Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Carnegie Institute of Technology Carnegie Mellon University

Graduate Studies at Carnegie Mellon Help Students Develop Problem-Solving Skills

Graduate programs at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) are individually designed in consultation with faculty to help students develop problem-solving approaches based on scientific and engineering principles. Depending on a student?s career goals, the individualized program may be directed toward the following specializations: Advanced Infrastructure Systems (AIS); Environmental Engineering, Sustainability and Science; or Mechanics, Materials, and Computing. The programs prepare students for leadership roles in engineering practice, development and research. Although students typically focus their studies in one the areas of specialization within the department, interdisciplinary work is strongly encouraged.

Graduate students and faculty collaborate with other units of the College of Engineering and the university, including the Institute of Complex Engineered Systems, the Department of Engineering and Public Policy, the Tepper School of Business, and the School of Architecture in the College of Fine Arts.

CMU's Engineering Faculty-Initiated Research Programs Continually Evolve

Most of the research conducted by CEE is initiated by the faculty, who writes research proposals, found and direct research centers, and conduct research focused on their areas of specialization. The list of research projects is continually evolving as existing faculty write and receive new research grants, new faculty members are hired, and new graduate students propose and conduct their dissertation research. CEE encourages students to approach research independently and creatively, while working within the limits of available intellectual and financial resources.

Students working on existing research projects usually must help fulfill the general objectives specified for the research, but after the initial project objectives are met, they may have the opportunity to expand or adjust the focus of the research. CEE encourages and supports this type of independence and entrepreneurial effort, but the student must show initiative and work hard to develop appropriate objectives in consultation with their faculty advisers.

Organized Research Activities Help Maintain Commitment to Excellence

The research projects conducted by CEE are organized into three major groups: advanced infrastructure systems; environmental engineering, sustainability and science; and mechanics, materials, and computing.

Research into advanced infrastructure systems explores the use of advanced information and communication technologies for the planning, design, construction, and operation of built infrastructure systems. Special emphasis is placed on sensing and informatics for the construction, operation, and maintenance phases. This area of research also includes the study of new models, methods, and tools for planning, design, and project management, and the processes involved in developing more sustainable processes and components used in the infrastructure.

The second area of research focuses on environmental engineering, sustainability and science, including issues such as air quality, water quality, remediation, industrial ecology, sustainable engineering, energy, and nanotechnology. This area of research also includes the study of green design and construction, environmental sensing, life cycle assessment, risk assessment, and climate change.

The third research group explores the intersection of mechanics, materials, and computing; modeling and large-scale computer simulation; emphasis on mechanics of crystalline, granular, and amorphous materials; dislocation mechanics; phase transformations; atomistic simulation; electromechanics of 'smart' materials; engineering seismology; and earthquake engineering.

A Variety of Degree Programs Offers Students a World of Opportunities

Graduate students may choose from a number of degree programs offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CMU, including a Master of Science (M.S.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), as well as interdisciplinary programs administered with other departments and international programs with the Universidad EAFIT and the Middle East Technical University.

Research Strengths Help CEE Define Cutting-Edge Research Agendas

CEE has identified research strengths within the department in several areas related to sustainable infrastructure systems, water and air quality environmental engineering, modeling of mechanical behavior of engineering materials, and environmentally sustainable engineering practices.

To define a cutting-edge research agenda in these areas, CEE takes advantage of several CIT-based centers including the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT), the Center for Water Quality in Urban Environmental Systems (WaterQUEST), the Center for Sensed Critical Infrastructure research (CenSCIR), the Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies (CAPS), the Center for Multiscale Modeling of Engineering Materials (CM2EM), the Center for Sustainable Engineering (CSE), the Green Design Institute, the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research (SEER), IBM Smarter Infrastructure Lab, Pennsylvania Smarter Infrastructure Incubator (PSII), and Western Pennsylvania Brownfields Center (WPBC).

Students Flourish in a Collegial and Supportive Community at Carnegie Mellon

The department strives to provide students with a supportive, close knit community. Faculty and staff make an effort to be approachable and student-centered, and students bring a broad range of interests to the department. All Ph.D. students are assigned a desk in the department office. M.S. students are provided access to M.S. collaborations suites. All offices and suites have computers connected to the campus network. Doctoral students are also providedwith development funds from which they might purchase a laptop computer or attend a conference.

To maintain a welcoming and collegial atmosphere in the department, numerous athletic opportunities and social events are planned for students and faculty, such as canoe trips, ski outings, the annual talent show, and trips to baseball games. The department also has active student ASCE and Chi Epsilon chapters that arrange activities for the entire CEE student body.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Environmental Engineering Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Civil Engineering Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Environmental Management And Science Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Science (MS)
• Civil And Environmental Engineering Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Computational Mechanics Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Advanced Infrastructure Systems Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Civil And Environmental Engineering/Engineering And Public Policy Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 84
• Doctoral Degrees 12
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Optional
• Doctoral Degrees Required, Required and two-part qualifying exam, public defense of dissertation
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$38,900
• Out-of-state tuition *$38,900
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$220.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsJanuary 15
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Research Assitantships, Tuition Waivers, Graduate Assistantships, service assistantships

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty46
• Full-time Percentage48%
• Part-time Percentage52%
• Female Percentage20%
• Male Percentage80%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchAdvanced infrastructure systems; environmental engineering science and management; mechanics, materials, and computing; green design; global sustainable construction
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$4,900,000