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Graduate Degrees

Abbie Liel - grad student

"One of the things I've been working on is collaboration with the Applied Technology Council - they do building code development often funded by FEMA. That for me has been a great experience. I've gotten to see how decisions are made and how our research gets translated into practice."

"I've made a lot of great contacts - I now know engineers from the bigger name firms in Seattle and San Francisco. It's been a great opportunity for me because the work is fairly directly related to my research."

Successful applicants will be advised as to the degree and program for which they are admitted. If students wish to shift from one program to another after being accepted, a departmental application must be filed with the department, and they will be advised if the transfer is possible. After 1 quarter of enrollment at Stanford, students who wish to continue toward a degree beyond the one for which they were originally admitted, should submit a departmental form to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

For further information on the graduate academic program and all admission inquiries, please contact Brenda Sampson (brenda.sampson@stanford.edu).

Co-Term Program

Stanford undergraduates may work simultaneously toward a bachelor's and a master's degree. The degrees may be granted simultaneously or the bachelor's degree may be awarded first.

Students applying for the coterminal degree must have earned a minium of 120 units towards graduation as shown on the undergraduate unofficial transcript. This includes allowable advanced Placement (AP) and transfer credit.

CEE coterm applicants who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit their application no later than the fourth Friday of the quarter prior to the expected completion of their undergraduate degree. This is normally the fourth Friday of Winter Quarter prior to Spring Quarter graduation.

Stanford undergradutes with any major who are interested in learning more about receiving an CEE Master's Degree as a coterm should review the information on the registrar's website and visit the CEE Student Services Office in Terman Engineering Center M42.

Masters of Science

Programs are available leading to the M.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering with the following special field designation on the transcript: Construction Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering and Science, Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology, Geomechanics, and Structural Engineering and Design/Construction Integration . Detailed statements of the requirements for all master's degrees and the specific designation may be obtained from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering office.

Students admitted to graduate study with a B.S. in civil engineering (or its equivalent) from an accredited curriculum can satisfy the requirements for the M.S. degree in civil and environmental engineering by completing a minimum 45 units of study beyond the B.S. A minimum 2.75 letter grade indicator (LGI) is required for candidates to be recommended for the M.S. degree. No thesis is required. Stanford University does not grant transfer credit (for graduate course completed elsewhere) toward a MS degree.

The program of study must be approved by the faculty of the department and should include at least 45 units of courses in engineering, mathematics, science, and related fields unless it can be shown that other work is pertinent to the student's objectives.

Candidates for the M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering who do not have a B.S. in civil engineering may, in addition to the above, be required to complete those undergraduate courses deemed important to their graduate programs. In such cases, more than three quarters of residence is usually required to obtain the degree.

Engineer

A student with an M.S. in Civil Engineering or Civil and Environmental Engineering may satisfy the requirements of the degree of Engineer in Civil and Environmental Engineering by completing, 90 or more units of work including an acceptable thesis (12 to 15 units) and maintaining a 'B' LGI average (3.0) or higher. The program of study must be approved by the member(s) of the faculty of the department. Up to 45 units of credit for graduate study completed elsewhere ay be transferred toward this degree.

The Engineer degree is recommended for those desiring additional graduate education, especially those planning a career in professional practice. The thesis normally should be started in the first quarter of graduate study after the M.S. degree. Programs are offered in the fields of specialization mentioned for the M.S. degree.

Doctor of Philosophy

A student with a master's degree in civil engineering may satisfy the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in civil and environmental engineering by completing 135 units including an acceptable dissertation. Up to 45 units of credit for graduate study completed elsewhere may be transferred toward this degree, such that a minimum of 90 units are completed at Stanford.

In addition to completion of a satisfactory research dissertation, successful performance is required on both a departmental general qualifying exam and a University dissertation oral examination.

Experience has shown that few students complete the Ph.D within the minimum residence period, and prospective doctoral students should plan for at least one extra year. The program of study must be approved by the faculty of the department.

Postdoctoral Scholars

Detailed information about Postdoctoral positions at Stanford may be found on the Postdoctoral Scholars at Stanford University web site. As soon as you receive an offer from CEE, contact Brenda Sampson via email who will assist you with the required paperwork.