Master of Science Degree Requirements
Students may choose from the degree tracks below to complete coursework within a focus area.
Degrees earned will be distributed as: "Master of Science" without specialization specifications.
Environmental, Water Resources, and Coastal Engineering Specialization
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 607 | Water Resource and Environmental Engineering Seminar | 1 |
| CE 695 | Master's Thesis Research | 1-6 |
| Total Hours | 2-7 |
Water Resources Engineering Specialization
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 584 | Hydraulics Of Ground Water | 3 |
| CE 586 | Engineering Hydrology | 3 |
| CE 588 | Water Resources Engineering | 3 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Fluid Mechanics in Natural Environments) | 1-6 |
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| Total Hours | 10-15 |
Core Electives
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 583 | Engineering Aspects Of Coastal Processes | 3 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Coastal Hydrodynamics) | 1-6 |
| CE 772 | Environmental Exposure and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| CE 776 | Advanced Water Management Systems | 3 |
| CE 784 | Ground Water Contaminant Transport | 3 |
| CE 791 | Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering Computing (Complex Adaptive Systems Analysis) | 1-3 |
| CE 796 | Advanced Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Statistical Methods) | 1-3 |
Technical Electives
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 536 | Introduction to Numerical Methods for Civil Engineers | 3 |
| CE 537 | Computer Methods and Applications | 3 |
| CE 571 | Physical Principles of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 574 | Chemical Principles of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 583 | Engineering Aspects Of Coastal Processes | 3 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Introduction to Coastal and Ocean Engineering) | 1-6 |
| BAE 573 | Introduction to Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling | 3 |
| BAE 574 | | 3 |
| BAE 575 | Design of Structural Stormwater Best Management Practices | 3 |
| BAE 576 | | 3 |
| BAE 581 | Open Channel Hydraulics for Natural Systems | 3 |
| BAE 584 | Introduction to Fluvial Geomorphology | 3 |
| BAE/SSC 771 | | 3 |
| FOR 784 | | 4 |
| MEA 540 | Principles of Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| MEA/GIS 582 | Geospatial Modeling | 3 |
| MEA 700 | Environmental Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
| NR 500 | Natural Resource Management | 4 |
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree Requirements
The Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s (ABM) degree program allows exceptional undergraduate students at NC State an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at an accelerated pace. These undergraduate students may double count up to 12 credits and obtain a non-thesis Master’s degree in the same field within 12 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree, or obtain a thesis-based Master’s degree in the same field within 18 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree.
This degree program also provides an opportunity for the Directors of Graduate Programs (DGPs) at NC State to recruit rising juniors in their major to their graduate programs. However, permission to pursue an ABM degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. Admission is contingent on meeting eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program.
CCEE Department ABM Admission
The CCEE department encourages excellent undergraduate students to obtain a master’s degree in their chosen field of specialization within 2 to 3 semesters past BS graduation, through double counting up to 9 credit hours towards both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This is referred to as the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) degree program. Following is the pathway for the ABM program.
Step 1 – Verify your eligibility for applying to the ABM program
- You must have completed at least 75 credit hours (this typically means junior standing)
- If you are a transfer student, you must have completed at least two semesters at NCSU, earning a minimum of 24 credit hours
- You must not have already received a BS degree
- You must have an overall GPA ≥ 3.5 and major GPA ≥ 3.25
Step 2 – Apply for ABM by following the steps below
- Determine your area of interest from the list of graduate specialty areas on the next page.
- Talk to the ABM advisor in the specialty area (provided below), and agree on a tentative ABM Plan of Work (POW) that would suit your interests and satisfy the ABM requirements. A finalized ABM POW must be in place before completion of the BS degree.
- Submit an application at go.ncsu.edu/ccee-abm, which includes the tentative ABM POW.
- The application will first be reviewed by the ABM advisor and a recommendation will be made to the department. The final determination will be made after a joint review by the directors of undergraduate and graduate programs, after which you will be notified.
Step 3 – While in the ABM program, maintain status by following the steps below:
- With the specialty area ABM advisor’s help, prepare a tentative Graduate POW, that complements the Undergraduate POW.
- Up to 9 credit hours can be double counted, they must be at the 500 level, and they must be selected from the approved list of courses in the specialty area (provided in the subsequent pages).
- The (tentative) Graduate POW must be formally approved by the ABM advisor.
- It is your responsibility to ensure that both the Graduate POW and Undergraduate POW satisfy the respective master’s and undergraduate degree requirements
- You must maintain an overall GPA ≥ 3.5 and a major GPA ≥ 3.25 until you enter the master’s program.
- Only graduate courses with a grade ≥ B can be double counted. Courses with a grade ≤ B- cannot be counted towards the master’s degree.
