Pursue an Online Civil Engineering Master’s Degree

Pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering online to learn how to analyze and design a breadth of structural and environmental systems. In your program, you’ll study technical dimensions of the engineering field broadly, or in specific areas such as:

  • Structural engineering
  • Environmental/water resources engineering
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Construction management

You may also explore business components of the engineering field and learn how to navigate management-related issues that arise during engineering projects.

The Basics of an Online Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering

There are three common types of civil engineering master’s degrees you might earn:

  1. Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil Engineering
  2. A Master of Engineering (M.E.)
  3. A Master of Civil Engineering (M.C.E.)

Typically, students take 18 months to two years to earn a master’s degree in civil engineering online. To do so, they must earn between 30 and 40 credits. Some programs require students to write a final paper (such as a thesis) or take a final exam; others do not.

Course of Study for an Online Civil Engineering Master’s Degree

An online masters in civil engineering may allow students to focus on advanced topics in civil engineering broadly or a specific area of civil engineering. However, no matter their wide or narrow focus, they’ll likely study structures (such as buildings, dams, and bridges); service loads (such as traffic or water); environmental loads (such as earthquakes, floods, and wind); and how civil engineers address and respond to all three.

Beyond that, and depending on the program’s focus, students may study general civil engineering subjects, like:

  • Mathematical methods for engineers
  • Geotechnical engineering principles
  • Structural mechanics
  • Preservation engineering: theory and practice
  • Investigation, diagnosis, and rehabilitation in engineering
  • Disaster risk management for engineers
  • Lateral forces
  • Advanced foundation design
  • Building and maintaining a sustainable infrastructure

Or they might study subjects connected to a specific area of civil engineering, such as water resources or marine engineering. In programs like those, students might study subjects like water control and management, hydrology, marine geotechnical engineering, and other subjects connected to water or marine engineering.

Students might also opt to focus their knowledge through elective study. For example, they might study: 

  • Slope stability
  • Bridge design and evaluation
  • Mechanics of solids
  • Nonlinear dynamical systems
  • Engineering analysis
  • Finite element analysis
  • Structural design for dynamic loads
  • Reinforced concrete
  • Steel structures
  • Dynamics and stability of structures

As you can see, there are numerous possibilities. You simply have to find the program that is right for you.

Find a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering Online

Look here to find options for pursuing an online master’s degree in civil engineering. Contact schools directly through our website to find your perfect program.