Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
- Faculty
- Introduction
- Course Work
- Undergraduate Program
- Graduate Program
Phone: 703-993-1675
Web: www.civil.gmu.edu
Faculty
Professors: Arciszewski (chair), Bronzini, Houck
Associate professor: deMonsabert
Assistant professors: Casey, Flannery, Venigalla
Adjunct professors: Binning, Chase, Freas, Gagne, Goode, Hartmann, Harrop-Williams, Liner, Matusik, Shacochis, -Spencer, Ward, Zobel
Introduction
The Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering (CEIE) Department administers two degree programs: BS and MS in civil and infrastructure engineering. These degree programs complement the study of civil and environmental engineering with advances in information technology, and they focus on the physical and organizational infrastructure essential to the functioning of an urban society. The bachelor’s program in civil and infrastructure engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD., 21202-4012; 410-347-7700.
Civil and infrastructure engineering is the study of land, transportation, water, environmental, structural, energy, and telecommunications systems from a civil engineering perspective and within a complex technological, social, political, economic, and environmental context. The focus is on how these systems are successfully conceived, developed, designed, built, operated, maintained, and renewed in the built environment such as the Washington metropolitan area.
An urban society thrives and prospers when adequate, appropriate, reliable, robust, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure systems are provided. The investment in existing infrastructure and other urban systems in the United States is enormous. The investment required to maintain, operate, renew, and manage the evolution of these infrastructure systems in the future is even greater. The need for highly educated professionals to confront and solve these continuing vital problems is pressing. Examples of infrastructure systems include water supply and distribution; streets, roads, and highways; wastewater management; transit; stormwater management; public utilities; energy supply and distribution; telecommunications; buildings, facilities, and structures; and solid waste management.
Course Work
The department offers courses designated CEIE in the “Course Descriptions” chapter of this catalog.
Undergraduate Program
Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, BS
The bachelor’s degree program provides a solid foundation in the theory of civil and infrastructure engineering. Students benefit from exposure to practical civil, environ-mental, and infrastructure engineering problems and their solutions in the classroom, lab, and field. Students also have the opportunity to work as junior engineers each summer. The goal of the department is to graduate students who are prepared to:
- Solve problems in the civil engineering domain, such as integrating traditional civil engineering disciplines of transportation, environment, structures, construction, and water; incorporating social, political, and economic considerations; and including a conscious life-cycle costing philosophy
- Develop and apply information technology to civil engineering problems
- Communicate effectively in written, oral, and visual ways
- Pursue a lifelong process of learning
- Enter the civil engineering profession as productive engineers
Civil engineering students can look forward to a career in local, state, and federal government organizations and architectural and engineering firms that specialize in land development, transportation, water resources, environment, structures, construction, and other related fields. The program also prepares students for continuing graduate studies.
Degree Requirements
Degree requirements include 120 credits distributed in courses in three main areas: mathematics and basic science; humanities and social sciences; and civil engineering analysis and design.
The prerequisite structure for these courses is extensive. The sample schedule below provides a listing of course requirements as well as a guide to the progression of the courses to satisfy all prerequisites.
Students are required to see their faculty advisor at least once each semester to plan for the following semester’s registration. Each student is expected to complete an approved plan of study, which constitutes a learning plan for the degree program.
A variety of classes will count for credit as CEIE technical electives. All electives must be selected with the advice and approval of the academic advisor. Paid internships during the summer (CEIE 197, 198, and 199; 297, 298 and 299; and 397, 398, 399) may also be used as technical electives.
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university’s writing-intensive requirement for civil and infrastructure engineering majors is satisfied by successful completion of CEIE 360.
