civil engineers supervising a construction site

Engineering MS: Civil Engineering
MS

Whether you intend to pursue research or are seeking advancement, higher pay or job security, now is a good time to pursue a civil engineering master’s degree.

UWM, one of Wisconsin’s two R1 research universities, is located in one of the largest manufacturing and industrial regions in the nation. You’ll benefit from our long-standing collaborations with this vibrant community and our role in working with them as they transition to an Industry 4.0 economy.

The Master of Science degree in Engineering with a concentration in Civil Engineering is a far-reaching discipline and our flexible program welcomes those whose undergraduate degrees were in civil engineering and other fields within engineering.

Qualified UWM undergraduate students can apply to begin this program during their senior year by participating in the Accelerated Master’s Program.

Program Type

Master’s

Program Format

On Campus
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Technology Focus

UWM engineering students can examine structural designs virtually, using this holotable.

UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science is the first nonmilitary user of this technology in the United States, enabling multiple people to simultaneously view virtual 3D images from different perspectives.

Three students, professor at VRI table

What to Expect

The Master of Science (MS) degree in Engineering at UWM is designed for both working professionals and aspiring researchers so most lectures are held in the evening to allow for dual commitments. Students may choose either a thesis (30 credits) or a non-thesis option (31 credits) depending on their career goals.

The program is intentionally unstructured in order to allow you to customize your degree to your specific objectives and interests, allowing you to enhance your career credentials or follow a path to doctoral study. Please see the academic catalog for specific requirements.

Earning your MS at UWM is a smart investment in your future. Nearly all of our graduates (93%) complete highly paid internships or co-ops during their time with us, and 91% land a job or commit to PhD programs before graduation.

Research Assistantships / Teaching Assistantships

Most students choose to incorporate Teaching Assistantships (TAs) or Research Assistantships (RAs) during their graduate study which helps to fund their education while also building leadership skills. Assistantship decisions are made by the academic departments only after an applicant has been accepted into the program.

More Information

Contact the College of Engineering & Applied Science Graduate Programs Office.

We’re a top tier R1 research university and our civil engineering master’s students have the opportunity to work with civil and environmental engineering faculty engaged in cutting-edge research in areas such as:

  • Application of nanomaterials in construction and on surfaces
  • Industrial waste product utilization in structural materials
  • Design with polymer composite materials and structures
  • Water quality and sensing for contamination
  • New structural designs and methods
  • Flexible pavement design
  • Hydrodynamic modeling and fluid mechanics
  • Smart mobility technologies, smart traffic lights, intelligent transportation systems, big data analytics, urban computing and cloud computing

As an R1 research institution, research is integral to our work at UWM and to the experience of students pursuing graduate degrees. Our college has a wide range of faculty-led labs that perform cutting edge research. Please see the Faculty & Staff tab for the specific research interests and labs of each civil and environmental engineering faculty member. For a full list of our college’s research labs, centers and institutes, click here.

Faculty

Sarah Blackowski
Blackowski, Sarah
  • Assistant Professor of Engineering Education, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Rani Elhajjar
Elhajjar, Rani
  • Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Department Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Andrew Graettinger
Graettinger, Andrew
  • Associate Dean for Research, Engineering & Applied Science Office of the Dean
Sam Helwany
Helwany, Sam
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jin Li
Li, Jin
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Qian Liao
Liao, Qian
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
faculty image xiao qin
Qin, Xiao
  • Lawrence E. Sivak '71 Professorship
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Director, Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation (IPIT)
  • Founder and Director, Safe and Smart Traffic Lab
Adeeb Rahman
Rahman, Adeeb
  • Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Konstantin Sobolev
Sobolev, Konstantin
  • Lawrence E. Sivak '71 Faculty Fellowship
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Habib Tabatabai
Tabatabai, Habib
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Director, Structural Engineering Lab
Hani Titi
Titi, Hani
  • Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
faculty member yin wang
Wang, Yin
  • Lawrence E. Sivak '71 Professorship
  • Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jian Zhao
Zhao, Jian
  • Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Advising

Therese Crary
Crary, Therese
  • Advisor, Graduate Programs
  • Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Health Informatics
Bob Packard
Packard, Robert
  • Advisor, Graduate Programs
  • Civil/Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering

UWM is proud to be one of only two R1 research universities in Wisconsin. We’re also a top externally funded institution with robust opportunities for teaching and research assistantships. Partners that support our research include:

  • A O Smith Corporation
  • AECOM
  • ATSP Innovations
  • Badger Meter
  • Bloom Company
  • Caterpillar Inc.
  • Electric Power Research Institute
  • Federal Highway Administration
  • Gannett Fleming Inc.
  • Hyundai Motor Company
  • Iowa Department of Transportation
  • Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
  • Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
  • Milwaukee Riverkeeper
  • National Academies
  • National Institute of Aerospace
  • National Science Foundation
  • National Space Grant Foundation
  • Space & Naval Warfare Systems & Command
  • USDA Forest Products Laboratory
  • UWM Foundation
  • Veolia Water Milwaukee
  • Village of Shorewood
  • WE Energies
  • Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Academic Catalog
Schedule of Classes
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Contact
Civil & Environmental Engineering

Contact Info: ceas-cem@uwm.edu

Street Address
College of Engineering & Applied Science
3200 North Cramer Street
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Mailing Address
College of Engineering & Applied Science
P.O. Box 784
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0784