The Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering (M.Eng.) at UNH equips you with the expertise to lead sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects. With a focus on areas like environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering, this program prepares you for a high-impact career. UNH’s innovative initiatives, including the Living Bridge Project and the Stormwater Center, provide hands-on experience and current UNH students can accelerate their path by completing the degree in as little as one year.
Credit Hours: 30 | Courses: 10 | Program Length: 1-2 years
Why get a Master of Engineering in civil engineering?
Earning a M.ENG. degree can be the key to unlocking your full career potential or launching a career as an entrepreneur. In fact, those with an advanced degree in engineering earn $15,000 more annually than those with an undergraduate degree alone. Our program will provide you with the knowledge and experience to advance sustainable civil and environmental infrastructure projects that emphasize public safety and health. You’ll enhance the quality of life for people by providing safe structures such as bridges, highways, skyscrapers, tunnels and dams, and by helping to restore and maintain water quality and the environment.
Why choose UNH’s civil engineering Program?
The civil engineering program offers multiple areas of focus, including environmental, geotechnical, materials, structures, transportation and water resources. The program is on the cutting edge of smart infrastructure technology through the Living Bridge Project, which monitors the structural health of the nearby Memorial Bridge and the characteristics of the Piscataqua River while harnessing the tides to power dozens of sensors. Our department features a variety of laboratories and centers, including the UNH Center for Infrastructure Resilience to Climate, the Coastal Response Research Center and the UNH Stormwater Center. You can earn this coursework-focused degree with no research requirement in as little as one year.
Potential careers
- Civil and environmental engineering
- Design
- Environmental services
- Private consulting
- Project management and construction
- Public regulatory agencies
- Transportation
Curriculum & Requirements
The goal of the Civil and Environmental Engineering program is to elucidate civil and environmental engineering technology by involving students in the design and construction of sustainable infrastructure projects that emphasize safety and public health. Our graduates enhance the quality of life for people both locally and around the world by providing safe structures such as bridges, highways, skyscrapers, tunnels and dams, and by helping to restore and maintain water quality and the environment. Civil Engineering has always been an exciting yet flexible profession filled with opportunities. The Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering requires a concluding experience in addition to coursework.
All master of engineering degree students must complete a minimum of 30 total credits. UNH bachelor’s degree students admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Degree program may register for a maximum of 8 credits of graduate-level courses prior to completing their bachelor's degree. Such courses may upon recommendation of the department and approval of the Graduate School count toward both a bachelor's and master's degree. M.Eng. students are required to complete one of the following options as a concluding experience (as determined by the Master's Committee):
- Option A, Master's Project: Students must complete a 3-credit master’s project (CEE 898 Master's Project Paper) on a civil engineering topic.
- Option B, Oral Exam: Students must complete an oral exam. The oral exam does not count toward the number of required credits.
- Option C, Written Exam: Students must complete a written exam. The written exam does not count toward the number of required credits.
The M.Eng. option is designed to facilitate completion of B.S./M.Eng. civil engineering degrees within five years. M.Eng degree students are not eligible for an assistantship. For graduation, a grade of B- or better in each course, an overall B average (3.00 GPA), and successful completion of one of the above concluding experiences must be achieved.
Specific course requirements vary with focus area within CEE, please refer to the "explore program details" section on our website.
Accelerated Master's Overview
Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential.
Accelerated Master's Highlights
- Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
- Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
- Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
- Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.
*Some exceptions apply.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
- A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
- A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
- Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*
*Some exceptions apply.
Accelerated Master's Requirements
- Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
- Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
- Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
- See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.
