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Civil Engineering (Graduate)
Expand your understanding of the built environment by delving into innovative research opportunities, intensive study, and the opportunity to choose between designing a capstone research project or writing a thesis on the subject of their choice.
Civil Engineering – Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, Civil Option (Ph.D.)
Candidates in the Civil Engineering graduate program at Montana State delve into research subjects that include geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation, water resource, environmental engineering, construction, land surveying and beyond. As candidates select their research focus, they also choose how that project unfolds: either as a capstone thesis or as a professional paper in conjunction with a research project.
Carnegie Classified
The prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education® ranks
Montana State University among the Top 5 public, 4-year universities for Very High
Research Activity with a STEM-dominant Activity with a STEM-dominant research doctoral program.
Nature's Laboratory
MSU students make Montana, including nearby Yellowstone National Park, their classroom,
laboratory and playground.
Cutting-Edge Facilities
The Subzero Research Laboratory is one of the world's leading cold science research
centers, while the Center for Biofilm Engineering has been a world leader in microbial
biofilm research since it was established at MSU in 1990.
Fund Your Education
The Graduate School at Montana State is dedicated to helping students secure funding during their time at MSU. Some resources the Civil Engineering department and Graduate School offer includes:
- The Benjamin Fellowship, given to three new Ph.D. students in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering
- Internal Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
- External Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
Additionally, most of our incoming graduate students are funded with teaching assistantships for at least their first year. During that period, they connect with faculty and typically receive research assistantships for the remainder of their graduate studies. Applicants must be admitted before being considered for funding.
Facilities
Research in the Civil Engineering department is interdisciplinary in nature but works heavily with the following research entities:
- Center for Biofilm Engineering
- Subzero Research Laboratory
- Western Transportation Institute
Admissions Requirements
Each program within the Graduate School at Montana State has its own particular requirements for admission, and the Civil Engineering program is not different. Below are the criteria and admissions material that should be used as a guide to help as you apply to our graduate programs:
- A completed B.S. or Bachelor of Engineering degree, or completed remedial requirements outlined in the following tables
- You don’t have to complete your B.S. degree to apply to the M.S. program, but you must have finished your BS degree by the start of your first MS program semester. Many applications to graduate school are submitted during the final semester of the B.S. program. Submit your current transcripts when you apply and then submit final transcripts after the BS degree is officially posted
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above
- An official transcript from your undergraduate program
- Three letters of recommendation
- General GRE scores are required. A minimum score on the GRE is not required, although GRE scores below the 50th percentile negatively affect an applicant, while scores above the 50th percentile to positively affect the applicant
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A Goals Statement, which is a formal essay identifying the topic area you wish to study and explaining to the graduate admissions committee why you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree
Although the Graduate Program at Montana State has rolling admissions, the Civil Engineering program suggests a timeline for admission per semester. These timelines are outlined on the Civil Engineering website, complete with an application timetable with your success in mind.