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Department Graduate Handbook

This page provides an accessible version of the Department Graduate Handbook. For the PDF version and Appendices, please contact the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Document: Handbook for Graduate Students
Date: November 19, 2021

This webpage provides an accessible overview of the MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering handbook. For advising or official record use, consult the full graduate handbook, the UMass Dartmouth Graduate Catalog, and any required departmental forms.

Overview

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MSCE). The handbook is intended to guide graduate students through program requirements, procedures, and milestones. It supplements, but does not replace, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Graduate Catalog.

General information

Eligibility

Individuals with a BS degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from an accredited institution and a GPA of at least 2.5 are eligible to apply.

Applicants with degrees in other fields, or with a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from a non-accredited institution, must successfully complete the following before being considered:

  • One year of Physics
  • One year of Chemistry
  • One year of Calculus
  • EGR 241 – Engineering Mechanics I (Statics)
  • EGR 242 – Engineering Mechanics II (Dynamics)
  • CEN 202 – Mechanics of Materials
  • CEN 303 – Fluid Mechanics

Some of these requirements may be waived in consultation with the academic advisor and the Graduate Program Director. Graduate course enrollment still depends on satisfying course prerequisites.

Advising and registration

After admission, students should identify a graduate advisor based on their interests through consultation with the department Graduate Program Director. Students should then prepare a preliminary plan of study and review it with the advisor.

Students must file a Selection of Graduate Advisor form with the Graduate Program Director before the end of the first semester. Failure to do so may result in loss of eligibility for teaching or research assistantships and inability to register for courses.

A Thesis or Project Agreement form must be completed before completing 15 credits. Students are strongly encouraged to pre-register each semester. Assistantships may not be renewed if required paperwork is not on file or if students do not pre-register.

Course load guidelines

A load of 9 credits per semester is the minimum for full-time status. Students holding full-time graduate assistantships may take no more than 9 credits, including thesis or project research, unless written approval is granted by the advisor and Graduate Program Director.

Satisfactory academic progress

Students must make appropriate progress toward the degree. Unsatisfactory progress may result in warning, probation, or dismissal under university academic sanctions.

Examples of unsatisfactory progress include failure to complete required milestones such as:

  • For thesis or project track: filing a proposal, scheduling the presentation, producing final copies, or completing required credits
  • For course work track: passing the comprehensive written or oral examination within two attempts and completing required credits

Graduate course credits expire after 6 years. Only graduate courses with a grade of C or better count toward the degree, although all grades are included in the GPA. Required courses with a grade of C- or lower must be repeated.

Continuous registration

Students must remain continuously enrolled, excluding summers, unless they receive an approved Leave of Absence. After completing formal course requirements and the required thesis or project credits, students must enroll in zero-credit continuation every semester until final completion.

Termination of studies

Students considering withdrawal should consult with their advisor. Formal withdrawal follows university procedures. Students with assistantships should also submit a resignation letter to the Graduate Program Director. Students who neither register nor request a Leave of Absence are automatically withdrawn.

Readmission requires written request to the Office of Graduate Studies and approval by the CEN Graduate Committee, Department Chairperson, and Dean of the College of Engineering.

Transfer of credit

A maximum of 6 credits may be transferred from another institution. Transfer requests must include official transcripts and supporting documentation such as syllabi or course descriptions.

  • Courses used toward another degree generally may not be counted toward the 30-credit MSCE degree
  • An exception exists for students in the 5-year BS/MS program
  • Only courses with a grade of B- or better are eligible for transfer
  • A waiver of a requirement does not reduce the total number of credits required for the degree

Financing a graduate education

A limited number of research and teaching assistantships are available each year. These are competitive and generally available only to MS students on the thesis track.

Renewal of assistantships depends on academic performance, satisfactory progress toward the degree, performance of assistantship duties, and availability of funds.

  • Full-time academic-year assistantships require 20 hours of work per week
  • Full-time summer support assumes 40 hours per week
  • TAs generally must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA

MSCE Degree Requirements

The MSCE requires a minimum of 30 credits, selected with approval of the Graduate Advisor. Courses are generally CEN courses, although courses from other departments may be accepted with approval of the Graduate Program Director.

