Bachelor of Science in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

Master of Science in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

Why pursue this degree?

The Bachelor’s degree is the professional degree in engineering
Coverage of civil engineering is both broad and deep
You are qualified to take the first of the engineering licensure exams (Fundamentals of Engineering)
George Mason is a Commonwealth of Virginia university and provides outstanding education at an affordable price.

The MS degree is focused on a specialty within civil engineering
The American Society of Civil Engineers is promoting the evolution of the MS degree to become the professional degree
You are qualified to take the first of the engineering licensure exams (Fundamentals of Engineering)
George Mason is a Commonwealth of Virginia university and provides superb education at an affordable price.

Are there specializations?

Within the BS-CIE degree, there are four technical electives that can be used to specialize in any area of civil engineering.

There are five defined emphasis areas within the MS-CIE degree program. You may select one of these or you may work with an advisor to design your own emphasis area.

How many classes are required?

This depends on your situation. The complete degree is only 120 credits, and it is accredited by ABET, the accrediting board for all engineering programs in the US. You may be able to transfer courses from your previous education into the BS-CIE degree program. In some cases, this may be a significant number of credits. There are a few courses that you might be able to satisfy through testing. The remaining courses you will need to take. Only through a careful review of your previous education is it possible to decide precisely what courses you will have to take.

This depends on your situation. If you have an undergraduate engineering degree, or have already passed the FE or PE tests, then you may begin to take the MS courses directly. However, if you have a non-engineering bachelor’s degree and have not yet passed the FE or PE exams, then you will be required to take a set of undergraduate courses that will provide the essential background that anyone with a degree in civil engineering should have. These are undergraduate courses are in addition to the graduate courses required for the MS-CIE degree.

Why isn’t “environmental” in the name of the degree?

Environmental engineering is an integral part of both degrees. Like almost all civil engineering programs, we do use the word “environmental” in the name of the department. However, we do not use the word in the title of the degree.
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits all engineering programs in the United States. Our degrees are accredited and have been since their inception. Because of ABET rules, to use the words “civil” and “environmental” in the name of the degree would require a BS program with 150 or more credits. Hence, no degree program in the US uses both words in the degree title.

How to proceed?

You should make an appointment with one of the CEIE faculty to discuss both options—BS-CIE and MS-CIE. We can help you to make an informed choice about which degree to pursue based on your goals, your experience, and the requirements of both degrees. Email or call Ms. Stephanie Musselwhite (smusselw@gmu.edu, 703.993.1675) to schedule an appointment to see one of our faculty to decide whether Mason’s civil engineering programs are right for you!