Civil Engineering

The Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in an engineering discipline who wish to pursue a graduate degree. Areas of concentration include construction engineering; environmental, water resources and coastal engineering; geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering; structures and mechanics; transportation materials; and transportation systems. No thesis is required.

This program is administered by Engineering Online at NC State.

Non-Degree Studies (NDS) Students

NDS students seeking spring enrollment in an Engineering online program and/or course, please submit your NDS application (opens in new tab) no later than Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 to ensure your application materials are received on time. Submitting your application after January 10th, may result in not being admitted or enrolled in classes for the spring 2024 semester.

Eligibility

Prerequisites for admission to the MCE degree include an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from an accredited institution or its equivalent with an overall GPA of 3.0. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is automatically waived for applicants who have an engineering degree from a US institution. The TOEFL or IELTS scores (no more than two years old) are required for international applicants unless they have completed one year of full-time study at a U.S. university. You must apply for admissions to the MCE program online (opens in new tab). When completing the online application, please be sure to select the “Distance Track” version of the degree.

Plan of Study

• Completion of 30 credit hours of graduate level courses at the 400, 500 or 700 level with an overall grade point average of 3.0. At least 24 hours must be at the 500 level or above and 400 level courses must be outside of civil engineering.
• Students are assigned an academic advisor and must work with this advisor to develop an individual Plan of Graduate Work. Some specialty areas have specific course requirements and these requirements must be met by both on campus and distance students.
• Approximately two-thirds of all credit hours should be in civil engineering with an area of emphasis.
• The remaining credit hours can be civil engineering courses or related courses from other departments.
• No thesis or on-campus residency requirement.
• All requirements for the degree must be completed within six years of enrolling in the first course approved in the Plan of Graduate Work. Students must comply with the Graduate School regulations for continuous enrollment or must request a leave of absence not to exceed one year.

Career Prospects

Civil engineering is a rigorous profession; the work performed is subject to scrutiny because civil engineering design and execution impacts people, the environment, infrastructure and property. The Master of Civil Engineering explores advanced aspects of the field including how outside factors influence an engineering project. Graduates of the Master of Civil Engineering program are equipped with the skills needed to succeed as engineers, engineering supervisors and civil project consultants.

Additional Resources

For detailed information regarding engineering online programs and how to apply and enroll, please visit the Engineering Online website.