Civil Engineering
December 5, 2024 2024-12-17 14:54Civil Engineering
Online M.S. in
Civil Engineering
Build the foundation of modern society.
21+ Months
10 Courses
30 Hours
$985/CH
The online M.S. in Civil Engineering is a 32-credit-hour program focusing on technical and analytical civil engineering knowledge. The program moves beyond the theoretical to an applied curriculum that will immediately impact your current work. Choose your concentration from four critical engineering areas undergoing significant growth – Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or Water Resources Engineering.
Admissions Deadline
Rolling admissions (applications due 14 days before the intended start date).
Program Start Terms
Fall, Spring
Academic Term
Stay up to date with OU holiday closings, deadlines, and more.
Master's Degree
Faculty Expertise
Faculty for the M.S. in Civil Engineering program are distinguished teachers and researchers, holding numerous awards, including nine NSF Career Awards. In addition to their academic credentials, the faculty have over 180 years of combined industry experience.
Four Unique Tracks
Choose to specialize in one of four key areas of civil engineering — the safety and stability of structures, the properties and fabrication methods of common construction materials, building transportation systems, or optimizing the use of water resources.
Flexible Format
Learn in a flexible online program designed for working professionals. You’ll engage in online discussions with professors and fellow students while expanding your civil engineering knowledge.
OU Online graduates find employment within six months after graduation*
OU Online graduates report earning an annual salary of $75,000 or more*
OU Online students say the skills they gained in their program made them more competitive in their career field*
*Source: OU Online Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023
Pursue your Civil
Engineering
Master's degree
The online M.S. in Civil Engineering is a 32-credit-hour program that can be completed in as little as 21 months while working full-time. With concentrations in geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering, you will build the skills you need to excel in a growing industry.
Geotechnical Engineering Concentration
The Geotechnical Engineering concentration allows you to build the skills you need to ensure the safety and stability of structures from the ground up. Courses in this concentration extend the skills taught in the first two modules of the program with an intensive focus on geologic media, soil-structure interactions, runoff and pollutants, foundation construction principles, and more.
You will apply critical equations, analytical methods, and industry-standard software tools to solve real-world problems in the field and complete an open-ended design project that synthesizes principles taught in the curriculum.
The Geotechnical Engineering concentration is for undergraduate-qualified engineers who want to:
- Develop advanced design and analysis skills for foundation and environment considerations or change specialties
- Earn professional development credit that may be applied towards professional licensure in their state
- Connect with a global network of engineering professionals as well as our industry-experienced faculty
Course sequence:
- Fundamentals of Project Management
- Advanced Mechanics of Materials
- Leadership and Management for Engineers
- Foundation Engineering
- Unsaturated Soil Mechanics
- Soil Dynamics
- Structural Design of Pavements
- Geosynthetics
- Soil-Structure Interaction
- Advanced Soil Mechanics
Structural Engineering Concentration
The Structural Engineering concentration can advance your practical design skills and equip you for analytical or experimental research. Building on the standard foundation modules, this concentration dives deep into properties, fabrication methods, and wood, steel, and concrete applications.
The curriculum teaches critical equations and analysis methods for determining the safety and soundness of structures made from these materials, including soil-structure interactions and the fundamentals of earthquake safety engineering.
As a capstone to your program, you will complete an open-ended design project that demonstrates your understanding of the principles taught in the curriculum through practical application to a real-world problem.
The Structural Engineering concentration is for undergraduate-qualified engineers who want to:
- Pursue structural engineering at an advanced level or as a new specialty
- Earn professional development credit that may be applied towards professional licensure in their state
- Connect with a global network of engineering professionals and our industry-experienced faculty
Course sequence:
- Fundamentals of Project Management
- Advanced Mechanics of Materials
- Leadership and Management for Engineers
- Foundation Engineering
- Prestressed Concrete Structures
- Structural Design – Wood
- Structural Design – Concrete II
- Structural Design – Steel II
- Capstone Design Experience I
- Soil-Structure Interaction
- Dynamics of Structures
- Capstone Design Experience II
Transportation Engineering Concentration
The Transportation Engineering concentration explores the impetus, philosophy, and policy for implementing a long-term, comprehensive plan for managing infrastructure assets. Building on the standard foundation modules, the Transportation Engineering concentration dives deep into engineering and economic analysis concepts and processes to evaluate and support a transportation system’s strategic and systematic investment, performance, and management.