- Towards the end of your bachelor’s program, you must formally apply to the master’s program, per deadlines published by the graduate school. Note that the GRE may be waived for ABM students – consult with your ABM advisor. The application must include to include a completed and signed ABM Plan of Work.
- You must complete the master’s degree within a time limit (12 months if MCE/MENE, 18 months if MSCE/MSENE), to take advantage of the double counting associated with the ABM. If you do not graduate within this time, you will be considered a regular master’s student needing to take the full 30/31 graduate credits solely towards your master’s degree.
Graduate Specialty Areas for ABM
Degrees earned will be distributed as: "Master of Civil Engineering" without specialization specifications.
- Computing and Systems
- Construction Engineering
- EWC – Air
- EWC – Environmental Process Engineering
- EWC – Water Resource and Coastal Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Structural Engineering and Mechanics
- Transportation Materials
- Transportation Systems
Allowable Courses by Specialty Area
COMPUTING SYSTEMS
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 536 | Introduction to Numerical Methods for Civil Engineers | 3 |
| CE 537 | Computer Methods and Applications | 3 |
| CE 538 | Information Technology and Modeling | 3 |
| CE 590 | Special Topics In Civil Engineering (Civil Engineering Systems) | 1-6 |
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 561 | Construction Project Management | 3 |
| CE 562 | Lean Construction Concepts and Methods | 3 |
| CE 564 | Legal Aspects of Contracting | 3 |
| CE 565 | Construction Safety Management | 3 |
| CE 567 | Risk and Financial Management in Construction | 3 |
| CE 592 | Special Topics in Construction Engineering | 1-6 |
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| Advanced Strength of Materials | |
| Theory and Design Of Prestressed Concrete | |
| Theory and Behavior Of Steel Structures | |
| Analysis and Design Of Masonry Structures | |
| Engineering Properties Of Soils I | |
EWC – AIR
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 576 | Engineering Principles Of Air Pollution Control * | 3 |
| CE 578 | Energy and Climate * | 3 |
| CE 579 | Principles of Air Quality Engineering * | 3 |
EWC – ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS ENGINEERING
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 571 | Physical Principles of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 573 | Biological Principles of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 574 | Chemical Principles of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 577 | Engineering Principles Of Solid Waste Management * | 3 |
| CE 578 | Energy and Climate * | 3 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Global Sanitation) * | 1-6 |
EWC – WATER RESOURCES, COASTAL
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 581 | Fluid Mechanics in Natural Environments | 3 |
| CE 583 | Engineering Aspects Of Coastal Processes | 3 |
| CE 584 | Hydraulics Of Ground Water | 3 |
| CE 586 | Engineering Hydrology | 3 |
| CE 588 | Water Resources Engineering * | 3 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Coastal Hydrodynamics) * | 1-6 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Coastal Modeling) | 1-6 |
| CE 596 | Special Topics in Water Resource and Environmental Engineering (Surface Water Quality Modeling) | 1-6 |
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 548 | Engineering Properties Of Soils I | 3 |
| CE 584 | Hydraulics Of Ground Water | 3 |
| CE 593 | Special Topics in Geotechnical Engineering (Dynamics of Soils and Foundations) | 1-3 |
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| Advanced Strength of Materials | |
| Finite Element Method in Structural Engineering | |
| Engineering Principles Of Solid Waste Management | |
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 515 | Advanced Strength of Materials | 3 |
| CE 522 | Theory and Design Of Prestressed Concrete | 3 |
| CE 523 | Theory and Behavior Of Steel Structures | 3 |
| CE 524 | Analysis and Design Of Masonry Structures | 3 |
| CE 525 | Advanced Structural Analysis | 3 |
| CE 526 | Finite Element Method in Structural Engineering | 3 |
| CE 527 | Structural Dynamics | 3 |
| CE 528 | Structural Design in Wood | 3 |
| CE 529 | FRP Strengthening and Repair of Concrete Structures | 3 |
| CE 530 | Properties of Concrete and Advanced Cement-Based Composites | 3 |
TRANSPORTATION MATERIALS
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 515 | Advanced Strength of Materials | 3 |
| CE 530 | Properties of Concrete and Advanced Cement-Based Composites | 3 |
| CE 548 | Engineering Properties Of Soils I | 3 |
| CE 595 | Special Topics in Transportation Engineering (A - Asphalt and Bituminous Materials) | 1-6 |
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CE 501 | Transportation Planning * | 3 |
| CE 502 | Traffic Operations * | 3 |
| CE 503 | Transportation System Design * | 3 |
| CE 504 | Airport Planning and Design | 3 |
| CE 505 | Railroad System Planning, Design, and Operation | 3 |
| CE 509 | Highway Safety | 3 |