Degree Tracks

The program offers four options:

  • Thesis Track
  • Project Track
  • Course Work Track
  • 5-Year BS/MS Track

Thesis Track

The thesis option involves a research thesis of a theoretical, numerical, or experimental nature.

  • Minimum of 30 credits
  • Grade of C or better required in all graduate courses counted toward the degree
  • Up to 6 credits of 400-level courses may count, with a grade of B or better and approval of the Graduate Program Director
  • 6 credits of CEN 590 – MS Graduate Thesis are required
  • A written thesis and satisfactory oral presentation/defense approved by the Thesis Committee are required
  • No more than 6 credits of independent study and/or directed study may count, excluding thesis credits

Project Track

The project option involves a project of an applied nature, often connected to industry or government needs.

  • Minimum of 30 credits
  • Grade of C or better required in all graduate courses counted toward the degree
  • Up to 6 credits of 400-level courses may count, with a grade of B or better and approval of the Graduate Program Director
  • 3 credits of CEN 592 – MS Graduate Project are required
  • A written report and satisfactory oral presentation/defense approved by the Project Committee are required
  • No more than 6 credits of independent study and/or directed study may count, excluding project credits

Course Work Track

The course work option requires completion of a comprehensive written or oral examination based on a minimum of four core courses selected with the advisor and approved by the Graduate Program Director.

  • Minimum of 30 credits
  • Grade of C or better required in all graduate courses counted toward the degree
  • Up to 6 credits of 400-level courses may count, with a grade of B or better and approval of the Graduate Program Director
  • The comprehensive exam may be attempted a maximum of two times
  • No more than 6 credits of independent study and/or directed study may count toward the degree

5-Year BS/MS Option

This accelerated option is available only to CEN undergraduate students at UMass Dartmouth. Students admitted to this option must still complete one of the three tracks above.

Students in the 5-year BS/MS program may count up to 6 credits of upper-level 400-or-higher technical elective courses toward both the BS and MS degrees, provided those courses are not core electives.

EGR 500 Graduate Internship

Students in the project or course work track may be eligible for internship credit through EGR 500, provided they are in good standing and have approvals from the advisor, Graduate Program Director, department chairperson, and College of Engineering dean.

Milestones to the MSCE Degree

Selection of Graduate Advisor

Students must select and file a Graduate Advisor by the end of the first semester.

Selection of Thesis or Project Committee

Students in the thesis and project tracks must form a committee of 3 faculty members. At least 2 members must be from the CEN Department. The Graduate Advisor serves as chair of the committee. With approval, a senior engineer or scientist from outside UMass Dartmouth may serve on the committee.

Project or Thesis Agreement

Students must file a preliminary agreement with the Graduate Advisor describing the general project or thesis topic. This must be filed by the end of the first year of study.

Thesis Proposal

Before enrolling in CEN 590, a thesis proposal must be prepared in consultation with the advisor, approved by the Thesis Committee, and filed with the Graduate Program Director.

The handbook specifies that the proposal includes:

  • Cover page with title, student name, date, and signatures
  • Background
  • Problem statement
  • Technical discussion
  • Approach
  • Bibliography

Project or Thesis Oral Presentation

Each thesis or project student must give an oral presentation to the committee and invited guests. The presentation must be announced at least 2 weeks in advance. The committee determines whether the presentation and the student’s knowledge are satisfactory.

Project Final Report

The Project Final Report must be submitted to the Graduate Advisor for a grade to be assigned for CEN 592. There is no fixed format, but the report must be reviewed and approved by the committee and advisor.

Thesis Format and Approval

The thesis must comply with UMass Dartmouth Office of Graduate Studies and College of Engineering rules. Following the oral presentation, final thesis approval requires signatures including those of the Thesis Committee and the CEN Graduate Program Director.

Appendix forms included in the handbook

  • Selection of Graduate Advisor
  • Selection of Graduate Committee
  • Thesis Agreement
  • Project Agreement
  • MSCE Oral Presentation
  • Petition for Waiver of a Requirement

Final notes

  • All rules are subject to change in accordance with university policy.
  • The university’s nondiscrimination policy applies to admissions, employment, and educational programs.
  • For graduate admissions questions, students should contact the Office of Graduate Studies.