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Degree Requirements (60 Post Baccaluareate Hours)

All programs of study must be approved by the student’s academic advisor and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate director.

Completion of the doctoral degree requires a minimum of 60 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, of which 12 must be ECIV 899 Dissertation Preparation in Civil Engineering. Students having an earned M.S. or M.E. degree must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the master’s degree. At least half of the course work must be completed at the 700 level or higher. Prescribed core courses are required for each area of study (see “Core Courses,” below).

For students pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the same program area as their M.S. or M.E. degree, a minimum of 18 credit hours of course work is required. Core courses may be satisfied during the M.S. or M.E. degree. For students pursuing a Ph.D.  degree in a different program area from their M.S. or M.E. degree, a minimum of 24 credit hours of course work in the new area is required. “Program area” refers to environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation or water resources engineering.

Credits earned in ECIV 798 do not count toward a student’s program of study.

The residency requirement for the Ph.D. degree ensures that students benefit from and contribute to the complete spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided by the graduate faculty of a comprehensive university. The granting of a doctoral degree presupposes a minimum of three full years of graduate study following admission to the doctoral program. As such, the residency requirement may be fulfilled by enrollment in at least 18 graduate credit hours within a span of three consecutive semesters (excluding summers). Enrollment in a summer term is not required to maintain continuity, but credits earned during summer terms may be used to count toward residency. Enrollment through the APOGEE program does not satisfy the residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree.