Prospective Graduates
Prospective Graduates
Civil engineering today is a dynamic, complex, and technologically sophisticated field. Powerful computational methods and high-strength materials have offered new opportunities and new challenges. The graduate program is designed to instill in the student the fundamental theoretical concepts of mechanics as well as practical knowledge of modern materials, structural, and systems engineering. This is represented through our three fundamental focus areas: Mechanics of Materials, Structures, and Systems.
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Mechanics of MaterialsThis program provides a comprehensive research and educational platform for theoretical, computational and experimental studies in the field of Mechanics of Materials. |
StructuresThe role of a structural engineer today involves a significant understanding of both static and dynamic loading. Like the rest of Civil Engineering, mechanics is at the core of this research. The program’s key strengths include Earthquake Engineering, Stochastic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, Optimization of Design Structures, and Cold-Formed Steel Structures. |
SystemsThe Johns Hopkins Systems Institute is a multi-disciplinary research center which seeks to re-engineer entire systems of national importance, including medicine, health care delivery, information security, national infrastructure, and education. Students use modeling and simulation to study the performance of such complex systems and calculate the effect of changes. |
Information regarding the MSE and PhD programs may be found using the buttons at left. To be admitted to the program, students are expected to have graduated with an outstanding record in an appropriate undergraduate program.
Programs Offered By Civil Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.)
Post-Doctoral Program
Concurrent Undergraduate/Master's Program
Doctor of Philosophy
The Ph.D. in Civil Engineering degree requires a minimum approved program of 10 technical courses beyond the bachelor’s degree, 8 of which must be at the 600- or 700-level. All doctoral candidates are expected to demonstrate a high level of oral and written proficiency in English. International students are encouraged to participate in ESL testing recommended courses through the Language Teaching Center. Candidates must pass a department qualifying examination of their general scientific preparation, submit for approval a detailed preliminary proposal for their dissertation, and pass a Graduate Board oral examination. The Ph.D. degree is awarded following a successful defense of the doctoral dissertation. Appropriate graduate courses taken at another institution may be used toward the Ph.D. degree; exact credits are worked out on a case-by-case basis. A master’s degree in civil engineering is generally considered sufficient evidence for a maximum of four courses. Students transferring courses from a prior master's degree are required to fulfill the remainder of the course requirement (typically 6 courses) with courses only at the 600- or 700-level.
More Information...
Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.)
Obtaining the Master of Science in Engineering degree in Civil Engineering normally takes two to four semesters of full-time study. Two options exist for this degree: the course-only option requires completion of 10 courses, and the research option requires completion of 8 courses plus a master’s essay. The option for those going on to the Ph.D. consists of 10 courses and passing the department qualifying examination and the Graduate Board oral examination. Transfer credit for work completed at another institution is generally not counted toward the M.S.E. degree.
There is no set curriculum for graduate study. Students are expected to design a program that offers them depth in structural engineering/structural mechanics, geotechnical engineering/geomechanics, probabilistic methods/hazards management, or coastal engineering, as well as a degree of breadth in related disciplines. All programs must be approved by the department.
Post-Doctoral Program
The Johns Hopkins University traditionally has a number of postdoctoral fellows. Fellows conduct research under the sponsorship of one or more faculty members in the department. Visit the postdoc website.
Concurrent Undergraduate/Master's Program
Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs
The Department of Civil Engineering offers combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees. For students who are admitted to this program, the two degrees typically require five years total to complete. For these students, there is an automatic tuition waiver of 50% after the first eight semesters of undergraduate work.
One program combines a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Civil Engineering. The other option combines a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Master of Science in Engineering Management (M.S.E.M.). Applications for the M.S.E.M. Program should be submitted through the M.S.E.M. website at engineering.jhu.edu/msem.
Students who enroll in the concurrent B.S./M.S.E. program or pursue a master's degree after having earned a the B.S. in Civil Engineering at Hopkins may double-count two advanced courses (400-level or higher) towards both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees with the permission of the master's faculty advisor. More detail on double-counting courses can be found here.
Applications to the bachelor’s/master’s concurrent programs should be submitted no later than November 30th of the senior year, following the same process as students applying from other universities. However, students are encouraged to discuss interest in the concurrent program with their advisor during the junior year to make sure they are well positioned to gain maximum benefit from the program. Note that only two letters of recommendation are required from current JHU undergraduates applying to this program, and GRE/TOEFL scores are not required for these students.
What are the advantages?
- Shorter time to degree for a Master's program - 5 years as opposed to the typical 6 year completion.
- Specialized training and mentorship. Improved job placement after graduation.
- More information on this program can be found at Graduate Admissions.