Master of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering
The George Washington University - School of Engineering & Applied Science
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Program Overview
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers graduate degree and certificate programs that are designed to help students explore solutions for issues such as improving clean water access; designing intelligent transportation systems to alleviate traffic congestion; improving the crash-worthiness of cars; and designing bridges to become more resistant to earthquake.
Students choose from six areas of focus:
- Engineering Mechanics
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation Safety Engineering
- Water Safety Engineering
The Department collaborates with several entities throughout the greater D.C. metropolitan area for research, including:
- the Center for Intelligence Systems Research (CISR) for developing intelligent transportation systems;
- the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay Watershed on improving water quality;
In addition, the Science and Engineering Hall on GW's main campus features a new high bay (pictured above), which students in civil and environmental engineering may utilize in their studies to test the strength of heavy objects against a strong wall and strong floor.
Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (M.S.)
- Credit hours: 33 (with thesis) or 30 (without thesis).
- Thesis options: Two - Students who choose to complete a thesis take 24 credit hours of coursework and 6 credit hours for conducting thesis research. Students who choose the non-thesis option take 33 credit hours of coursework.
M.S. Admissions Requirements
Applicants must submit the following materials in order to be considered for admission into a master's program at SEAS. All materials except test scores must be uploaded to the online application form:
Online Application
Transcripts
- Scanned copies of unofficial transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned; the program was not completed; or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript.
- Please ensure that all transcripts are properly scanned and attached to the online application form. Otherwise, applicants will receive notifications requesting legible transcripts, which may delay review of their application.
- Please do not mail official transcripts unless you are instructed to do so by a SEAS admissions officer. Admissions decisions are based on unofficial transcripts.
- For international applicants, please see additional requirements for attaching foreign transcripts to the online application.
GRE scores
- The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is required of all applicants, except for those applying for a Combined Five-Year Program.
- GRE scores must be sent to institution code 5246 through the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
- There is no minimum score required on the GRE for admission. However, applicants are encouraged to score within the 90th percentile of the Quantitative section of the exam in order to be considered competitive. To see average GRE scores from the most recent incoming class, visit the Graduate Student Profile.
English proficiency exam scores (international applicants)
- International applicants who did not receive a degree from an institution situated in the United States or English-speaking country must also submit scores from the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic exams.
- Please view the International Admissions section for information on English language exam score requirements and sending scores to GW.
Letters of Recommendation
- A minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation is required to be submitted with the online application form. These may be from your academic advisor, professor, and/or employer.
Statement of Purpose
- Applicants must include an essay of 250-500 words that clearly states their purpose in undertaking graduate study at the George Washington University; explains their academic objectives, research interests, and career plans; and discusses related qualifications including collegiate, professional, and community activities, as well as any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned.
- It is strongly encouraged that essays stay within the 500 word limit. While applicants are not penalized for submitting longer essays, concise essays are more effective in demonstrating an applicant's motivation.
- The Statement of Purpose must be written by the applicant. Any essay found to have been written by anyone other than the applicant, or plagiarized from other published materials, will be withdrawn from consideration.
Résumé/CV
- A current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) should be uploaded with the online application form.
- If you have published articles in peer-reviewed publications, please include them as a hyperlink.
M.S. applicants must also demonstrate the following requirements in order to be considered for admission:
- A bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 credits of undergraduate work.
- A bachelor's degree in another field, in which the applicant may be required to take a set of deficiency courses, to be determined by the department on a case-by-case basis.
This school offers programs in:
- English
Last updated November 13, 2018
