The Civil Engineering profession is concerned with the built environment. Civil engineers plan, design, and construct major facilities, including highways, transit systems, airports, dams, water and wastewater treatment systems, tunnels, energy facilities, harbors, canals, buildings, and bridges. Civil engineers manage our air, water, and energy resources and protect society from natural catastrophes, such as earthquakes, and the hazards society itself generates in the form of toxic wastes.

Because these functions are often crucial to the day-to-day lives of most people and the facilities involved are physically substantial, civil engineers bear an important responsibility to the public. Their role is often more than just technical, requiring also a high degree of communicative skills and an ability to deal with people.

Civil engineers can be found in industry, consulting firms, and government. This is one of the few areas of engineering in which the engineer often deals directly with the public and public agencies in every phase of major infrastructural projects.

The Civil Engineering Department offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Engineering degree . Areas of specialization are Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Systems Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering.

The Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE) program offers classroom and laboratory instruction as well as applied and fundamental research. Areas of concentration include water quality and treatment, wastewater treatment, storm water monitoring and quality, fate and transport of contaminants, and hazardous waste treatment. The program offers opportunities for collaboration in broad fields such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, and systems engineering in order to prepare graduates for exciting environmental careers in government, private sector and academia.

Included in the Structural Engineering program are advanced courses and research in design of metal and concrete structures, as well as the underlying theories of structural mechanics. Both practice-oriented and research oriented individuals may be accommodated in this program. The interdisciplinary Transportation Engineering program offers courses in traffic engineering, highway design, transportation planning, operations research, and applied statistics. Individuals interested in practice, or research can be accommodated.

The Geotechnical Engineering program emphasizes fundamental courses. Typical curriculum would include courses in soil properties, foundation engineering, advanced methods of laboratory testing, groundwater and seepage, and earth structures. Also included would be basic structural engineering courses.

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Admission and residency in the graduate program in Civil Engineering are guided by the General Admission Requirement and Rules and Regulations for the Pursuit of Academic Degrees in the Graduate School. Students are strongly encouraged to consult and familiarize themselves with these rules and regulations.

With the exception of the EWRE program, graduate Civil Engineering programs are basically for persons who hold the bachelor's degree in civil engineering. Graduates from related fields may be admitted, but may be required to do preparatory work to obtain the academic background necessary for the master's degree curriculum. EWRE admits applicants with degrees in engineering or environment-related sciences. The applicant's previous academic record should indicate that the subject has the capability to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Categories of Admission

1. Degree Student-Regular: Student who holds the required University degree(s) and who meets the department’s admission criteria.
2. Degree Student-Provisional: A student who does not meet the requirements for regular student, but, who, on other grounds, the Committee concludes, is capable of completing a graduate program, may be accepted on a provisional basis. The student shall be limited to take 6 credits. It is recommended that most credits be taken from the core courses of the program. After completing these courses, the Graduate Studies Committee shall review the student’s academic performance. The student will be notified of the final decision within four weeks. If a student is admitted as a regular student, the 6 credit hours will be applied to the student’s course requirements.

To apply, click HERE for information on procedures and forms

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All graduate-level courses (400-level and above) in the department may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Master's and doctoral candidates are required to take courses as follows:

Divided as follows:

• Core courses: 8 – 11 hours
• Graduate Seminar: 2 hours
• Research: 6 hours
• Thesis: 6 hours
• Electives: 5-8 hours

Credit will not be given for more than the required six hours of Thesis. Students should not enroll in Thesis until they have been admitted to candidacy. Letter grades will not be given for more than six hours of research. The electives may include additional research credits for which letter grades will not be given.

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• In addition to the requirements listed above you must submit the following:

  • Official transcripts, final certificates and/or mark/grade sheets must be sent directly from the college or university to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, and must show proof of degree(s) earned, courses taken and marks/grades received. Also, ALL transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) or AACRAO (www.aacrao.org) and be forwarded to Graduate Recruitment and Admissions.
  • If the documents are not in English, they must be accompanied by an official translated copy.
  • All documents must bear the same name that appears on the admissions application unless an official document so submitted indicating a change of name.
  • TOEFL Scores (Minimum computer-based score of 213 is required and only official score reports are accepted within 2 years of the test date) www.toelf.org. TOEFL scores must be sent directly from ETS (HU code: 5297).
  • The TOEFL test is not required if you received a degree in the U.S.
  • Statement of Financial Resources Form ( click here ) – A completed form that verifies proof of financial support (sufficient funds to cover expenses for one full year - $29,132 in US Dollars only) and supporting financial documentation indicating sources of funds while attending Howard University (such as a certified bank statement dated within three months of registration).
  • Verification of six months history with bank.

  For information on how to apply and where to send materials for other graduate and professional programs at Howard University, please click here:

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The Board of Trustees of Howard University on September 24, 1983, adopted the following policy statement regarding applications for admission: "Applicants seeking admission to Howard University are required to submit accurate and complete credentials and accurate and complete information requested by the University. Applicants who fail to do so shall be denied admission. Enrolled students who as applicants failed to submit accurate and complete credentials or accurate and complete information on their application for admission shall be subject to dismissal when the same is made known, regardless of classification."

All credentials must be sent to:

 
Howard University Graduate School
Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions
4th and College Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20059

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