Sample Schedule
| First Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| MATH 113 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | 4 |
| ENGR 107 Introduction to Engineering | 2 |
| ENGL 101 Composition | 3 |
| CHEM 251 General Chemistry for Engineers | 4 |
| ENGR 183 Engineering Computer Graphics | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Second Semester | |
| MATH 114 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 160 University Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS 161 University Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| CS 112 Computer Science I | 4 |
| ECON 103 Microeconomic Principles | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Third Semester | |
| CEIE 290 Engineering Computation and Design | 3 |
| MATH 213 Analytic Geometry and Calculus III | 3 |
| PHYS 260 University Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS 261 University Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| General education literature course | 3 |
| Total | 13 |
| Fourth Semester | |
| CEIE 230 Hydraulics | 3 |
| COMM 100 Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH 214 Elementary Differential Equations | 3 |
| ENGR 210 Statics and Dynamics | 3 |
| STAT 344 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Fifth Semester | |
| CEIE 301 Engineering and Economic Models in Civil Engineering | 3 |
| ENGL 302 Advanced Composition | 3 |
| ENGR 310 Mechanics of Materials | 3 |
| CEIE 340 Water Resources Engineering | 3 |
| HIST 100 History of Western civilization general education course | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Sixth Semester | |
| CEIE 305 Soil Mechanics | 3 |
| CEIE 311 Structural Analysis | 3 |
| PHYS 266 Introduction to Thermodynamics | 1 |
| CEIE 360 Introduction to Transportation Engineering | 3 |
| Global understanding general education course | 3 |
| General education fine arts requirement | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Seventh Semester | |
| CEIE 367 Behavior of Concrete and Steel Structures | 3 |
| CEIE 400 Civil Engineering Planning and Management | 3 |
| CEIE 440 Water Supply and Distribution | 3 |
| CEIE 455 Introduction to Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CEIE technical elective* | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Eighth Semester | |
| CEIE 463 Construction Systems | 3 |
| CEIE 490 Senior Design Project | 3 |
| CEIE technical elective* | 3 |
| CEIE technical elective* | 3 |
| CEIE technical elective* | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
* Of the 12 elective credits, 3 credits of a CEIE transportation technical elective and 3 credits of a CEIE environmental elective are required.
BS/Accelerated MS in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
This option provides a way for Mason students to earn an MS in civil and infrastructure engineering in less time than if they graduated from the BS program and then applied to the MS program. This program can be completed in 144 credits.
Admission Requirements
Mason students in the BS in civil and infrastructure engineering program may apply for the BS/accelerated MS if they have earned 90 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.30, or if their GPA in ENGR and CEIE courses is at least 3.30. Students who have not yet finished 90 credits may be accepted provisionally subject to satisfactory completion of 90 credits. All other criteria for admission are identical to criteria for admission into the MS program.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete 144 credits that satisfy requirements for both the BS and MS programs. Students register for 6 credits of CEIE 500-level courses in place of undergraduate technical elective courses. The CEIE 500-level courses selected for this purpose must be approved by the academic advisor. Students complete all MS requirements and may apply the two CEIE 500-level courses included in the BS program toward satisfaction of these requirements.
Conferral of Degrees
Students may apply to have the BS degree conferred during the semester in which they expect to complete the BS requirements. The master’s degree is granted upon completion of MS requirements.
Graduate Program
Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, MS
The MS program educates students in the theory and practice of civil, environmental, and infrastructure engineering. Information technology and automated tools for analyzing and solving urban systems problems are important components of the program. The civil and infrastructure engineer can look forward to pursuing a career in the private or public sector, or continuing graduate study toward the PhD.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the program, a candidate must:
- Satisfy general university requirements for admission to a graduate program
- Have earned a baccalaureate degree in engineering, physical sciences, economics, or other civil and infrastructure engineering-related field
- Provide three letters of reference, submitted by former professors or supervisors
Acceptance to the degree program is based on an assessment of the applicant’s capacity to pursue these graduate studies successfully. Consideration is given to the undergraduate record, any previous graduate work, professional work experience, reference letters, and any recent GRE scores, which are required for international students. Well-qualified students with minor admission deficiencies may be admitted subject to completing an articulation program. Courses taken in the articulation program extend the minimum requirements for the degree.
Degree Requirements
The program includes three core courses, electives selected by the student with the aid of a faculty advisor, a thesis or civil and infrastructure engineering project, and a seminar requirement. Students must complete a faculty-approved plan of study with a minimum of 30 credits of graduate work, including the thesis (6 credits) or the research project (3 credits).
Core Courses
Students must complete the following three core courses. These courses provide a common background for understanding the breadth and complexity of civil and infrastructure engineering, and for introducing the application of information technology and the systems approach to analyzing and solving problems in civil and infrastructure engineering.
- CEIE 601 Infrastructure Modeling
- CEIE 605 Infrastructure Systems Analysis
- CEIE 685 Civil Engineering Information Management
Emphases
Students must select an additional five or six electives that together constitute an emphasis area. With prior approval of a faculty advisor, students may design their own emphasis or select from one of several standard emphases, including the following:
- Water and environmental systems
- Information technology in civil engineering
- Infrastructure management and security engineering
- Land development engineering
- Transportation engineering
Project or Thesis
Students must complete a project (3 credits) or thesis (6 credits) under the direction of a CEIE faculty member. Under the project option, students complete 3 credits of CEIE 798, during which they prepare and present a scholarly paper. The scholarly paper is a technical report on an independent study, laboratory or computer experimentation, or literature search on a current civil and infrastructure engineering topic selected under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the topic, and make a satisfactory technical presentation of the paper in the CEIE graduate seminar (CEIE 795).
