Viterbi School of Engineering
Civil Engineering — Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Graduate Programs
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
The Master of Science in civil engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. A student may receive the Master of Science in civil engineering with a special option by specializing in one of the following courses of study: construction engineering; structural engineering; and transportation engineering. Students specializing in the transportation option and completing a thesis must include in their program 4 units of CE 594ab.
A general Master of Science in civil engineering without special designation is also given. Students pursuing this program will choose between the following special options: general, earthquake engineering, structural mechanics, water resources or ocean and coastal engineering.
A student who wishes to pursue the Master of Science in civil engineering without special designation and who has an interest in public works may take a selected sequence of 12 units in the USC Price School of Public Policy. For further information, see the Public Administration Professional Sequence section in the USC Price School of Public Policy.
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Transportation Systems)
See Sustainable Infrastructure Systems.
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Water and Waste Management)
See Sustainable Infrastructure Systems.
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering
Students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or science may work toward the Master of Science in environmental engineering. Students with degrees in fields other than engineering or science may be admitted on the recommendation of a program adviser and program director. Selection of courses will be determined through consultation with a program adviser to provide a maximum of training in the student’s area of interest in environmental problems.
Master of Construction Management
Students possessing a bachelor’s degree and with sufficient training in capital management and statistics may pursue the Master of Construction Management. The purpose of the Master of Construction Management program is to educate and train multidisciplinary professionals to understand and execute the broad array of technical and non-technical activities associated with construction management. The program provides special attention to the function of the constructor in real estate development. The program is drawn from the M.S., Civil Engineering program in construction engineering and management, and from the USC Marshall School of Business.
Applicants to the program are expected to have completed undergraduate course work in engineering economy or business finance.
| Core Curriculum | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 511L | Seminar: Building Systems | 4 |
| CE 501 | Functions of the Constructor | 3 |
| CE 502 | Construction Accounting and Finance, or | 3 |
| ACCT 509 | Concepts of Financial and Management Accounting, or | 4 |
| ISE 566 | Financial Accounting Analysis for Engineering | 3 |
| CE 556 | Project Controls — Budgeting and Estimating | 3 |
| CE 566 | Project Controls — Planning and Scheduling | 3 |
| Track Requirement: Two courses, both from track 1, track 2, or track 3 | units | |
|---|---|---|
| Track 1: Finance Track | ||
| FBE 400x* | Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Development | 4 |
| FBE 489 | Real Estate Capital Markets | 4 |
| FBE 570* | Advanced Topics in Real Estate Finance | 3 |
| FBE 589* | Mortgages and Mortgage-Backed Securities and Markets | 3 |
| FBE 591* | Real Estate Finance and Investment | 3 |
| Track 2: Real Estate Development Track | ||
| FBE 466* | Management of Real Estate Development: Feasibility Studies | 4 |
| FBE 470* | Advanced Real Estate Analysis | 4 |
| FBE 565 | Economics of Urban Land Use: Feasibility Studies | 3 |
| FBE 566 | Real Estate Finance, Investments and Development | 3 |
| Track 3: Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Technology Track | ||
| CE 470 | Building Information Modeling and Integrated Practice | 3 |
| CE 469 | Sustainable Design and Construction, or | |
| CE 570 | Building Information Modeling for Collaborative Construction | 3 |
| Additional adviser-approved technical and advanced electives | 10-11 | |
| Total minimum units | 33 | |
The minimum requirement for the Master of Construction Management degree is 33 units. At least three elective courses totaling at least 9 units are required for this degree. These may be taken from the USC Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, other engineering departments, the USC Price School of Public Policy, the USC School of Architecture, the USC Davis School of Gerontology, the USC Gould School of Law or the USC Marshall School of Business subject to adviser approval. Admission to some classes requires advanced prerequisites and is subject to availability and approval of the instructor.
General Requirements
Residence and Course Load
The normal time required for earning the Master of Construction Management is three semesters, including one summer semester beginning in June and continuing through the spring semester ending in May. Students are expected to participate in extracurricular activities associated with the Master of Construction Management program, including the speaker series and field trips. A candidate must complete the last four semester units of course work at USC.
Students who wish to take a leave of absence for a semester or longer must request it from the chairman of the Astani Department in writing. Such leaves may be granted for up to one year.
Engineer in Civil Engineering
Requirements for the Engineer in civil engineering are the same as set forth in the general requirements.
Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering (Environmental Engineering)
The Doctor of Philosophy with a major in civil engineering and the Doctor of Philosophy with a major in engineering (environmental engineering) are also offered. See general requirements for graduate degrees.
Areas of specialization for Doctor of Philosophy level students are: structural engineering, structural mechanics, earthquake engineering, coastal engineering, water resources engineering, construction engineering and management, soil mechanics and foundation engineering, hydrology, hydrodynamics and transportation.
Graduate Certificate in Engineering Technology Commercialization
See listing under the Special Educational Opportunities section.
Graduate Certificate in Transportation Systems
The graduate certificate in Transportation Systems is an interdisciplinary program administered by the USC Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The certificate program allows students to specialize in transportation applications, while simultaneously receiving a degree in their home department. The certificate in transportation systems combines elements of transportation engineering with transportation policy, planning and project management. The program is especially appropriate for students intending to pursue careers as developers of transportation technologies, or as implementors of technologies within government agencies.
Students electing the certificate program apply to the USC Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Course prerequisites for the program are:
- one course in statistics or uncertainty, equivalent to ISE 225, PPD 404x or CE 408;
- one course in engineering economy, equivalent to ISE 460;
- one course in microeconomics, equivalent to ECON 203; and
- one course in a contemporary high level programming language.
These prerequisites may be satisfied after enrollment in the certificate program by taking the indicated courses or their equivalent. Graduate students cannot receive credit for courses numbered below 400. Detailed admissions requirements are published by the USC Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
The courses taken for the certificate may be applied later to the Master of Science in Civil Engineering, transportation option.
Qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree also have the option of enrolling in the certificate program without receiving a separate graduate degree.
The curriculum consists of five graduate courses for a total of 17 units.
| certificate Requirements | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| CE 471 | Principles of Transportation Engineering, or | |
| CE 519 | Transportation Engineering | 3 |
| CE 583 | Design of Transportation Facilities, or | |
| CE 585 | Traffic Engineering and Control | 3 |
| ISE 515 | Engineering Project Management | 3 |
| PPD 633 | Urban Transportation Planning and Management | 4 |
| PPD 634 | Institutional and Policy Issues in Transportation | 4 |