Civil and Environmental Engineering, M.S. - CEPS, UNH

The goal of the Civil and Environmental Engineering program is to elucidate civil and environmental engineering technology by involving students in the design and construction of sustainable infrastructure projects that emphasize safety and public health. Our graduates enhance the quality of life for people both locally and around the world by providing safe structures such as bridges, highways, skyscrapers, tunnels and dams, and by helping to restore and maintain water quality and the environment. Civil Engineering has always been an exciting yet flexible profession filled with opportunities. The Master of Science in Civil Engineering requires the completion of a thesis in addition to coursework.

All master of science degree students must complete a minimum of 31 total credits that includes a minimum of 24 credit hours of regular coursework, 6 thesis credits (CEE 899 Master's Thesis ) and a one-­credit seminar course. UNH bachelor’s degree students admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Program may register for a maximum of 8 credits of graduate-­level courses prior to completing their bachelor's degree. Such courses may, upon recommendation of the department and approval of the Graduate School, count toward both a bachelor's and master's degree.

A formal oral presentation/thesis defense is required. All M.S. degree students are eligible for teaching or research assistantships and are required to register for Master's Student Seminar (CEE 897 Masters Student Seminar ) for one semester. Students are required to make one presentation in CEE 897 Masters Student Seminar during their program of study. For graduation, a grade of B-­ or better in each course, an overall B average (3.00 GPA), and a successful thesis defense must be achieved.

Specific course requirements vary with focus area within CEE, please refer to the "explore program details" section on our website.

Accelerated Master's Overview

Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential. 

Accelerated Master's Highlights

• Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
• Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
• Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

• A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
• A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
• Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Master's Requirements

• Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
• Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
• Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
• See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Civil and Environmental Engineering (M.S.) Accelerated Option

This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate programs:

Program Learning Outcomes

• Identify and use advanced mathematical, computational, design, and/or experimental skills to solve complex civil and environmental engineering problems;
• Demonstrate advanced technical knowledge in one or more civil and environmental engineering subject areas (environmental, geotechnical, materials, structural, sustainability, transportation, or water resources);
• Formulate hypotheses, design experiments, collect and analyze data, and interpret results;
• Propose, plan, and execute an independent research project related to civil and environmental engineering;
• Effectively communicate and defend technical ideas, designs, or research results in written and oral form; and
• Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of sustainable engineering solutions in global, social, economic, public policy, and environmental issues.

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: Feb. 15 (for funding); April 1 (recommended US; final international); July 1 (final)
• Spring: Oct. 15 (for funding); Dec. 1
• Summer: N/A
• Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

GRE Optional

The GRE scores are optional, if you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.