Graduate Program

Graduate Advisor
Mahmoud Reda Taha

Application Deadlines
Fall semester: July 15
Spring semester: November 10
Summer session: April 29

These dates also apply for financial assistance. Early application is recommended. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required of all applicants for graduate study in civil engineering except the M.C.M. degree, which requires the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). See the CE applications web page and the CE Manual for Graduate Studies for more information about applying to the CE graduate program. 


Degrees Offered

The Department of Civil Engineering offers programs in civil engineering leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil Engineering, the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Civil Engineering, the Master of Construction Management (M.C.M.), and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Engineering degrees. 

Persons with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than civil engineering may be admitted to the graduate program, but they may be required to take undergraduate civil engineering courses to eliminate deficiencies in their background. Each case is considered individually. A listing of specific requirements is contained in the civil engineering Manual for Graduate Studies.


M.S. in Civil Engineering

The M.S. students may take courses in construction, environmental engineering, hydraulics, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering/ structural mechanics, transportation or water resources. The primary difference between the M.S. degree and the M.Eng. degree is that the M.S. degree requires a written thesis and an oral defense. Masters students financially supported as Teaching or Research Assistants usually complete an M.S. degree.

The M.S. course requirements are:

  1. 30 credit hours total, plus 2 credit hours of CE 691 (Seminar).
  2. A minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework.
  3. 6 hours of CE 599 (Master’s Thesis).
  4. A maximum 6 credit hours of Problems and Independent Study courses.
  5. A minimum 9 credit hours of 500-level courses.
  6. A maximum 12 credit hours taken in non-degree status.
  7. General University of New Mexico limits, including transfer credit, course work from a single professor and time of completion.
  8. No credit is allowed for experiential learning.
Additional information about degree requirements, including the M.S. thesis and defense, are provided in the department's Manual for Graduate Studies.

M.Eng. in Civil Engineering

The Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree meets the needs of students and practitioners who seek a practice-oriented engineering degree, and is based on coursework only without a written thesis or defense. The engineering profession is requesting that students be provided more exposure to engineering design and practice beyond those currently available to undergraduate students. This would specifically include additional training in the traditional studies of engineering science and design, along with expanded emphasis on communication skills (both written and oral) and engineering management.

The M.Eng. degree requirements are:

  1. 33 credit hours total, plus 2 credit hours of CE 691 (Seminar).
  2. At least 15 credits of practice-oriented-content graduate level civil engineering classes shall constitute the student's core.
  3. At least 12 elective credits of course work from within or outside the department which support the student's area of interest;
  4. At least 6 credits of classes in program/project management.
  5. A maximum of 12 credit hours can be taken under non-degree status
  6. At least 18 units must be numbered 500 or higher
  7. Not more than 15 credit hours can be taken from a single instructor
  8. General UNM limits, including transfer credit, course work from a single professor, and time of completion.
Additional information about M.Eng. degree requirements are provided in the department's Manual for Graduate Studies.

M.C.M. (Master of Construction Management)

The M.C.M. program is designed to accommodate students with interest or experience in all aspects and sectors of the construction industry. Prospective students need not have an undergraduate degree in engineering; rather, they are more likely to have a degree from a related field such as management or architecture. Many classes are offered either on-line or in the late afternoon/early evening to accommodate practicing professionals.

Options are available for both a 32 credit hour Thesis based (Plan I) and a 35 credit hour Project based (Plan II) program of study. Successful completion of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required for entrance into the program as well as completion of, or demonstration of competency in: Math 180, Elements of Calculus; Statistics 145, Introduction to Statistics; CE 350: Engineering Economy and CE 372: Construction Contracting.

Plan I

  1. 30 credit hours total plus 2 credit hours of CE 691 (Seminar).
  2. 6 hours of CE 599 (Master’s Thesis).
  3. A maximum 6 hours Problems and Independent Study courses.
  4. A minimum 9 hours of 500-level courses.
  5. A maximum 12 hours taken in non-degree status.
  6. General University of New Mexico limits, including transfer credit, course work from a single professor and time of completion.
  7. No credit is allowed for experiential learning.