Under the thesis option, students complete 6 credits of CEIE 799. The master’s thesis should reflect a significant independent research effort. The work is conducted under the guidance of a faculty thesis advisor, and the final written thesis and oral defense are approved by a three-member faculty committee. In addition, students must make a satisfactory presentation of the thesis in the CEIE graduate seminar. The thesis is particularly recommended for those students who wish to develop and document their research skills, or who contemplate subsequent enrollment in a PhD program.
Seminar Requirement
All degree candidates must attend a minimum of 10 graduate seminars approved by the CEIE department for the degree program.
Graduate Certificate in Civil Infrastructure and Security Engineering
This program is appropriate for civil infrastructure (such as transportation, water and wastewater, and utilities) owners and operators, designers, planners, maintenance staff, and other technical workers in the public and private sectors who are responsible for improving facility and equipment performance, reliability, security, efficiency, and management practices.
New approaches to civil infrastructure problems are emerging that use traditional civil engineering domain knowledge, in the context of information technology with a systems approach, to analyze the complexity of and interaction among various infrastructure components and their performance. Currently, the most important challenge of infrastructure engineering is to improve the quality of stewardship, which falls far short of public expectations, and to improve immediately the security of critical civil infrastructure. The certificate is intended to respond uniquely to the need for broad training in the holistic and systems approach to the long-term management of infrastructure, with specific attention to risk and vulnerability assessments, and to creative solutions to providing improved system security. The certificate program is flexible and can be tailored to the needs of students within the infrastructure engineering community, but it is also intended to be responsive to the needs of infrastructure owners, operators, and other technical staff.
Admission Requirements
Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, mathematics, science, or other related technical field, and must be computer literate. Candidates should inquire with the certificate coordinator for details of program planning. Courses are offered in late afternoon and evening, and are particularly suitable for part-time students.
Certificate Requirements
The certificate program consists of 15 credits (five courses), selected from certificate program courses and elective courses. The certificate courses are aimed at building the foundations of asset management methods based on a holistic and systems approach. The certificate program courses consist of the following:
| Credits | |
|---|---|
| One core course: | |
| CEIE 680 Introduction to Infrastructure and Security Engineering | 3 |
| Minimum of two of the following specific sector courses: | |
| CEIE 681 Security of Structural Systems | 3 |
| CEIE 683 Water and Wastewater Systems Security | 3 |
| CEIE 686 Transportation System Security and Safety | 3 |
Remaining elective credits must be selected from the following:
|
Selection of courses is subject to approval of the certificate coordinator to ensure cohesiveness and compatibility. Some courses may have prerequisites for which the student must qualify or seek a waiver from the appropriate instructor. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required, and no more than one course with a grade of C may be applied toward the certificate.
MS in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
To earn the MS degree, with a specialization in infrastructure management, students complete an additional 12 credits of course work, a 3-credit project, and a minimum of 10 graduate seminars approved by the CEIE department for the degree program.
Certificate in Discovery, Design, and Innovation
This program responds to the growing need for professional knowledge in innovation. It provides students with a balanced understanding of the entire process from the discovery of knowledge, its use in inventive problem solving and the development of inventions, and familiarity with the use of various inventive design methods and tools. The program is available to students who hold a master’s degree in engineering and scientific disciplines, or who are currently in such graduate programs. Students may pursue the certificate concurrently with any of the graduate programs in IT&E; however the certificate is not awarded until all requirements have been completed.
Certificate candidates must complete at least 15 credits with an average grade of B or higher. To obtain the certificate, students must take SYST 520, and IT 894 and 944. Students also must take two of the following: CEIE 601 or 670; SYST 512 (recommended courses if continuing for MS in civil and infrastructure engineering), or 573; STAT 664/SYST664; SYST 781/STAT 781; STAT 652, 700, and 701; OR 671/SYST 671; or IT 819.
PhD Study in Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
Doctoral study in civil, environmental, and infrastructure engineering is available through the PhD in information technology program, which offers advanced courses in this discipline. The doctoral program allows students to take a broad range of courses and research options.