MS Geomechanics Degree Requirements

Planning Guidelines

The Master of Science Program in Geomechanics 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. However, except for the seminar classes, all courses from your major program area must be taken for a letter grade. As you choose electives, feel free to consult the course instructors and check the detailed course descriptions on Explore Courses.

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 that 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)
  • Design of Steel Structures (CEE181)
  • Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures (CEE182)
  • Programming Methodology (CS106A or CS106X)

Degree Requirements

The following is a complete list of requirements for completing the MS degree in Geomechanics.

  1. Forty-five total units of coursework must be completed.
  2. All five Geomechanics Core Courses must be completed.
  3. Fifteen units of coursework must be taken from the Breadth Electives Courses.
  4. Thirty-six units of courses must be taken within the School of Engineering
  5. 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.
  6. No more than 6 units of the undergraduate prerequisites listed above may be counted toward the degree.
  7. No more than a total of 6 units of combined Independent Study and CPT units may be counted toward the degree.
  8. CEE 298, the Structural Engineering and Geomechanics Seminar, must be completed.
  9. No more than 3 units of seminar courses may be counted toward the degree.
  10. All courses from your major program area must be taken for a letter grade unless the course is offered only with the credit/no credit grading option.
  11. Your study list must be coordinated with and approved by your academic advisor.

Non-acceptable Units

Non-technical courses, such as remedial English-language instruction (EFSLANG courses checked as required on the Report on English Screening), music courses, and physical education, may not be included in the 45 units of required course work.  Students may take any courses they wish beyond the 45 program units.

Note: students with "required" or "strongly recommended" remedial English courses (such as Linguistics 693A, etc.) must complete these course or have them waived before applying for graduation.