Plan II 

  1. 33 credit hours total, plus 2 credit hours of CE 691 (Seminar).
  2. 3 hours of CE 588 (Master’s Project).
  3. A maximum 6 hours of Problems.
  4. A minimum 12 hours of 500-level courses.
  5. A maximum 12 hours taken in non-degree status.
  6. General University of New Mexico limits, including transfer credit, course work from a single professor and time of completion.
  7. No credit is allowed for experiential learning.

Ph.D. in Engineering

General requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree are given in the Graduate Program section of this catalog. In addition, students must take a distribution of graduate courses that support their dissertation research.

Emphases and Course Requirements

In addition to the general University doctoral degree requirements listed in the Graduate Program section of the UNM Catalog, students pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering with a concentration in Civil Engineering must meet the following criteria:

  1. Ph.D. students must choose an emphasis and complete its associated core course requirements. 
  2. Students must take 4 hours of CE 691 (seminar).

Refer the Department web site and the CE Graduate Manual for up-to-date listings of core courses for each area of emphasis. The areas of emphasis are:

Construction Engineering and Management:  CE 554 or STAT **345, CE 577, MGMT 502 or 503.
Environmental Engineering:  CE 531, 532, 534 or 537L, CE 536.
Geotechnical Engineering:  CE 502, CE 560, CE 561L, CE 562, CE 567.
Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering:  CE 541, CE 542, CE 545, CE 547.
Structural Engineering and Mechanics:  CE 501, CE 502, CE 520, CE 562.
Transportation:  CE 580, CE 581, CE 582, CE 583, CE 584.

Equivalent graduate-level courses taken at another institution may be used to satisfy some requirements, but this must be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate Advisor or Graduate Committee in the Civil Engineering department.

Examinations

Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a concentration in civil engineering must demonstrate a competence in basic areas of the field by satisfactorily completing the departmental qualifying examination. Doctoral students must take the qualifying exam during their first or second semester as a Ph.D. student. After a student has substantially completed his/her course work, the prospective candidate will take a comprehensive exam to demonstrate an ability to conduct Ph.D.-level research. A student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree after satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination with approval of the doctoral committee, submission of the Application for Candidacy, and approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies. The Application to Candidacy is submitted to the Office Graduate Studies by the end of the semester in which the Comprehensive Exam is passed. The Ph.D. Dissertation must be defended in an oral examination before the student’s Dissertation Committee.

Additional information on the Department of Civil Engineering’s programs and facilities may be obtained by contacting the graduate advisor and by reviewing the civil engineering Manual for Graduate Studies.


Courses

CE 130. Construction Detailing. (3)



CE 160L. Civil Engineering Design. (3)



CE 171. Construction Materials and Techniques. (3)



CE 202. Engineering Statics. (3)



CE 279. Mechanical Electrical Systems Construction. (3)



CE 283. Transportation System Measurements. (3)



CE 291. Lower Division Special Topics in Civil Engineering. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 302. Mechanics of Materials. (3)



CE 304. Engineering Mechanics. (4)



CE 305. Infrastructure Materials Science. (4)



CE 308. Structural Analysis. (3)



CE 310. Structural Design I. (4)



CE 331. Fluid Mechanics. (4)



CE **335. Introduction to Water And Wastewater Treatment. (3)



CE 350. Engineering Economy. (3)



CE 352. Computer Applications in Civil Engineering. (3)



CE 354 / 554. Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers. (3)



CE 360. Soil Mechanics. (4)



CE 370. Construction Methods and Equipment. (3)



CE 371. Structures for Construction. (3)



CE **372. Construction Contracting. (3)



CE 376. Cost Estimating. (3)



CE 377. Construction Scheduling. (3)



CE 382. Transportation Engineering. (3)



NONE 409. Engineering Ethics. (1)



CE 411 / 511. Reinforced Concrete Design. (3)



CE 413 / 513. Timber and Masonry Design. (3)



CE 415. Civil Engineering Design Competition. (1 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