The curriculum teaches the critical elements involved in the planning and financing of transportation infrastructure projects and systems and the study of transportation functions and transportation systems.
As a capstone to your program, you will complete an open-ended design project that demonstrates your understanding of the principles taught in the curriculum through practical application to a real-world problem.
The Transportation Engineering concentration is for undergraduate-qualified engineers who want to:
- Understand the planning, functional design, and management of facilities for any mode of transportation to provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods
- Earn professional development credit that may be applied towards professional licensure in their state
- Connect with a global network of engineering professionals as well as our industry-experienced faculty
Course sequence:
- Fundamentals of Project Management
- Advanced Mechanics of Materials
- Leadership and Management for Engineers
- Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems
- Transportation Asset Management, Finance, and Planning
- Highway Engineering
- Structural Design of Pavements
- Statistics and Probability
- Capstone Design Experience I
- Traffic Engineering
- Multimodal Transportation
- Capstone Design Experience II
Water Resources Engineering Concentration
The Water Resources Engineering concentration will teach you to create a more sustainable infrastructure by developing new equipment and systems for water management facilities. This will ensure that citizens are provided with a continuous supply of uncontaminated water. By specializing in Water Resources Engineering, you can advance your practical skills in water resources and contribute to global impact with one of the world’s most valued natural resources.
Building on the standard foundation modules, the Water Resources concentration dives deep into water resources planning and management, engineering hydrology, watershed science or water reuse, and groundwater structure.
As a capstone to your program, you will complete an open-ended design project that demonstrates your understanding of the principles taught in the curriculum through practical application to a real-world problem.
The Water Resources concentration is for undergraduate-qualified engineers who want to:
- Pursue water resources at an advanced level or as a new specialty
- Earn professional development credit that may be applied towards professional licensure in their state
- Connect with a global network of engineering professionals and our industry-experienced faculty
Course sequence:
- Fundamentals of Project Management
- Advanced Mechanics of Materials
- Leadership and Management for Engineers
- Groundwater
- Hydrometeorology
- Water Law
- Open Channel Hydraulics
- Water Resource Management
- Water Security
- Hydrology
- Water Reuse and Health Impact or Watershed Science and Management
Getting Started Today
Admission to the online M.S. in Civil Engineering program is selective. Those interested in the program should have a competitive undergraduate GPA. Additional admissions factors may include work or service experience, demonstrated leadership potential, exceptional talents or skills, trends, or academic and undergraduate school performance improvement.
To apply, students must:
- Complete the online application at https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/
- Submit a current resume or CV
- Provide official college transcripts from all institutions
- Submit a personal statement
Foreign applicants may be required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to demonstrate proficiency in English sufficient to complete the program successfully.
Application Timeline
Questions about Admissions?
For more information on the admissions process, please complete the contact form below, and an admissions counselor will be in touch shortly.
Paying for School
If you would like to compare the estimated cost of your program with a typical financial aid package, use the cost calculator on our OU Online financial aid page.
Graduate tuition waivers cannot be applied to OU Online programs. OU Online programs qualify for the OU Faculty/Staff Tuition Waiver & Fee Exemption, and we encourage you to check your eligibility.
Tuition waiver and fee exemption package application
If you have questions regarding financial aid for your online program, please get in touch with the Online Aid office by emailing onlineaid@ou.edu or calling 405-325-2929.
same academic excellence
Earning an M.S. in Civil Engineering from OU Online gives you the skills to succeed in a growing and evolving field. It also gives you access to career support and an expanded professional network as part of the global OU alumni community. Stand out where the industry is moving while enjoying the potential for higher pay, career advancement, and new opportunities.
Tuition and fees for the program are $31,520 ($985 per credit hour). Books and additional materials are not included.
Once accepted into the program, students must submit a $350 nonrefundable deposit within two weeks. Deposits are applied toward tuition expenses and secure a student’s place in the upcoming class. There is no application fee for this degree.
Tuition Calculator
Our tuition calculator can help you estimate your tuition and financial aid for your program of interest.
Why OU Online?
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Our Online Programs
Every OU Online program is built on the foundation of world-class faculty mixed with professors of practice providing valuable instruction. By linking industry experts with our online programs, we offer the most advanced curriculum and prepare students for future career success.
Our OU Family
When you graduate from an OU Online program, you’ll join the network of 250,000 OU alumni and be forever part of the OU family. Become part of the tradition of excellence that OU has established in its 130-year history.
