Graduate Programs

• Degree requirements
  • 30 credit-hours total.
  • Up to 9 credits of 400 level courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
  • Courses at the 300 level may be required to fulfil prerequisites, but do not contribute to the 30 credit-hours required.
  • Courses with grades below “C” cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in, and graduate from, the M. Eng. program.
  • A minimum of 3 credit-hours registration is required during the term of graduation.
  • A course of study must include
    • Seminar (ECIV 594)
    • At least 3 credits of advanced math, statistics, or numerical methods (EGEN 505, EGEN 506, EM 525, EIND 455 or approved alternate)
    • At least 3 credits of an advanced business, management, law or policy (ECIV 507, EINV 434, EIND 425 or approved alternate).
  • The remaining credits will be customized for each student based on desired professional outcomes and will include engineering an and advanced science courses.
  • A maximum of 3 credit-hours of Independent Study courses (ECIV 589) are allowed. This option allows students to pursue a specialized area of study under the supervision of a single professor.  An independent study course is not required to complete the M.Eng. degree.
  • Programs-of-study must be submitted to, and approved by, the CE Department Head and the Associate Dean of Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education during the first semester of enrollment in the program.

• Degree requirements
  • 30 credit-hours total.
  • Up to 9 credits of 400 level courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
  • Courses at the 300 level may be required to fulfil prerequisites, but do not contribute to the 30 credit-hours required.
  • Courses with grades below “C” cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in, and graduate from, the M. Eng. program.
  • A minimum of 3 credit-hours registration is required during the term of graduation.
  • A course of study must include
    • Seminar (ECIV 594)
    • At least 3 credits of advanced math, statistics, or numerical methods (EGEN 505, EGEN 506, EM 525, EIND 455 or approved alternate)
    • At least 3 credits of an advanced business, management, law or policy (ECIV 507, EINV 434, EIND 425 or approved alternate).
  • The remaining credits will be customized for each student based on desired professional outcomes and will include engineering an and advanced science courses.
  • A maximum of 3 credit-hours of Independent Study courses (ECIV 589) are allowed. This option allows students to pursue a specialized area of study under the supervision of a single professor.  An independent study course is not required to complete the M.Eng. degree.
  • Programs-of-study must be submitted to, and approved by, the CE Department Head and the Associate Dean of Research, Economic Development and Graduate Education during the first semester of enrollment in the program.

• Degree requirements

• Degree requirements:
  • Thesis option

• Degree requirements

• Degree requirements

• Degree requirements

1. A completed B.S. or Bachelor of Engineering degree in an engineering field closely related to the degree program you plan to enter. Examples:

• MS Civil Engineering – BS in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, architectural engineering…
• MS Environmental Engineering – BS in civil engineering, chemical engineering, bioengineering.

If you have an engineering degree that is not closely aligned or if you have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than engineering, read about remedial requirements.

2. You don’t have to complete your BS degree to apply to the MS 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 BS program.  Submit your current transcripts when you apply and then submit final transcripts after the BS degree is officially posted. 

3. We require a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale. Having the minimum GPA does not guarantee acceptance, and there may be rare cases where applicants are accepted with a cumulative GPA of slightly less than the minimum because of other positive attributes. In addition to the overall GPA requirement, we look closely at past performance in specific courses or activities that are germane to the applicant’s proposed field of study. 

4. Official transcripts are required. When you submit your official transcripts, include those for ALL university studies not just the program that you graduated from.  
5. We require three letters of recommendation.

6. We require a formal resume documenting the applicant’s academic record, work experience, and attributes that indicate the potential for success in graduate studies.

7. Our application requires a goals statement. This is a formal essay where you identify the topic area you want to study (geotechnical, water resources…) and let us know why you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree.  We use this as an additional measure of writing ability.

We do not perform pre-admission evaluations of applicants.

Rolling admission with no specific deadlines. International applicants should apply no less than 75 days prior to the beginning of the semester to accommodate the visa process. 

All applicants interested in funding should be aware that funding decisions are often made well in advance of the start of the semester. 

For more information please contact the Graduate School 

The GRE is not required for admission to our program, whether it's for the Master of Science or Ph.D. programs.

The Graduate School can use unofficial transcripts to review applications; however, Official Transcripts are required upon being offered admission. The Official Transcripts should be sent to MSU directly from the university the applicant attended, and at minimum, one should have a conferred degree indicated on the transcript while also reflecting all undergraduate and/or post-baccalaureate courses and grades. Applicants who are alumni of MSU do not need to submit their official transcripts from MSU. For more information on applying for Graduate School click this link. 

Funding opportunities in the form of graduate research/teaching assistantships are available for both Master of Science and Ph.D. programs. However, securing a faculty advisor's support is essential for availing of these opportunities. 

Applications for graduate admission will be accepted at any time.  However, students seeking financial support through research or teaching assistantships are encouraged to have complete applications submitted by January 15 for admission and support consideration for the fall semester or September 15 for admission and support consideration for the spring semester.  Domestic students seeking admission, but no financial support, should submit a complete application 30 days before the start of the semester they plan to begin study.  Due to common delays in the visa process, international students should plan to apply six months to one year in advance of their anticipated start date.

We do not have a specific length requirement. However, as a general suggestion, keeping it within two pages should suffice.

You can include your goals within the personal statement itself.

It depends on the program you apply for. If you are applying for the Master of Science program (you serve as a TA or RA), it will depend on the faculty member agreeing to accept you without those leveling courses. However, for the Master of Engineering program (self-paid), you would likely spend the first year taking those courses before starting your environmental engineering courses.

Regarding the proof of English proficiency, applicants from Ghana may not necessarily have to take the TOEFL/IELTS if they can provide sufficient evidence of English proficiency from the institution where the language of instruction was English. However, for detailed information, I recommend contacting the graduate school office.