School of Engineering - Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

Rafael G. Quimpo, PhD, PE, Chair

Web site: http://www.engrng.pitt.edu/~civwww/graduate/index.html

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers graduate study and research leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The MS in Civil Engineering and PhD in Engineering may be pursued in one of the following five areas:

Structural Mechanics and Structural Design

Behavior and design of concrete structures, steel structures, and composite (steel-concrete) structures; bridge and building structures; wind and earthquake engineering; fatigue and fracture; load and resistance factor design; material characteristics and performance; structural mechanics; structural dynamics; finite element analysis; computer analysis and computer-aided design; structural reliability.

Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering

Hydrodynamics, computational fluid mechanics and hydraulics, river mechanics, open channel hydraulics, hydraulic transport of solids, flows through porous media, unsteady flows with movable boundaries, biofluid mechanics, hydraulic engineering, surface and ground water hydrology.

Environmental Engineering

Fundamentals of environmental science and applications to include aquatic chemistry and microbiology, chemical and biological measurements, water and wastewater treatment technologies, solid and hazardous waste management, environmental modeling, fates of pollutants, and environmental impact assessment.

Geotechnical Engineering

Engineering geology, site evaluation, physical and chemical properties of soils, theoretical and experimental soil mechanics. Retaining and earth structures, foundation engineering, pavement design. Dynamics of soil systems, seepage and ground water flow, rock mechanics.

Transportation and Urban Systems

Traffic analysis, management and control, urban transportation planning, transportation network analysis, analysis and design of urban systems.

The MS in Civil Engineering may also be pursued in construction management. This is a course-based (no thesis) degree. There are no current research activities in this area in the department.

Graduate Regulations in Civil Engineering

The general regulations given previously apply to all graduate programs in the School of Engineering. Special regulations and options that apply to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are discussed here. A more detailed listing of graduate requirements is available from the academic coordinator of the department.

Advising

In all cases the faculty advisor must be in the area of the student's major interest.

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

The general requirements for the three options for the MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering (thesis, non-thesis, and professional) are detailed below:

Thesis Option: 24 course credits (eight courses) minimum (27 credits or nine courses in the environmental program) and thesis (six credits), with comprehensive and final examinations

Non-Thesis Option: 30 course credits (ten courses) minimum and three-credit project, comprehensive and final examination

Professional Option: 30 course credits (ten courses) minimum

Students supported as graduate research assistants and all students intending to continue for a PhD degree are required to pursue the thesis option. The professional option is not available to students supported as graduate research or teaching assistants. All other students may elect to pursue the appropriate option after consultation with their faculty advisor.

MS Examination Structure

As noted above, those students not pursuing the professional MS option must take and pass both the comprehensive examination and the final oral examination.

Comprehensive Examination

This examination is given to all students during the last term of the program. It may be either an oral examination or, at the recommendation of the area faculty, a written examination. It is administered by an MS committee made up of the faculty advisor (as chair), plus a minimum of two other faculty members from fields related to the student's interest. If the result of the examination is unsatisfactory, subsequent action is at the discretion of the MS committee.

Final Oral Examination

The purpose of this examination is to evaluate the student's MS thesis or project and/or related course work. The examination is administered by the MS committee, chaired by the student's major advisor.

Joint Master's Degree

A student is able to earn the Master of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Master of Science degree in Mathematics at the same time. In general, 42 credits are required, and students must complete the fundamental courses in both areas.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements

Students pursuing the PhD must complete the following minimum credit requirements:

• 30 course credits (ten courses) in major area
• 15 additional course or special investigation credits in major area
• Nine course credits (three courses) in minor area
• 18 credits of dissertation research

The total number of credits above these minimum requirements will depend on the student's background, academic achievement, and dissertation topic. This decision will be made in consultation with the major advisor.

Plan of Study

The PhD Plan of Study is prepared by the student with the aid of the student's faculty advisor during the student's first two terms of graduate study. It should be approved and signed by the faculty advisor, all other faculty members in the program area, the graduate coordinator, and the department chair. Copies should be made available to the student, faculty advisor, and the academic coordinator. Any change in the Plan of Study must be approved by the faculty advisor and the academic coordinator, and should likewise be recorded.

PhD Examination Structure

All PhD candidates must pass the preliminary, comprehensive, and final oral examinations:

Preliminary Examination

The purpose of this examination is to determine the student's potential to complete the PhD program. It is organized by the advisor and faculty from the student's program area, before or sometime during the first two terms of the program.

Comprehensive Examination

All PhD students must take this examination toward the end of their course work. The examination will be administered by the comprehensive examination committee, and will cover the student's major and minor areas. It is designed to evaluate the student's mastery of the course material needed for independent research. The examination consists of two parts: a written examination lasting several days, and an oral examination of approximately three hours' duration. Portions of the written examination may be waived by the committee. The committee will consist of at least four faculty members as follows: the major advisor as chairman, one full-time faculty member from the student's program area, one additional faculty member from the department, and one member from outside the department representing the non-civil engineering minor area.

Final Oral Examination

This is an oral defense of the student's PhD dissertation. The examination will be administered by the doctoral committee. The doctoral committee will consist of the major advisor as chair, at least two faculty members from the student's program area within the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (if available), and at least one faculty member from outside the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

Graduate Civil Engineering Courses