Engineering - Civil

Program Directors: Linda Ratsep, Toni Raftery.

Medicine, law, architecture, accounting, pharmacy – all professions that require education in excess of four years, whether by a separate “Professional School” or by simply requiring more than four years to obtain an undergraduate degree. Much discussion has occurred lately in the engineering community concerning the “status” of the profession in the eyes of the public. Concerns over compensation, loss of respect from society in general, and the increasing trend toward viewing engineers as a commodity instead of as valued and skilled professionals has prompted some to take a hard look at the current educational system. Many engineers agree that, in light of the explosive growth of technology, the steady decrease in the number of credits required for an undergraduate engineering degree (from an average of 150 semester hours in 1950 to 133 today), and the loss of influence and control in the worlds of finance and politics (both critical to successfully solving the world’s problems through engineering), the skill set provided by a four year education is no longer adequate.

In light of these problems, the Board of Directors of the American Society of Civil Engineers unanimously adopted Policy 465 in 2001:

“The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports the concept of the Master’s degree or Equivalent as a prerequisite for licensure and the practice of civil engineering at a professional level."

ASCE encourages institutions of higher education, governmental units, employers, civil engineers, and other appropriate organizations to endorse, support, and promote the concept of mandatory post-baccalaureate education for the practice of civil engineering at a professional level. The implementation of this effort should occur through establishing appropriate curricula in the formal education experience, appropriate recognition and compensation in the workplace, and congruent standards for licensure.”

Norwich University saw ASCE’s Policy 465 as an opportunity to create a graduate program unlike any other. The Master of Civil Engineering program stresses the fundamental skills needed for success by tomorrow’s civil engineer. These skills include not only technical competency in your field of expertise but also the broad range of communication and management skills needed in the highly entrepreneurial business environment that comprises our profession.

Mission

• Prepare students to excel in civil engineering and related fields.

• Make clear to students that above all else, the civil engineering profession is committed to bettering the world.

• Provide modern, fundamental, practice-orientated education in the civil engineering field.

• Foster creativity and critical thinking in problem-solving and motivate students to consider the societal consequences of their work.

• Enable students to be leaders in their profession, community, and the nation.

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution, as evaluated by WES, IERF, SpanTran, or CED.

  • Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.

• If English is not your first language, proof of English language proficiency is required.  This can be demonstrated in one of three ways:

  • TOEFL - a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (Internet-based test) is required.

  • IELTS – a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required.

  • The applicant holds a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a college/university/institution in which the primary language of instruction was English.

Please Note:  All eligibility requirements are expected to be met unless noted in specific articulation agreements or memoranda of understanding (MOUs).

Application Process

• Application form

• Resume that includes 3 professional references with contact information

• Official transcript of your undergraduate degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university

• Letter of intent

• Proof of English language proficiency if applicable (TOEFL)

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Norwich University's Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) program is designed to help prepare students for career advancement. It may lead some students to pursue a professional license. Given the diverse educational backgrounds of our students and the variety of state laws governing professional engineering licensure, Norwich University has provided a Professional Licensure Disclosure regarding the Norwich MCE program's sufficiency to independently meet the educational requirements for licensure by the state. Please review our Professional Licensure Disclosure. 

Up to 12 semester graduate credits for study conducted elsewhere may be awarded. Norwich complies with VA regulations and guidelines as it pertains to transfer credits.

A student not meeting the academic admission requirements of the Master of Civil Engineering program will be required to pass fundamental courses with a grade of B or higher to be admitted into the degree program. When a fundamentals course grade is lower than a B the student petition for re-enrollment to repeat the course. Fundamentals courses do not satisfy course requirements in the Master of Civil Engineering program.

Admission prerequisite requirements by concentration area:

Structural: course, course, course

Environmental/Water Resources: course, course, course, course

Construction Management: course, course, course

Geotechnical: course, course, course, course