College: College of Engineering
Designation: Department
Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degrees Offered: M.S., Ph.D.
Other: Ph.D. Minor
Faculty: Professors Russell (chair), Adams, Anderson, Andren, Bahia, Bank, Benson, Bosscher, Cramer, Edil, Hanna, Hoopes, Lillesand, Mickelson, Noguera, Park, Potter, Scarpace, Schauer, Sonzogni, Vonderohe; Associate Professors Harrington, Oliva, Pincheira, Ran, Wu; Assistant Professors Guo, McMahon, Noyce, Veeramani
The aim of the civil and environmental engineering program is to develop leaders in education, industry, and government who can use their acquired skills to improve society. The program provides a comprehensive framework of courses in the broad area of civil and environmental engineering with opportunities to develop specialized expertise. It also emphasizes the development of integrated teamwork abilities, communication, leadership, and creative research skills. Graduate study in the department offers an opportunity to undertake advanced study and research in various areas of specialization. Areas include:
* Transportation engineering--highway and traffic engineering, intelligent transportation systems, transportation planning, and municipal engineering
* Geographic and land information systems--geodesy, remote sensing, and photogrammetry
* Structural engineering--structural analysis and design of wood, concrete, steel, and highway bridge structures; design for earthquake and wind loading; seismic rehabilitation
* Construction engineering and management--construction materials; geoenvironmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, and soil mechanics; hydrology, hydraulic engineering, environmental fluid mechanics, coastal engineering, and water resources engineering
* Environmental engineering--water supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, air pollution, and biotechnology
Students may also pursue studies in the broad fields of environmental engineering/science and systems analysis. Areas of specialization are organized into a constructed facilities division (including transportation engineering, geographical and land information systems, structural engineering, construction engineering and management, and geotechnical engineering) and an environmental engineering division (including geoenvironmental engineering, environmental fluid mechanics and water resources engineering, environmental engineering/science, and water chemistry).
Degrees require a coordinated core program of courses, selected from CEE and other department/program offerings. Graduate degree programs closely associated with the department include environmental chemistry and technology, water resources management, geological engineering, land resources, environmental monitoring, and limnology and marine science.
Graduates of both the department and closely related programs have gone on to professional careers in government agencies, consulting firms, the construction industry, education, research, development, and in interdisciplinary fields such as bioengineering, ocean engineering, and space engineering. The department office may be consulted for specific career information.
In support of the instructional and research programs are laboratory facilities for geographic and land information systems, photogrammetry, and remote sensing; highway materials; transportation systems; soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering; coastal and hydraulic engineering; environmental fluid mechanics; and environmental engineering processes and engineering chemistry. Additional facilities for structural, geoenvironmental, and geotechnical research are available in the Structures and Materials Testing Laboratory. Water resources engineering, environmental engineering, and water chemistry have additional research facilities in the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory on the shore of Lake Mendota. The Environmental Engineering Field Laboratory is located at the Nine-Springs Madison Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Master's candidates choose from two options for their programs of study: the 24-credit thesis program, or the 30-credit advanced independent-study program. Applicants who do not have a bachelor's degree may also pursue a master's degree in civil engineering. This program requires at least 40 credits of graduate work of which at least 30 credits must be in civil and environmental engineering as described below in admission requirements. Selection of a program depends on the candidate's educational objectives. The proposed courses are approved by the major professor and must conform to the requirements of the specific program as well as those of the Graduate School and the department. Detailed descriptions of requirements for specific programs or areas of study may be obtained from faculty in the area of study or from department Web sites.
Students pursuing a Ph.D. degree develop their academic program in consultation with their advisor on an individual basis, reflecting their previous academic work, experience, and goals. In-depth, advanced course work in a major departmental area is required. Students must also complete a minor of 10-12 credits outside the major program. Satisfactory completion of qualifying, preliminary, and thesis defense examinations is required.
Students working toward the Ph.D. degree and majoring in another department may take a minor in civil and environmental engineering. The minor professor for each student is selected by mutual agreement between professor and student, or by arrangements made with the help of the department chair. The student, in consultation with the minor professor, selects a program of related courses and/or research work of not less than 12 credits. The program must receive faculty approval.
M.S. applicants who have a bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program or from a recognized international institution may be recommended for admission to the Graduate School, provided (1) their GPA for the last 60 credits (entire program for international students) is 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and (2) a faculty member in their area of specialization agrees to act as advisor. International applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam (achieving a score of 550 or higher), or from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Applicants who do not have a bachelor's degree as specified in the previous paragraph may also study for the master of science in civil and environmental engineering. However, to become eligible for this program, these applicants must also meet the following requirements, some of which may be completed as deficiencies after admission:
* Have adequate preparation and show promise in their chosen field of study
* Meet the following prerequisite requirements: Math 221, 222, 234 or equivalent; Statistics 224 or equivalent; Physics 201 and 202 or equivalent; and one year of college chemistry
Candidates must also meet the specific entrance requirements of the area of study to which they seek admission. Descriptions of these specific requirements may be obtained from a faculty member in the area of specialty or from the department Web site. This program requires at least 40 credits of graduate work, of which at least 30 must be in civil and environmental engineering. Contact the student services coordinator in the department office for further information.
A Ph.D. applicant must meet the same GPA requirements and faculty advisor conditions as for the M.S. applicant, including the GRE and TOEFL (or IELTS) for international applicants.
Financial support is available through university fellowships, research and project assistantships, and teaching assistantships. Request for aid is noted on the application form and may also be made through contact with faculty in the area of specialization.
For more information: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2205 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706; 608/262-3542; cee@engr.wisc.edu; www.engr.wisc.edu/cee.