Masters in Civil Engineering

Contact Now

Overview

Infrastructure improvements are necessary for development, and civil engineers are required for the growth of infrastructure. Large-scale construction projects are becoming more prevalent in developing countries. The need for environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and ergonomic designs has led to a continuous demand for skilled civil engineers worldwide. For the most talented civil engineers, a degree from one of the best colleges for master’s programs in civil engineering might be a huge career boost.

The advantage of having hands-on experience with the most up-to-date technology and software, combined with exposure to international engineering standards, sets you apart from the competition. What’s even better is that there are several student loan and scholarship opportunities available for those seeking a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) states that a civil engineer’s job is to maintain and improve the built environment’s quality to raise the standard of living for both the current and future generations. However, it is also required of a master’s degree holder in civil engineering to actively participate in project design and construction supervision. Civil engineers are required for the design, construction, and maintenance of several major projects, including buildings, skyscrapers, roads, highways, bridges, railroads, metros, and airports.

What is offered by a Civil Engineering Master's program?

Because of its comprehensive course structure, the Master of Civil Engineering program offers a very broad depth, even in its lack of specialization. It consists of the following:
Structures: The emphasis is on innovative concrete and steel structures.
Construction: It includes the tools and techniques used in the building process. Along with budgeting and planning, the functions of a constructor are addressed.
Transportation: The fundamentals of transportation engineering are covered. The design of transportation infrastructure as well as traffic engineering and management are prioritized.
Geotechnics: Geotechnics involves learning about Foundation Design and designing earth structures.

Water and Environment:
Students studying this subject will learn about the designs of drainage and water delivery systems. They are given an overview of ocean engineering. They can get a greater understanding of how energy, the environment, and air quality control are connected.
Depending on what aspects the institution offers or the choices made by the student, the focus on each topic may change. All top colleges offering master’s programs in civil engineering, however, emphasize educating engineers to create environmentally friendly designs and motivating them to consider the impact of climate change. Many colleges place a strong emphasis on public works engineering.

Where to enroll for a Master's degree in Civil Engineering?

Out of the top three universities for civil engineering, two are in the United States, according to the 2019 QS World University Rankings. In terms of quality education for Master’s in Civil Engineering, Singapore ranks among the best countries, just after the US. Europe’s top country for a Master’s in Civil Engineering is England, but other excellent choices include the Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland.

What are the criteria for eligibility for a Master's in Civil Engineering?

When seeking a Master’s in Civil Engineering from a prestigious university, students had to take into account the following three requirements for academic eligibility. It is important to understand that these three eligibility criteria are commonly used. However, they may not be suitable for every university, and they may not cover all the requirements for admission to a course.

IELTS and TOEFL
Scores on the TOEFL and IELTS are very important since most of the best colleges for civil engineering are either in English-speaking countries or offer education in English. Applicants should confirm the minimal score needed to apply or receive admission to a course. Depending on the university, department, and course, this may vary.
GRE
The selection process takes into account the importance of GRE scores in evaluating the application. The total GRE score is taken into account by some universities. While some may choose to focus on specific sections of the GRE, others may opt to look at the overall score without placing too much emphasis on individual components.
Your application’s acceptance or a competitive advantage over other candidates during the final selection process may depend on your GRE results. Notably, your performance on the Physics and Mathematics GRE Subject Tests may potentially provide you with an advantage over other students.

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements
The most crucial need for enrollment in a reputable institution’s Master of Civil Engineering program is a Bachelor of Science degree. Still, it might not be sufficient to have only an undergraduate science degree. Candidates with an undergraduate engineering background, especially in civil engineering or a related field, are chosen by the best universities.
When determining whether to accept an application or provide admission, the Bachelor’s course GPA may be taken into consideration. Of course, relevant industry experience matters!

Specialization

In employment, the following specializations in civil engineering are in great demand:

Construction Management

To handle the more significant issues that arise both before and after construction tasks begin, this course combines the most advanced elements of business and technology. While technical aspects of civil engineering are covered in depth, the focus of this course is primarily on large-scale infrastructure project management, public policy, sustainability, economic and environmental efficiency, logistics, and prudent resource use.

Parts of the course

The main course components include project management, financial planning, strategic challenges in construction management, and sustainable construction. Focus is also placed on using IT technologies and Building Information Modeling for smarter construction management, including risk management, production rate forecasting, and budgetary control. Students are required to select a specific number of technical modules from the overall civil engineering course structure.

Job Opportunities

Employment opportunities for Civil engineers specializing in Construction Management include roles such as Building Surveyors, Estate Managers, Sustainability Consultants, Site Engineers, Facilities Managers, and Geotechnical Engineers.