Civil and Environmental Engineering (M.Eng.) Accelerated Option
This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering (B.S.) | ||
| Environmental Engineering (B.S.) | ||
| Students select from the following approved 800-level courses that can be completed in the undergraduate senior year for dual credit: | ||
| CEE 833 | Public Infrastructure Asset Management | 4 |
| CEE 849 | Pavement Design and Analysis | 4 |
| CEE 855 | Design of Pressurized Water Transmission Systems | 4 |
| CEE 858 | Stormwater Management Designs | 3 |
| CEE 859 | Stream Restoration | 4 |
| CEE 878 | Foundation Design I | 4 |
| CEE 891 | Reinforced Concrete Design | 4 |
| CEE 893 | Structural Design in Steel | 4 |
| CEE 830 | Public Health Engineering for Rural and Developing Communities | 3 |
| CEE 831 | Advanced Water Treatment Design | 4 |
| CEE 832 | Solid Waste Facility and Remediation System Design | 4 |
| CEE 879 | Foundation Design II | 3 |
| CEE 889 | Timber Design | 3 |
| CEE 890 | Structural Design in Masonry | 3 |
| CEE 894 | LRFD Bridge Design | 3 |
| CEE 804 | Transportation Engineering Highway Geometric Design | 3 |
| CEE 805 | Introduction to Sustainable Engineering | 3 |
| CEE 806 | Environmental Life Cycle Assessment | 3 |
| CEE 820 | Waste Management and Site Remediation | 3 |
| CEE 821 | Environmental Sampling and Analysis | 4 |
| CEE 822 | Introduction to Marine Pollution and Control | 4 |
| CEE 823 | Environmental Engineering Chemistry | 4 |
| CEE 824 | Environmental Engineering Microbiology | 4 |
| CEE 835 | Properties and Production of Concrete | 3 |
| CEE 836 | Asphalt Mixtures and Construction | 3 |
| CEE 837 | Pavement Rehabilitation, Maintenance, and Management | 3 |
| CEE 851 | Open Channel Flow | 3 |
| CEE 853 | Snow Hydrology | 3 |
| CEE 854 | Engineering Hydrology | 3 |
| CEE 865 | Engineering Behavior of Soils | 4 |
| CEE 866 | Introduction to Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering | 3 |
| CEE 868 | Geo-Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CEE 880 | Matrix Structural Analysis and Modeling | 3 |
| CEE 881 | Dynamics of Structures | 3 |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Identify and use advanced mathematical, computational, design, and/or experimental skills to solve complex civil and environmental engineering problems;
- Demonstrate advanced technical knowledge in civil and environmental engineering subject areas (environmental, geotechnical, materials, structural, sustainability, transportation, or water resources);
- Effectively communicate and defend technical ideas, designs, or research results in written and oral form; and
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of sustainable engineering solutions in global, social, economic, public policy, and environmental issues.
Deadlines
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: Feb. 15 (for funding); April 1 (recommended US; final international); July 1 (final)
- Spring: Oct. 15 (for funding); Dec. 1
- Summer: N/A
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.
If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
Letters of recommendation: 3 required
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
GRE Optional
The GRE scores are optional, if you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.
Personal Statement/Essay Questions
Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
- Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
- Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.
International Applicants
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
International applicants to this program with low TOEFL scores may be eligible for our Bridge Program.
Explore Program Details
An applicant must have completed a baccalaureate science degree in engineering, mathematics, or science at an accredited college or university. If coursework or laboratory experience is deficient, an admitted student will be required to fulfill, without graduate credit, all undergraduate prerequisites for graduate courses. In some cases, the student's adviser may require additional undergraduate courses in order to achieve a well-integrated program of study. Applicants must submit current scores (within five years) from the general test of the GRE, unless waived by the graduate coordinator (for current UNH undergraduate civil engineering (CIE) or environmental engineering (ENE) majors only).
The graduate level focus areas in the department of Civil & Environmental Engineering include:
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Associate ProfessorDirector, UNH Stormwater CenterEmail: Tom.Ballestero@unh.eduPhone: (603) 862-1405
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ProfessorCivil Engineering Undergraduate CoordinatorEmail: Majid.Ghayoomi@unh.eduPhone: (603) 862-3997
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Associate Professor/Affiliate Associate ProfessorEarth Sciences Graduate CoordinatorEmail: Anne.Lightbody@unh.eduPhone: (603) 862-0711
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Associate ProfessorFaculty Fellow, Carsey School of Public PolicyEmail: Weiwei.Mo@unh.eduPhone: (603) 862-2808
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ProfessorEnvironmental Engineering Undergraduate CoordinatorEmail: Paula.Mouser@unh.eduPhone: (603) 862-3275