Online Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering

A good online Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering equips individuals with the skills necessary to design, construct, and maintain man-made structures and the natural environment. As a result of coursework that integrates content across subject areas like physics, mathematics and business, graduates of online civil engineering masters degree studies help to ensure the development and the safety of bridges, roads, canals, buildings and dams. In addition, online masters degree in civil engineering degree holders can apply their expertise in specialties such as coastal engineering and earthquake engineering, helping to mitigate risk and to safeguard against potential hazards. Given the wide array of industries they may enter within both the public and private sectors, those who earn credentials through top online masters civil engineering degree programs can attain their professional aspirations while making significant contributions to society.

Online Master’s Degrees in Civil Engineering Requirements

Online masters programs in civil engineering appeal to individuals who value the application of logic and analytical reasoning to address ecumenical challenges that affect mankind and nature. In addition, studies for online masters degrees in civil engineering attract solutions-oriented individuals who think creatively and critically.

Students seeking to pursue an online masters degree in civil engineering are required to have obtained a bachelor’s degree, ideally in a related subject. Common bachelor’s degrees may include:

• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Geology

In addition to their academic studies, those who enroll in civil engineering masters programs online may have relevant professional experience work in engineering, architecture, or scientific research and testing.

Online Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Education

Good online master’s degree programs in civil engineering typically take between 2 to 3 years to complete. The types of civil engineering degrees offered by the best civil engineering master’s programs online include:

• Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MS in Civil Engineering)
• Master of Arts in Civil Engineering (MA in Civil Engineering).

Information on Civil Engineering Courses

Enrollees in online master degree programs in civil engineering deepen their understanding of the congruence between their technical knowledge, effective project management, and the well-being and preservation of mankind and natural resources. Classes for the civil engineering master degree online engage learners in coursework that marries the theoretical and the practical so that they can counter and resolve real-life problems. Accredited online master in civil engineering classes may include:

• Engineering Mathematics
  Students study concepts such as differentials equations, basic matrix algebra, and probability. An understanding of these and related mathematical problem-solving abilities is essential for the kinds of projects that civil engineers oversee.
• Engineered Economics
  Students enrolled in this online master degree in civil engineering course study the dollars and cents of the profession. Topics addressed include the time value of money, interest and equivalence, and methods for assessing the feasibility and possible cost efficiency of solutions alternatives.
• Structural Design: Bridge Design
  This class examines bridge analysis and design, including superstructure analysis and conceptual, flat slab and pre-stressed concrete bridge design. Students also design three types of bridges—suspension, flat slab and girder.
• Safety Engineering
  Online masters in civil engineering students investigate accident prevention and adherence to the legal regulations of constriction projects. They discuss topics such as accident theories, hazard control, and human behavior and safety.
• Construction Engineering Project
  This class, which explores the team approach to the construction process, requires students to use computerized tools to estimate costs, to plan, to schedule and to manage two construction projects. Discussion topics include ethics, professionalism, marketing and bid presentations.

Specializations and Concentrations

Because civil engineering is a broad field, in order to become an expert in a specific niche, some online master’s civil engineering students will pursue specialties or concentrations in areas including:

• Coastal Engineering
• Construction Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Geo-technical Engineering
• Water Resources Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Transportation Engineering

Careers in Civil Engineering

Online master’s degree civil engineering students acquire the abilities that enable them to manage projects like the construction of roads, airports, tunnels, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems. Through engineering disciplines, individuals who earn civil engineering master degrees online understand both the design processes and business elements of work in the field. They are able to contribute to the profession not only through hands-on involvement, but to also supervise and to lead others who work with them towards a common goal.

Examples of the types of careers that graduates of accredited online master’s degrees in civil engineering enter include:

• Surveyor
  These practitioners make exact measurement and determine property boundaries, providing data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation and dimension of land for engineering, map-making and construction purposes. On average, they earn $57,420 annually. In 2008, the number of surveyors totaled about 58,000; that number is expected to increase by 19% by 2018 as there is increasing reliance on surveyors to provide geographic information that can be used for emergency planning, natural resource exploration and marketing.
• Urban and Regional Planner
  These professionals develop plans and programs for the land use and the physical facilities of local jurisdictions. They earn a mean annual salary of $64,680 annually. There will be about a 19% increase in the number of urban and regional planners by 2018 as state and local governments need to provide additional public services such as facilities, transportation and housing for the growing population.
• Landscape Architect
  Individuals in this occupation plan and design parks, airports, highways, hospitals and land subdivisions. They earn on average, $65,910 a year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of landscape architects is anticipated to grow by 20% by 2018 in correspondence with the development of new construction and the redevelopment of existing structures.
• Architect
  These occupational specialists plan and design structures such as office buildings, factories and private residences. They earn an average annual income of $78,880. The number of architects is expected to increase by 16% over the next several years as the population grows and as the surge in baby boomers demands more healthcare facilities, nursing homes and retirement communities.
• Civil Engineer
  Online master’s civil engineering degrees enable individuals to plan, to design and to manage the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, harbors and pipelines, to name only a few types of facility development projects they oversee. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average income of civil engineers to be $81,180. This profession is expected to have a growth of 24% by 2018 in correspondence with the population increase and the need to improve the nation’s infrastructure.

A masters degree in civil engineering from a top online school prepares individuals to anticipate and to respond to the needs of the country’s growing population and shifting demographics. Their expertise will be mandated for projects such as infrastructure construction and environmental maintenance like water supply and pollution control systems, placing those who pursue these studies in high demand. Given that people will need these and the other kinds of support that only practitioners in this discipline can provide, civil engineers will continue to play an important role both now and in the years to come.