Master of Science in Civil Engineering

The objective of the graduate program in civil engineering is to prepare students for continued professional and scholarly development consistent with their technical interests. Students, with the assistance of a faculty advisor in their area of interest, plan their programs of study in one of the technical areas in civil engineering. Typical program and research areas are:

1. Construction Engineering and Management;
2. Environmental (water and air quality control, and solid and hazardous materials control);
3. Geotechnical (soil mechanics and foundations);
4. Infrastructure System Engineering and Management;
5. Structures and Applied Mechanics;
6. Transportation (traffic planning, highways, airports, and transit);
7. Water Resources (hydrology and hydraulics)

Admission Requirements

Performance on the GRE will not be the sole criterion for admitting applicants or the primary criterion to deny admission to either the Master or Ph.D. program. In cases where GRE performance is relatively poor, all other qualifications presented by the applicant will be carefully evaluated for evidence of potential for success.

Unconditional Admission

A student must meet the following requirements for unconditional admission:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering (Applicant with an appropriate Bachelor’s Degree in another discipline is considered, subject to satisfactory completion of deficiency courses for an area of interest.)
2. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the Graduate School, is typical of a successful applicant.
3. A Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Quantitative score of 700 (old score system) or 155 (new score system) or higher is typical of a successful applicant.
4. A Graduate Record Exam Verbal score of 390 (old score system) or 146 (new score system) or higher is typical of a successful applicant.
5. For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 79 on TOEFL iBT, 50 on the SPEAK, 146 on Verbal GRE, 85 on MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), or 6.5 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). (MELAB and IELTS are used only when other tests are not available in the applicant’s country.)

Additional information on Admission Requirements

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science degree is a research-oriented program in which completion of a thesis is mandatory. The program consists of a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework and an acceptable thesis (6 credit hours). Candidates will be required to present an oral defence of the thesis.

Tuition and Affordability

UTA Tuition and Affordability Information

Priority Application Dates

Fall | March 15
Spring | August 15
Summer | February 15

Applications are accepted after the published priority date for each term, but for guaranteed consideration of admission please submit the application and associated materials by the priority date. However, it is important to apply well in advance of your intended start date to be eligible for program-specific funding opportunities such as assistantships and fellowships. Keep in mind that departmental application processing times vary greatly and some programs require applications up to one year in advance.