Geological Engineering

Geological engineers get training in the study and use of geology to address issues related to civil engineering projects. Geological engineers frequently work on projects including the evaluation of groundwater resources, the selection of sites for civil engineering projects, the study of environmental impacts, and evaluations for the responsible use of minerals.

Typically, geological engineers collaborate closely with both non-specialist and specialized civil engineers. Their work is vital for jobs involving civil engineering.

Parts of the course

Designing geological engineering projects, using remote sensing, GIS and its uses, soil mechanics, geologic field methods, environmental risk assessment, groundwater remediation, Subsurface hydrology, introduction to rock engineering, renewable energy, properties and applications of aggregates, hazardous waste management, numerical methods for subsurface flows, and advanced environmental engineering approaches for mining using advanced geotechnics, ground penetrating radar, surface waves, and landslide analysis and prevention.

Job Opportunities

With a Master’s degree in Geological Engineering, you can work as a Mining Engineer, Mining Safety Engineer, Geoscientist, Petroleum Engineer, Hydrologist, Environmental Engineer, or Health and Safety Specialist.

Structural Engineering

Despite being a conventional field, this specialization in civil engineering has consistently remained in demand. It is the design-oriented field of civil engineering concerned with the study of the influence of force on material. 

This course primarily focuses on the examination of structural behavior under various service and environmental loads. Emphasis is placed on understanding the static and dynamic effects of these loads. The course extensively covers computational methods that are central to the analytical techniques taught.

Parts of the course

Advanced structural analysis; advanced engineering materials; geoenvironmental planning; design of concrete, steel, and composites; seismic analysis; design of bridges; finite element analysis; design of timber and masonry; structural reliability and risk assessment; sustainable built environments; introduction to earthquake engineering and design that is earthquake-resistant; and random vibrations are the key modules of the course.

Job Opportunities

Employment opportunities for structural engineers are abundant in companies that need structural analysts, construction engineers, bridge engineers, highway engineers, structural designers, sustainability consultants, and infrastructure project managers, among other positions.

Infrastructure Engineering

The master’s degree program in civil engineering offers a concentration that emphasizes the importance of preserving and enhancing civil infrastructure. Students will gain expertise in evaluating and sustaining transportation, water, and building systems for governmental bodies at the local, state, or national levels. Infrastructure projects including dams, roads, highways, pipelines and canal systems, trains, bridges, and tunnels are among the things engineers study to work on.

Infrastructure engineering prioritizes several areas, including preventing excessive settlement, designing transportation facilities, improving the quality of the soil to sustain the pressure of structures, and maintaining structural stability.

Parts of the course

Infrastructure engineering’s primary focus areas are infrastructure modeling and risk and uncertainty assessment. Pavement design, soil behavior, dynamic soil analysis, materials mechanics, foundations, highway materials, site improvement, urban transport systems, resilience analysis, spatial analysis, waste management, advanced geographic information systems, sensors, statistical techniques, probability, and disaster management are among the additional topics covered.

Job Opportunities

A master’s degree in infrastructure engineering from a reputable university would enable employment with the world’s top public and private sector companies. Infrastructure Analyst, Infrastructure Architect, Tunnel Engineer, Infrastructure Planning Engineer, Infrastructure Consultant, etc. are some of the primary job titles in this field of expertise.

Transportation Planning and Engineering

It covers the design, building, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. One of the main topics of this course is how transportation systems affect the environment. Identifying, analyzing, and solving the primary issues in transporting goods and people is the main focus.

Among the main topics covered in the course are traffic management, road safety, planning and maintenance for public transportation, road geometry, transportation infrastructure, and system dynamics.

Parts of the course

Traffic Engineering Design, Transport Economics, Transport Modeling, Transport Network Modeling, Transport Demand Management, Railway Signaling and Control, Transport Safety Planning, Integrated Transport Networks, Data Collection and Analysis, Building Sustainable Transport Systems, Public Transport Modeling, and Transport Policy are among the modules covered in a Master of Transportation and Engineering program.

Job Opportunities

Graduates with a specialization in Transportation Planning and Engineering can work as highway engineers, airport engineers, railway construction engineers, transportation coordinators, transportation planners, transport logistics managers, transport system designers, and transport policy consultants, among numerous other positions.

Best 5 Career Options for Civil Engineering Professionals

Skilled civil engineers are in demand for a variety of positions, regardless of whether they have completed a general or specialized Master’s in Civil Engineering program.

Structural Engineer
Project Engineer
Transportation Engineer
Design Engineer
Staff Engineer

Book a Free Call