Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering

Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics – Courses

Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics

 

Courses

Three degrees are available within this division:

Degree Course Credits Project Credits Thesis Credits Total Credits
M.S. (Plan A) 24 6 30
M.S. (Plan B) 30 2 32
Ph.D. 30* 12 42
*Credits beyond the M.S. degree.

Students entering this division are expected to have a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited undergraduate program. Students can be admitted without this prerequisite, but under such circumstances additional background courses will have to be taken that will not count as part of the credits shown in the above table.

The Master of Science (Plan A) degree requires a research thesis and is designed primarily for students who plan to continue their studies toward a Ph.D. degree.  The M.S. (Plan B) degree requires a professional-related independent study rather than a thesis and is intended for students who plan to enter design/analysis careers after completing their M.S. program of study.  The Ph.D. degree is for students who are seeking a career at an university or research laboratory.

All Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics M.S. students are required to take the following four core courses:

CIVE 560 Advanced Mechanics of Materials
CIVE 562 Fundamentals of Vibrations
CIVE 565 Finite Element Method
CIVE 566 Intermediate Structural Analysis

Specific programs of study center on a combination of courses from the above list, supplemented by other courses generally in mathematics, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering.