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Graduate Studies – Civil & Environmental Engineering

Learn more about the two postgraduate Civil Engineering degree programs at Rose‑Hulman, which include a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Civil Engineering.

Civil Engineering

This program has been designed to build upon a student's undergraduate background and provide additional depth and breadth in the challenging and versatile profession of Civil Engineering. Subdiscipline focus in offered coursework is in structural engineering. In addition to courses in engineering, technical electives may be chosen from a variety offered in mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

Students interested in the areas of Environmental Engineering and Water Resources should refer to the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Program.

Department emphasis is on the one-year course-based Master of Civil Engineering, summarized below. However, students with an interest in multi-year, thesis-based Master of Science in Civil Engineering, also summarized below, may explore options in the department to pursue this degree.

The objective of both programs, the Master of Civil Engineering and Master of Science in Civil Engineering, is to prepare graduates for early career advancement in the field of Civil Engineering by building upon their undergraduate training with advanced coursework and concentrated study of problems and topics relevant to the field.

Faculty and Staff Contacts

Master of Civil Engineering requirements (course-based)

1  48 credit hours of course work as approved by student's academic advisor.

  • The following courses are required unless completed as an undergraduate:

CE 421 Structural Mechanics II

CE 436 Foundation Engineering

CE 520 Structural Engineering Practicum

CE 521 Matrix Methods for Structural Analysis

CE 522 Structural Dynamics

CE 523 Advanced Solid Mechanics

CE 524 Building Design

CE 525 Bridge Design

CE 532 Structural Design in Concrete II

CE 533 Connections and Detailing

CE 535 Structural Design in Prestressed Concrete

  • At least 32 credit hours must be upper-level CE courses (CE4xx or CE5xx).
  • At least 36 credit hours must be graduate-level courses (5xx from any department, or 3xx/4xx-level Mathematics which have been approved by the student's advisory committee.) Thus no more than 12 credit hours may be 4xx level, excluding the specifically approved Mathematics courses.

Master of Science in Civil Engineering requirements (thesis-based)

  • 20 credit hours of core courses

Core courses must be 400 or 500 level CE courses approved by the student’s committee and the department.

  • 12 credit hours of thesis work
  • 8 credit hours of mathematics courses

Possible mathematics courses include MA 330 Vector Calculus, MA 336 Boundary Value Problems, MA 367 Function of a Complex Variable, MA 371 or MA 373 Linear Algebra, MA 381 Introduction to Probability with Statistics Applications, MA 383 Engineering Statistics II, MA 387 Statistical Methods in Six Sigma, MA 433 Numerical Analysis, MA 444 Deterministic Models in Operations Research, MA 445 Stochastic Models in Operations Research, MA 487 Design of Experiments.

  • 8 credit hours of elective courses

Elective courses could include but are not limited to 400 or 500 level CE courses beyond committee-defined core courses. Courses offered outside the department, such as EM 505 Theory of Elasticity, ME 422 Intro. to Finite Elements Fund., ME 522 Adv. Finite Element Analysis, EMGT 526 Tech. Mgmt and Forecasting, EMGT 527 Project Management, EMGT 534 Management Science, EMGT 561 Failures of Engineered Syst., EMGT 587 Systems Engineering, courses approved by the student’s committee as appropriate for the plan of study.

Environmental Engineering

This program has been designed to build upon a student's undergraduate background and provide additional depth and breadth in the challenging Environmental and Water Resources Engineering. In addition to courses in engineering, technical electives may be chosen from a variety offered in other departments.

Department emphasis is on the one-year course-based Master of Environmental Engineering, summarized below. However, students with an interest in a multi-year, project-based Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, also summarized below, may explore options in the department to pursue this degree.

Master of Environmental Engineering requirements (course-based)

  • 48 credit hours of course work as approved by the student's academic advisor.
    • At least 32 credit hours must be upper-level CE courses (CE4xx or CE5xx).
    • At least 36 credit hours must be graduate-level courses (5xx from any department, or 4xx-level Mathematics which have been approved by the student's advisory committee). Thus no more than 12 credit hours may be 4xx level, excluding the specifically approved Mathematics courses referred to above.

