Engineering: Civil Engineering, MS


Master of Science in Civil Engineering


About the Degree

The Master’s program in Civil Engineering provides students with opportunities to gain advanced knowledge, skills and training to design, build, and maintain the foundation for our modern society – our buildings, roads and bridges, drinking or waste water and energy systems, seaports and airports, and the infrastructure for a cleaner environment, to name just a few. The Master’s program also provides students with opportunities and an adequate foundation to explore their preferred research area of interest and continue doctoral studies, if interested.

Specializations

The areas of specialization within this degree are structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources and hydraulic engineering.

The thesis option Master’s program in Civil Engineering requires students to complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework and 6 credit hours of Master’s thesis (total of 30 credit hours). The non-thesis option allows students to complete 30 credit hours of coursework and 2 credit hours of Engineering Report (total of 32 credit hours).


Salary and Career Outlook

The career outlook for well-qualified civil engineers has never been better in the last two decades. The projected percent change in employment from 2012 to 2022 for civil engineers is 20%, which is almost double the average growth rate for all occupations in architecture and engineering (11%).

The median salary for civil engineers in 2012 was $79,340. Recent graduates with a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from our department have been able to attract salaries in the range of $55,000 to $72,000.


Why Akron?

The Department of Civil Engineering faculty comprises 18 nationally and internationally renowned experts who actively conduct research in their respective areas. The faculty members bring their expertise and practical knowledge to the classroom to teach graduate courses effectively and involve students in their funded research projects. The department constantly procures and updates the latest state-of-the-art commercial computer software and research instruments in different areas of civil engineering. These resources assist the faculty to train our students in the use of such software and facilities. Our graduate level classes are small enough to ensure personal attention by the professors while large enough to facilitate group projects and interactions.

Employers who have hired our recent graduates are HDR Inc., ARCADIS, Babcock & Wilcox, AECOM/URS, G. Stephens, Inc., Kajima International, John Zink Company LLC.,  MS Consultants, G. Stephens, Inc., Palmer Engineering Company, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and many others. The general job titles are design engineer, junior structural engineer, construction engineer, etc. Our graduates with a Master’s degree are also pursuing doctoral degrees within our department and at other universities such as North Carolina State University, Georgia Tech, etc.

Program advantages

  • Our Master’s program in Civil Engineering is designed to instill advanced knowledge and skills in graduate students who are trained to be job-ready and can inevitably secure exciting engineering positions locally, nationally and internationally.
  • Our Master’s program provides adequate flexibility with a robust framework for students from different backgrounds to develop the breadth and depth of knowledge in their areas of interests.
  • Most of our courses are offered in the evening hours to allow students with full-time employment to attend classes after their normal working hours.
  • Many of the courses offered are structured to provide the required theoretical basis for professional practice.
  • Our MS program with a non-thesis option is particularly popular among local practicing engineers and part-time students.
  • With a suitable plan of study, our MS program can be comfortably completed within 16 to 18 months.


Contact Information

Contact Information:

Dr. Anil Patnaik

Phone: 330-972-5226

Email: Patnaik@uakron.edu