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MS Structural Engineering

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The Master of Science Program in Structural Engineering combines a group of required courses, selected from within each area of the program, with a broad range of electives, permitting each student to design a program focusing on aspects of particular interest.

Our goal is to make your time at Stanford as productive as possible. You are encouraged to use electives to build a program that fits your special strengths and interests.  As you choose electives, feel free to consult the course instructors and check the detailed course descriptions in the Stanford Bulletin.  Click here to download a checklist to help you verify that you meet these requirements.

The Master of Science degree is a 45-unit program devoted primarily to coursework. Students interested in participating in research projects may enroll for up to 6 units in CEE299.

Students have flexibility in selecting courses focusing on the area within the program which is of greatest interest to them. Diversity is encouraged.

In addition to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s offerings, related coursework is also available from other departments such as Aerospace & Astronautics, Computer Science, Earth & Planetary Sciences, Earth Systems Science, Electrical Engineering, Geophysics, Mechanical Engineering, and Management Science and Engineering.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

The Structural Engineering and Mechanics Program is open to applicants with backgrounds in all areas of engineering and science. Certain basic subjects from the traditional areas of civil engineering are considered essential for a student who will receive the master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering, and are prerequisites for required courses in the program. These requirements are usually fulfilled by an ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, but if you lack any of the courses on the following list, you should anticipate including them in your graduate studies. Taking these courses may extend the amount of time required to complete the graduate degree. These courses must be taken for a letter grade, but prerequisites to these courses may be taken pass/no credit.

  • Mechanics of Materials (CEE101A)
  • Geotechnical Engineering (CEE101C)
  • Structural Analysis (CEE180)
  • Structural Design (CEE182)
  • Programming Methodology (CS106A or CS106X)

Degree Requirements

This is a complete list of requirements for completing the MS degree in Structural Engineering.

  1. Forty-five total units of coursework relevant  to the profession of structural engineering must be completed.
  2. Five Structural Engineering Core Courses must be completed.
  3. Thirty units of coursework must be taken within the graduate-level Structural Engineering and Mechanics Program. Acceptable courses for these 30 units consist of any of the Structural Engineering Core Courses, as well as courses from the Breadth Electives Courses (courses offered for 3-4 units may count as 4 units towards this requirement, regardless of enrollment units, but please note that if enrolled for 3 units, only 3 units will count towards the minimum 45 unit requirement for degree conferral).
  4. At least 36 units must be completed within the School of Engineering.
  5. All courses taken to fulfill the thirty units within the graduate-level Structural Engineering and Mechanics program (item 3), and at least 36 units of courses, must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, no more than 6 units may be taken CR/NC, subject to approval by your advisor.
  6. The following exception to items 5 applies: there is no restriction on the number of units taken for CR/NC in Summer 2020, Autumn 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021 that may be counted to satisfy the degree requirements.
  7. No more than 10 units of undergraduate coursework may be counted toward the degree. As per University policy, all units for a graduate degree must be in courses at or above the 100-level.
  8. No more than 6 units of the undergraduate prerequisites listed above may be counted toward the degree.
  9. No more than a total of 6 units of combined Independent Study and CPT units may be counted toward the degree.
  10. CEE 298, the Structural Engineering and Mechanics Seminar, must be completed
  11. No more than 3 units of seminar courses may be counted toward the degree.
  12. Your study list must be coordinated with and approved by your academic advisor.

Explore the Structural Engineering Program