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering requirements (project-based)

  • 20 credit hours of core courses, which include

CE 563 Unit Operations in Environmental Engineering

CE 564 Aquatic Environmental Chemistry

CE 567 Applied Hydrologic Modeling

CE 568 Applied Contaminant Transport Modeling

CE 569 Environmental Systems Optimization

CE 598 Special Topics – Stream Restoration

  • 20 credit hours of elective courses

Elective courses could include but are not limited to 400 or 500 level CE courses beyond committee-defined core courses. Students may take elective courses outside of the Civil Engineering Department (e.g., Mathematics, Chemical Engineering) that are considered by the student's adviser and advisory committee as being relevant and appropriate to the student's course of study.

  • 8 credit hours of project course work

Course of Study Prerequisite for either Masters degree

Students must have completed a laboratory-based environmental course and an introductory undergraduate class in environmental science and/or engineering. These are considered prerequisites and will not be counted in the 48 hours required for either Master’s degree. Students without these requirements will be required to take CE 460 and CE 461 in addition to the 48 hours listed above.

Dr. Jim Hanson

Jim Hanson

Dr. Jim Hanson is the department head of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he has taught since 2002. His specialty is structural engineering with a research emphasis in how to accelerate student development from novice to experienced engineer.  He is author of the textbook Structural Analysis: Skills for Practice. Dr. Hanson is also a former U.S. Army Engineer officer who designed and built pipelines, organized operations for combat engineering units, and conducted the repair and rehabilitation of small structures.

Rose Hulman Campus Map.

Contact Us

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Olin Hall 225
5500 Wabash Avenue
Terre Haute, IN 47803
812-877-8817
Tanner2@rose-hulman.edu

Admissions, Programs of Study, and Courses

Our graduate program offers a variety of courses and programs taught by passionate and experienced professors to help you achieve your academic and professional goals. Learn more about our admissions process, and the programs and courses we are proud to offer.

Admissions

There are a variety of options for both traditional and non-traditional students at Rose-Hulman. Learn more about how to apply for graduate school.

Courses

A number of courses have been approved by the Graduate Studies Committee for credit toward graduate degrees. 

Programs

Rose-Hulman offers graduate studies in eight different programs. Some programs offer evening classes off campus to make it possible for professionals to continue to work fulltime while earning their graduate degree.

Research Facilities

There are seven research facilities on our campus all operating with the dual mission of providing education, as well as performing research and development. Projects at the facilities reflect faculty and student interests, as well as industry needs. As part of the graduate program at Rose-Hulman, you will likely participate in thesis research in one of our facilities.

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John T. Myers Center for Technological Research with Industry

This 40,000-square-foot facility is devoted to student and faculty project work. The center provides space and specialized instrumentation for students and faculty to engage in engineering design projects for external clients. There is ample laboratory space for project-based education.

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Rose-Hulman Ventures

Rose-Hulman Ventures is a program that brings together students and technology-based companies. For students, the program provides the best engineering professional practice experience possible. In turn, this provides businesses with prototypes, refinements to the design of existing products and expansion in current engineering capabilities. The facility is on the south campus of Rose-Hulman.

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JRSI Laboratory

In this lab, you will have the opportunity to work side by side with surgeons, faculty and engineers to design, execute and present scientific investigations in an effort to develop engineering solutions to clinical problems. Mechanical testing in the lab is conducted utilizing a state-of-the-art biaxial materials testing machine.

Dr. Craig Downing

Dr. Craig Downing

Dr. Craig Downing is the Director of Graduate Studies, Interim Dean of Lifelong Learning, and Head of the Department of Engineering Management. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering, mathematics and statistics, manufacturing systems and workforce education and development.
Rose-Hulman campus map

Contact Us

Graduate Studies
5500 Wabash Avenue
Terre Haute, IN 47803
Phone: 812-877-8403
Fax: 812-877-8061
graduatestudies@rose-hulman.edu
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