Requirements for Graduate Students who do not have a B.S. in Engineering
Note: The following requirements are for students entering the program in Fall 2012. If you are a student who entered the program in Spring 2011 or earlier, please click here.
Students with a variety of backgrounds undertake graduate work in environmental engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Engineering backgrounds are most common, especially civil, chemical, environmental, and mechanical engineering. However, students with undergraduate degrees in mathematics and science are also admitted to the graduate program. Examples of the nonengineering undergraduate backgrounds of these students include biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, mechanics and physics. The mathematics and science background expected for all entering students is as given in Table 1.
Table 1: Expected Mathematics and Science Background for Students Entering CEE Graduate Programs
| 1 semester | General Chemistry |
| 2 semesters | Calculus |
| 1 semester | Differential Equations |
| 2 semesters | Physics |
| 1 semester | Biology (or other science) |
| 1 semester | Probability and Statistics; or 1 semester Linear Algebra |
| 1 semester | Computer Programming, Applications or Tools |
Students with non-engineering undergraduate degrees who are interested in pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering must first complete some basic undergraduate engineering courses as outlined below. Options not involving makeup work are available to students with interests in environmental engineering, science and management, and to students with interests in architecture-engineering construction management. CEE offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Management and Science, and in collaboration with the School of Architecture offers an M.S. degree in AECM. Requirements for these curriculum options are discussed below, with focus on M.S. degree which is a prerequisite for the Ph.D.
M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Students with non-engineering B.S. degrees who elect to pursue an M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering will be required to take the equivalent of five basic undergraduate engineering courses in addition to the required graduate courses. The intent of the makeup course requirement is to provide sufficient background for graduate work in engineering. The set of required makeup courses drawn from the civil and environmental engineering undergraduate curriculum is given in Table 2. Substitutions of equivalent or closely related courses are permitted at the discretion of the faculty advisor.
Table 2: Required Undergraduate Engineering Makeup Courses in Civil and Environmental Engineering for M.S. students with non-engineering B.S. degrees
| 12-231 | Solid Mechanics (9 units, spring semester) |
| 12-335 | Soil Mechanics (9 units, fall semester) |
| 12-355 |
Fluid Mechanics (9 units, fall semester) |
| 12-411 | Project Management Construction (9 units, fall semester) |
| 12-421 | Engineering Economics (6 units, fall semester) |
Some of the make-up courses have prerequisites that are waived for graduate students, with the understanding that the graduate student will have had a strong exposure to mechanics in a physics course, and that the student will be motivated to engage in self-study (or makeup courses prior to enrollment) to acquire any background knowledge needed for success in the course.
Ninety-six additional units are required for completion of the M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, as discussed in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department brochure and web site (http://www.ce.cmu.edu). There are no required core courses for the M.S. program, but students with non-engineering B.S. degrees will be required to include in their program of study at least one engineering course with significant design content. This course must be discussed with and approved by the student’s faculty adviser.
For a student with a non-engineering bachelor's degree, completion of the M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering typically requires three semesters, with the undergraduate makeup courses interspersed with the 96 graduate units over the three semesters. Financial support in the form of a service assistantship or research assistantship is awarded on a competitive basis.
Students who intend to apply for professional engineer registration after completing the necessary years of practical experience after graduation should consider the M.S. in Civil Engineering, an optional degree title offered. State engineer licensing boards evaluate the educational background of applicants who do not possess an ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering degree with special scrutiny. Some states view M.S. degrees bearing the same title as the accredited undergraduate degree associated with the institution more favorably than other titles. Since the accredited undergraduate degree offered by the CEE Department is the B.S. in Civil Engineering, receiving the M.S. in Civil Engineering may strengthen one’s application for professional engineering licensure in some states.
M.S. in Environmental Management and Science
This is an interdisciplinary degree administered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. It also requires 96 units, with course selection decided upon by the student and his/her adviser. The curriculum must be approved by the CEE Department Head. Some undergraduate course work may be required to obtain the necessary background for certain graduate courses, but there are no fixed undergraduate makeup requirements for this degree. The M.S. in Environmental Management and Science can be completed by non-engineering B.S. students in two-three semesters, depending on the extent of undergraduate courses needed or desired by the student. Financial support in the form of a service assistantship or research assistantship is awarded on a competitive basis.
M.S. in Architecture-Engineering Construction Management
This interdisciplinary degree is administered by the School of Architecture. It involves studies in both Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering. The program is structured to fit either a 9-month (two semesters) or a 16-month (three semesters + summer) time frame for those with or without prior professional experience respectively. Applications to the AECM program are submitted through the School of Architecture. Please click here for more information about the AECM program.