Concentrations (Required) and Options Available

Construction Engineering — Thesis, Project, Course Only without Comprehensive Exams

Geotechnical/Materials Engineering — Thesis, Project, Course Only without Comprehensive Exams

Public Works Engineering — Thesis, Project, Course Only without Comprehensive Exams

Structural Engineering — Thesis, Project, Course Only without Comprehensive Exams

Transportation Engineering — Thesis, Project, Course Only without Comprehensive Exams

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus — All concentrations

Distance Education

• Public Works Engineering — Course Only without Comprehensive Exam
• Transportation Engineering — Course Only without Comprehensive Exam

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• International applicants and graduates of non-ABET accredited programs must submit scores from the General Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Academic Standards

• It is the policy of the department that students supported by graduate teaching or research assistantship complete an integrated project, which is defined as a Thesis (CE 500 ) or Special Problems (CE 590 ). The appointment letter may specify which of the two options must be selected.
• Departmental requirements are that for a major in civil engineering, the bachelor’s degree must be in civil engineering, or certain undergraduate prerequisite courses must be taken before Admission to Candidacy.
• The major professor must approve the student’s choice of option (Thesis, Project, Course only without comprehensive exams).

Credit Hours Required

30 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

• Option Requirements
  • Thesis Option: CE 500  (6 credit hours)
  • Project Option: CE 590  (3 credit hours), completed under the direction of the student’s major professor

Additional Course Requirements

• 24 (thesis option) or 27 (project option) or 30 (course only without comprehensive exam) credit hours of courses selected in consultation with the major professor and/or committee.
• Concentration Specific Courses (included in the above 24 or 27 or 30 credit hours) students, in consultation with the major professor, select courses from the following
  • Construction Engineering
    • Students take 4 of the following core courses:
      • CE 581 , CE 582 , CE 583 , CE 584 , CE 680 , CE 681  
      • In addition, students are recommended to take 2 courses from one or two of the following technical focuses:
        • Structural Engineering: CE 560 , CE 562 , CE 565 , CE 571 , CE 573 , CE 574 , CE 576 , CE 671 , CE 674  
        • Geotechnical and Materials Engineering: CE 521  CE 522  CE 525  CE 530  CE 535  CE 632  
        • Transportation Engineering: CE 548  CE 551  CE 552  CE 553  CE 554  CE 556  CE 557  CE 559  CE 574  CE 653  
      • Two to four elective courses related to the concentration in consultation with the major professor and/or committee
  • Geotechnical/Materials Engineering
    • Students take a minimum 2 of the following core courses
      • CE 530 , CE 535 , CE 538  (or ME 517 )
      • In addition, students take a minimum of 3 of the following concentration courses
        • CE 521 , CE 522 , CE 525 , CE 531 , CE 532 , CE 539 , CE 630 , CE 632 , CE 633 , CE 634 , CE 691  
      • Other recommended Courses: CE 529 , STAT 537  
      • Four to five elective courses related to the concentration in consultation with the major professor and/or committee
  • Public Works Engineering
    • Students take 8 Civil Engineering (CE) and 2 elective courses related to the concentration.
      • Core Courses: The core course requirements provide the student with the basic tools needed by the public works engineer.
        • Transportation Engineering (3 courses). Select from CE 521 , CE 551 , CE 552 , CE 553 , CE 554 , CE 558 , CE 559   
        • Construction Engineering (1 course). Select from CE 581 , CE 582 , or CE 584  
        • Environmental Engineering (2 courses). Select from ENVE 525 , ENVE 530 , or ENVE 558  
      • Technical Focus
        • Affords the student the opportunity to tailor the course content to an area of specialized technical interest. Six credit hours of courses are required in structural engineering, geotechnical and materials engineering, construction engineering, transportation engineering, or environmental engineering. These courses should be selected in consultation with and have the approval of the Public Works Committee.
      • General Focus
        • Allows the student to broaden their program by providing 6 credit hours of additional instruction in areas outside of civil and environmental engineering. Typical courses include, but are not limited to, ENMG 533 , ENMG 534 , ENMG 536 , ENMG 537 , ENMG 543  and IE 518 . The courses for this focus must meet the approval of the Public Works Committee.
  • Structural Engineering
    • Concentration Specific Courses (students take 6 courses from the list below)
      • CE 472 , CE 474 , CE 535 , CE 560 , CE 561 , CE 562 , CE 565 , CE 571 , CE 573 , CE 574 , CE 576 , CE 671 , CE 674  
      • CE 595  (special topics)
      • Two to four elective courses related to the concentration in consultation with the major professor and/or committee
  • Transportation Engineering
    • Students take 8 Civil Engineering (CE) and 2 elective courses related to the concentration.
      • CE 547 , CE 548 , CE 551 , CE 552 , CE 553 , CE 554 , CE 556 , CE 557 , CE 558 , CE 559 , CE 651 , CE 652 , CE 653  
      • CE 595  (special topics)

Non-Course Requirements

• Thesis Option: Defense of the thesis
• Project Option: A comprehensive exam is not required.

 

Five-Year BS/MS Program - Civil Engineering Major, MS

The department offers a 5-year BS-MS program with a BS (major in civil engineering) and an MS (major in civil engineering) for qualified students. The primary component of the program is that qualified students may take up to 6 credit hours of approved graduate courses for their senior undergraduate electives and have them count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UT. This program is designed for students attending UT for their Master of Science degree because other universities may not accept these courses for graduate credit since they were used to satisfy requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree. Significant components of the program are:

• Students must have an overall GPA of 3.40 in required course work. Conditional admission to the 5-year program may be granted after completion of 64 credit hours of required course work, while full admission may be granted after the completion of 96 credit hours of required course work with a minimum GPA of 3.40.
• Admission must be approved by the department and the Graduate School.
• Students must at least be conditionally admitted to the program prior to taking courses that receive credit for both the BS and MS degrees. All courses taken for graduate credit must be approved by the director of graduate studies. Students admitted to the program must request permission from the Graduate School to take approved courses for graduate credit. Students admitted to the program must also follow the normal procedure for admission to the Graduate School.
• Students will not be eligible for assistantships until they are enrolled as graduate-level students in the Graduate School.