MS Degree Requirements

Four MS degrees are offered at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE), Master of Science in Engineering Science and Mechanics (MSESM), Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MSEnvE), and an undesignated Master of Science (MS). Common requirements for these degrees are listed below. Discipline-specific programs may include additional requirements.

The approved MS Program of Study must be completed within a period of not more than six consecutive calendar years.

A minimum of 30 semester hours of course work, none of which was used to satisfy requirements for a previous degree, are required. The student's advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies must approve the Program of Study.

At least 21 of 30 course credit hours must be at 6000 level or higher (12 of 24 hours if writing a thesis). Courses required for the BSCE degree cannot be used toward a graduate degree. Other than thesis hours, only three of the 30 hours may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis, with the approval of the advisor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Courses with a grade of "D" may not be listed on the Program of Study for use toward a degree.

MS students must either (a) complete 30 hours of course work or (b) write an MS thesis and schedule at least six hours of CEE 7000. No more than six hours of CEE 7000, or three hours of CEE 8956, may be counted as part of the 30 hours required for the MS degree.

Students writing a thesis must take at least 12 hours of course work in their major field. Students not writing a thesis must take at least 18 hours of course work in their major field. Students writing a thesis must file an approved thesis topic with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, and submit the final, accepted thesis. This office is also where students can find information on formatting requirements for the thesis document. All Georgia Tech theses are now submitted online.

The MS thesis as well as Special Research Projects must be submitted to a review committee two weeks ahead of deadline set by the Georgia Tech Graduate Studies Office, to allow time for faculty review and for students to make any corrections that may be required.

Only those students who have previously earned the BSCE or its equivalent may receive the Master of Science in Civil Engineering or the Master of Science in Engineering Science and Mechanics degrees.  The School awards the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MSEnvE) only to those students who have previously earned an accredited bachelor's degree in engineering and have taken those undergraduate courses (for no credit toward the MS) required by their advisor and the Chair.

Students who complete both the BS and MS degrees in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech may use up to six credit hours of graduate-level course work (6000 or higher level courses) in the major discipline for both degrees. In order to qualify for this option, the student must complete the undergraduate degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher and complete the MS degree within two years after the award of the bachelor’s degree.

Students must register for a minimum of three credit hours during their graduating semester. This enrollment requirement can be waived if:

  • The student is using NO Institute time or resources during the graduating semester
  • The student submits final, approved thesis prior to the last day of registration
  • The student was registered the preceding term.
  • Students must be registered during the term in which their Final Thesis Defense takes place.