pace, the master’s program takes 2-4 years to complete (on average). All graduate courses are offered in the afternoons, evenings or on Saturdays. Some courses, including all GIS classes, are offered online. 

Specialty Areas:

Master of Science (MS)

• Environmental and Sustainability Engineering
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Hydrologic and Hydraulic Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Transportation Engineering

Master of Engineering (MEng)

• Construction Engineering and Management
• Geomatics Engineering and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Sustainable Infrastructure
• Transportation Systems

Degree Requirements

Two MS degree programs are available.

Plan I - Master’s Thesis: This plan requires 24 semester hours of graduate-level course work and 6 semester hours of master’s thesis credit.

Plan II - Master’s Report: This plan requires 27 semester hours of graduate-level course work and 3 semester hours master’s report credits.

Master of engineering students must follow Plan 2 above. Additionally, of those 30 semester hours, at least 15 hours must be completed with CE classes, including the master’s report. The remaining hours may be completed in related disciplines that supplement the chosen area of study. Both the MS and MEng degrees require satisfactory completion of a written comprehensive exam and an oral defense of the master’s thesis or master’s report to a committee of at least three graduate faculty. Every graduate student must also satisfy the degree requirements of the Graduate School on the Denver campus, specified in the Information for Graduate Students  chapter of this catalog. Both the MS and the MEng degree programs must be completed within seven years of the date the student begins the degree program.

Courses for both the MS and MEng degree programs are selected by mutual agreement of the student and his/her faculty advisor after admission to the degree program. The advisor may also specify undergraduate courses that must be completed before starting graduate course work, but these will not count toward the semester hour requirements for the degree. The student’s thesis or report topic must also be approved by the faculty advisor.

Requirements for Admission

GPA and GRE Scores:

Applicants must submit evidence of adequate preparation for graduate study by either (a) submitting official GRE scores, or (b) documenting an earned bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.00 or higher from an institution accredited by a U.S. accreditation body, or an earned master’s degree with a GPA of 3.50 or higher from an institution accredited by a U.S. accreditation body. 

Transfer Credit:

Master’s students may transfer up to 9 semester hours from another institution toward their master’s degree, if approved by their advisor.

Program Prerequisites:

Prerequisite classes are in addition to the 30 semester hours needed to complete a master’s degree, as they are necessary background information that is usually included in an engineering bachelor’s program. Students must receive a grade of C-minus or better for the prerequisite class to apply to the program.

Students may complete prerequisite classes either before or after being admitted to a degree program. However, applicants with too many prerequisites may not gain admission. For applicants completing prerequisites after admission, all prerequisite courses must be completed before 12 of the 30 master’s semester hours are complete. 

If prerequisites are taken while admitted to the master’s program, students must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA, per Graduate School rules.

Requests for applications for graduate study in civil engineering should be addressed to

CU Denver Department of Civil Engineering
Campus Box 113
P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States must apply through the Office of International Admissions, Campus Box 185, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO  80217-3364.  All applicants for admission must submit complete credentials as outlined in the instructions that accompany the application materials. Learn more in the International Students  section of the catalog.