Civil Engineering students in the lab

Civil & Environmental Engineering
MS

Offered as: 
On-campus
Graduate
STEM
STEM OPT

The need for advanced degrees in civil and environmental engineering is both regional and global.

UMassD's Master of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering provides professionals with the skills needed to handle today's challenges, with opportunities to specialize in:

  • structural and geotechnical engineering
  • environmental and water resources engineering
  • transportation engineering

Through faculty consulting and student projects, the civil and environmental engineering program has forged strong bonds in southeastern Massachusetts, one of the state's fastest-growing regions. The program:

  • contributes to the growth of regional industries, businesses, and governmental agencies
  • addresses problems related to development and infrastructure
  • provides an accessible source of graduate education for the region's engineering employees

Faculty also address environmental problems that impact economic development, including:

  • water quality and quantity issues
  • lake eutrophication
  • hazardous waste handling
  • preservation of the ecological health of the bays
  • industrial wastewater treatment
  • solid waste handling
  • leachate collection and treatment

The program offers:

  • small classes
  • close contact with faculty who have a diverse set of research interests and industry experiences
  • access to well-supported research facilities
  • state-of-the-art computational and experimental research facilities
  • opportunities for full-time or part-time study
  • convenient class schedule for students who are employed

Student success

Civil and Environmental Engineering student Olivia Sousa
Olivia Sousa '24, '25

Sousa earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at UMass Dartmouth through the BS/MS 4+1 program. She worked with Assistant Professor Nefeli Bompoti on a project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency on "Brownfields Revitalization Anti-Displacement Strategies." 

Research

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department faculty are active in funded research activities, providing opportunities to support graduate students in conducting world-class research in areas such as:

  • hydrology
  • water resources engineering
  • transportation materials and systems
  • water and wastewater treatment
  • hazardous waste decontamination
  • geotechnical design and geoenvironmental engineering
  • structural materials and mechanics

Program objectives include:

  • enhancing the knowledge of professional practicing civil and environmental engineers so that they are equipped to handle the complex problems of today
  • providing graduates with the skills, experience, and confidence to solve problems not yet encountered

Graduates will have the ability to:

  • apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
  • design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
  • design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
  • function as a team member
  • identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
  • communicate effectively
  • act as a leader and direct civil engineering projects

Graduates will also possess:

  • knowledge of contemporary issues and professional culture in their areas of specialization
  • understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

The MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering is 30-credit program, including:

  • Master's Thesis: 6 credits—or Master's Project: 3 credits
  • 12 or 15 credits selected from courses in the student's area of specialization

UMassD advantages

Research facilities: The department maintains geotechnical, environmental, fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, and transportation laboratories for research and educational purposes.

The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, in nearby Fall River, MA, offers transportation materials and environmental laboratories assigned to departmental faculty members.

A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.

Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth

International (F-1) students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). To learn about the eligibility criteria and detailed steps to apply, please review the International Student & Scholar Center (ISSC) OPT page and USCIS resources. F-1 students must consult with the ISSC to apply for STEM OPT.

University requirements for graduate admissions

  • Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
  • Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
  • Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
  • Resume
  • Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts. 
  • Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
  • International students: official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical, and Public Policy. 
  • All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration. 

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

  • GRE requirement is waived.
  • 2 letters of recommendation from persons in the field of your academic major at the institution most recently attended or from supervisors familiar with your recent job performance. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.

Program deadlines

Civil & Environmental Engineering faculty

Daniel MacDonald - professor - SMAST, College of Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Daniel MacDonald, PhD
Daniel MacDonald - professor - SMAST, College of Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Daniel MacDonald, PhD
Mazdak Tootkaboni
Mazdak Tootkaboni, PhD
Photograph of Sukalyan Sengupta
Sukalyan Sengupta, PhD
Photograph of Sukalyan Sengupta
Sukalyan Sengupta, PhD
Photograph of Walaa Mogawer
Walaa Mogawer, PhD