Program Director

Dr. Anne Alexander
Office: CC-67
Phone: (414) 277-7472
Email: alexander@msoe.edu

Overview

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering offers students the opportunity to gain depth in one of four areas of specialization: construction management (CONM), environmental and water resources engineering (EWRE), structural engineering (STRE), or transportation engineering (TRPE). The construction management specialty offers a blend of course work emphasizing advanced topics in construction management including construction operations, lean construction, and construction data management, supplemented by business administration courses such as project acquisition and business development, and marketing and strategic management principles. The environmental and water resources engineering specialty provides students with advanced course work in subjects important to both sub-disciplines including facilities planning, environmental law, and life cycle assessment, while offering a broad array of technical courses to address specific areas of interest. The structural engineering specialty focuses on advanced topics in the analysis and design of structural systems for buildings and bridges. Structural design courses offered address the advanced design of structural steel members and systems, cold-formed metal members and structures, reinforced concrete members and structures, wood structures, masonry structures, foundations, and selection of structural systems; structural analysis courses offered address applications of the finite element method, structural dynamics, and structural stability, providing a broader theoretical background for structural design. The transportation engineering specialty focuses on advanced topics in the design of roadways, transportation systems, traffic analysis, and traffic safety.  All specialties include electives where a student may choose from a wide variety of graduate level courses, including those from other degree programs such as architectural engineering or business.

Courses are taught by faculty with extensive practical experience as well as academic credentials. Course work has been planned to show practical applications of civil engineering theory. Many of the classes meet in the evenings so students may attend class while working in industry. The Master of Science in Civil Engineering program assumes the student has completed an undergraduate curriculum that satisfies ABET program-specific civil engineering requirements. Applicants holding a BS degree in a closely aligned discipline may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis and may be required to complete additional prerequisite work. The program is currently being offered as either a full-time or part-time program.

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering programs requires completion of 31 graduate credits.  For students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree program at MSOE, an early-entry option exists where two required graduate courses (6 credits) may be used for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees and satisfy the specialty elective and one technical elective in the bachelor’s degree program.

Each student must complete a sequence of capstone courses. There are two options for the capstone activity. The first option is the completion of a seven-credit, two-semester Capstone Project sequence (CAE 7810, CVE 7901 and CVE 7902) in addition to eight civil engineering courses (24 credits) to fulfill the 31-credit requirement. The second option is the completion of a four-credit, one-semester Capstone Report sequence (CAE 7810 and CVE 7901) in addition to nine civil engineering courses (27 credits) to fulfill the 31-credit requirement.

Program Educational Objectives

Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years after graduation and are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies. The Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree program will produce graduates who will

• hold specialized credentials and/or licensure in their specialized field of practice
• be the lead engineer on complex engineering projects
• be in a leadership position in a professional society or community/civic organization which benefits from the knowledge of a professionally trained engineer

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes are narrower statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. The student outcomes of the Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree program are that, at the time of graduation, each student will be able to:

• analyze a complex problem in a civil engineering specialty area using advanced concepts and principles
• design multiple solutions to a complex problem in a civil engineering specialty area in accordance with current standards, specifications, and selected economic, social, and environmental constraints, as applicable
• effectively communicate the results of the analysis and design of a complex problem in a civil engineering specialty area in both a) oral and b) written form

Faculty

Christine Brotz, P.E.; Basel El Khapery; Dr. William Gonwa, P.E.; David Grassl, P.E.; Dr. Deborah Jackman, P.E.; Dr. Michael Kempfert, P.E., S.E.; Chad Knutson; Dr. Mahmoud Maamouri, P.E., S.E.; Mark Maday, P.E.; Dr. Habib Mazidi; Timothy Moser, P.E.; Douglas Nelson, P.E.; Brian Norby, P.E.; Tamara Omari; Brian Pfeifer, P.E.; Jayme Radomski, P.E.; Joshua Radomski, P.E.; Rachel Rueckert, P.E.; Dr. Christopher H. Raebel, P.E., S.E.; Mark Rounds, P.E.; Dr. Salah Sarhat; Dr. Edward Sippel; Dr. Xi Song; Joseph Welcenbach; Dr. Charles Winter; Dr. John A. Zachar P.E.