CE 424 / 524. Structural Design in Metals. (3)



CE 436 / 536. Biological Wastewater Treatment. (3)



CE 437L / 537L. Aqueous Environmental Chemistry and Analysis. (3)



CE 440 / 540. Design of Hydraulic Systems. (3)



CE 441 / 541. Hydrogeology. (3)



CE *442. Hydraulic Engineering and Hydrology. (3)



CE *455. Engineering Project Management. (3)



CE 462 / 562. Foundation Engineering I. (3)



CE 466 / 566. Pavement Design. (3)



CE 473 / 573. Construction Law. (3)



CE 474 / 574. Principles of Written Construction Documents. (3)



CE 475 / 575. Construction Safety. (3)



CE 477 / 577. Project Controls. (3)



CE 478 / 578. Design of Temporary Support Structures. (3)



CE 480 / 580. Highway Traffic Design. (3)



CE 481 / 581. Urban Transportation Planning. (3)



CE 482 / 582. Highway and Traffic Engineering. (3)



CE 483 / 583. Traffic Engineering Studies and Characteristics. (3)



CE *491-*492. Special Topics in Civil Engineering. (1-3, 1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 493. Special Topics in Civil Engineering - Honors. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 494. Honors Seminar. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 495. Construction Internship. (1)



CE 497L. Design Construction Integration. (3)



CE 499. Design of Civil Engineering Systems. (3)



CE 501. Advanced Mechanics of Materials. (3)



CE 502. Finite Element Methods in Solid Mechanics. (3)



CE 503. Composite Materials. (3)



CE 506. Prestressed Concrete. (3)



CE 511 / 411. Reinforced Concrete Design. (3)



CE 513 / 413. Timber and Masonry Design. (3)



CE 518. Theory of Structural Stability. (3)



CE 521. Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering . (3)



CE 524 / 424. Structural Design in Metals. (3)



CE 531. Physical-Chemical Water and Wastewater Treatment. (3)



CE 532. Advanced Physical-Chemical Water and Wastewater. (3)



CE 534. Environmental Engineering Chemistry. (3)



CE 536 / 436. Biological Wastewater Treatment. (3)



CE 537L / 437L. Aqueous Environmental Chemistry and Analysis. (3)



CE 539. Radioactive Waste Management. (3)



CE 540 / 440. Design of Hydraulic Systems. (3)



CE 541 / 441. Hydrogeology. (3)



CE 542. Intermediate Hydrology. (3)



CE 543. Ground Water Mathematics and Modeling. (3)



CE 545. Open Channel Hydraulics. (3)



CE 547. GIS in Water Resources Engineering. (3)



CE 548. Fuzzy Logic and Applications. (3)



CE 549. Vadose Zone Hydrology. (3)



CE 551. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 554 / 354. Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers. (3)



CE 560. Advanced Soil Mechanics. (3)



CE 562 / 462. Foundation Engineering I. (3)



CE 563. Earth Structures. (3)



CE 565. Soil Behavior. (3)



CE 566 / 466. Pavement Design. (3)



CE 567. Foundation Engineering II. (3)



CE 568. Soil Dynamics. (3)



CE 571. Sustainable Design and Construction. (3)



CE 573 / 473. Construction Law. (3)



CE 574 / 474. Principles of Written Construction Documents. (3)



CE 575 / 475. Construction Safety. (3)



CE 576. Project Delivery Systems. (3)



CE 577 / 477. Project Controls. (3)



CE 578 / 478. Design of Temporary Support Structures. (3)



CE 580 / 480. Highway Traffic Design. (3)



CE 581 / 481 . Urban Transportation Planning. (3)



CE 582 / 482. Highway and Traffic Engineering. (3)



CE 583 / 483. Traffic Engineering Studies and Characteristics. (3)



CE 588. Master’s Project. (1-6)



CE 598. Selected Topics. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



CE 599. Master’s Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



CE 650. Research. (1-6 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



CE 691. Graduate Seminar. (1 to a maximum of 4 Δ)



CE 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



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