Mar 28, 2025  
2024-2025 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog

Civil Engineering, M.S.

Mission

The mission of the civil engineering graduate program at CSULB is to provide a high-quality educational experience and the technical specialization required to become successful leaders in industry and the society, to engage students in innovative practical research and encourage them to pursue advanced degrees and lifelong learning.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the MSCE program will:

  1. have technical competency in an area of specialization.
  2. have technical knowledge and skills needed to conduct independent and/or innovative research.
  3. keep current with state-of-the-art technologies and advancements in a specialized technical area.

Prerequisites

  1. An earned Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited college or university in civil engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, with essential undergraduate prerequisites in civil engineering satisfied. Have a GPA of 2.8 or above from your upper division engineering classes. 
  2. Graduate students must consult with the graduate advisor for information concerning procedures and requirements for appropriate approval of their courses of study prior to enrolling in their graduate program.

Advancement to Candidacy

  1. Removal of all undergraduate deficiencies as determined by the Department Graduate Studies Committee;
  2. Completion of at least 12 graduate units at CSULB; minimum GPA of 3.0; currently enrolled;

Requirements

Completion of 30 units of graduate coursework as follows: 

Core Classes

Take 15 units of core classes in the following areas:

Outcome 1: Advanced Analysis

Take three units of the following Advanced Analysis courses, which meet outcome 1: 

Outcome 2: Advanced Design

Take three units of the following Advanced Design courses, which meet Outcome 2:

Outcome 3: Engineering and Socio-Economic Impact

Take three units of the following Engineering and Socio-Economic Impact courses, which meet Outcome 3: 

Outcome 4: Advanced Technologies

Take three units of the following Advanced Technologies courses, which meet Outcome 4: 

Outcome 5: Engineering Mathematics

Take three units of the following courses in mathematics, which meet Outcome 5:

Electives

Take at least 15 units of approved elective classes plus culminating experience classes:

1. Comprehensive Exam Option: Take 15 units of elective courses from the following approved graduate courses, and successfully complete the Comprehensive Exam. 

2. Industrial Project Option: Take 12 units of elective courses from the following approved graduate courses, and 3 units of C E 697 - Directed Studies .

3. Thesis Option: Take 9 units of elective courses from the following approved graduate courses, and 6 units of C E 698 - Thesis .