Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is a broad and diverse field of study that offers students an education with several degree options. The most flexible degree options are at the bachelor’s level, where students can pursue either the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) degree or the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. The more scientific BSCE includes four areas of specialization while the BA, with its two distinct major concentrations, affords students more flexibility, including the possibility to complete a double major with any other Rice University major. A Master of Science is rapidly becoming the expected entry-level degree for civil and environmental engineers and is considered a necessary step to P.E. licensure. This degree is the natural choice for students who are interested in refining their knowledge by studying a specific area and performing creative research, as well as for those interested in eventually pursuing a Ph.D. Upon completing the MS degree in the field of Civil Engineering, students will be able to: Demonstrate a solid foundation in civil and environmental engineering at the graduate level. Acquire advanced knowledge of the principles of civil and environmental engineering and apply them to advanced technical problems. Conduct an independent research program. Demonstrate professional written and oral communication skills. Students take the oral exam only after the committee determines the thesis to be in a written format acceptable for public defense. Normally, students take two academic years and the intervening summer to complete the degree.

Students require a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an international institution officially recognized by that country’s Ministry of Education or its equivalent as determined by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

In general, applicants should have at least a 3.00 (B) grade point average, or the equivalent, in undergraduate work.

Applicants who are foreign nationals or whose native language is not English must provide objective proof that they meet one of the following thresholds as proof of English proficiency:

• At least a 90 on the iBT TOEFL.
• At least 600 on the paper-based TOEFL.
• At least 7 on the IELTS.
• At least 115 on the Duolingo test of English proficiency.
• The applicant has completed, or is expected to complete, a post-secondary degree from an institution in which English is the official language of communication or instruction. A list of previously approved institutions can be found on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

The application deadlines are October 15 for the spring semester and January 15 for the fall semester.