Civil Engineering Professional Master of Science Dual-Track Option
Program Description
The Dual-Track Professional Master of Science degree in civil engineering aims to provide students and practicing professionals graduate-level engineering specialization and technical competence in more than a single area. The intended cross-disciplinary training and perspective is often needed to serve or lead in the diverse field of civil engineering where engineers typically have to work in and interact with others from more than one discipline in large and small projects, private and government sectors, in design and development as well as consulting services. The broader technical preparation will expand their career opportunities, professional outlook and provide multiple pathways to leadership and management positions. The high demand nationally for more broadly trained graduates in civil engineering to satisfy our sustainable and resilient infrastructure needs and in turn the national’s overall economical development points to the benefit of a cross-disciplinary General Civil Engineering coursework-only professional master’s degree. With the wide spectrum of classes for the students to choose from the Department and the College, students will have a wide selection of graduate courses to complete the Professional Master of Science degree in one year.
FAQs
A Professional Master's Program degree offers professionals new opportunities for career advancement and equips them with a broader skill set, enabling them to handle more responsibilities in their professions. This often leads to substantial increases in responsibilities and salary. Additionally, working professionals frequently benefit from financial support from their employers, with many companies covering a large portion of their employees’ master's degree expenses.
Costs vary depending on whether you are a Colorado resident and how many credits you take each semester. Visit this page for up-to-date information on tuition and fees.
Be sure to check with your employer to see if they offer a program that covers all or part of your tuition.
Fall Admission Deadline
Feb. 1: MS students—international and domestic New extended deadline!
Spring Admission Deadline
Oct. 1.
Applications close at 11:59 p.m. EST for both dates.
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, watch our video below and don't hesitate to contact our graduate advisors at ceaegrad.advising@colorado.edu.
Dual-Track Option Requirements
Required Courses and Credits
In this program, students are required to select:
- 9 credit hours from one or more of the Group A-course lists for the four sub-areas below,
- 15 credit hours from more than one of the Group B-course lists for the four sub-areas below,
- 6 credits of 5000-level free electives, broadly categorized as Group C, from the extensive course offerings in the four group As and Bs below, other courses in civil engineering and other engineering departments in the college, or professional management classes, such as EMEN 5010 and EMEN 5020, in consultation with CVEN PMP advisors to design the most effective course plan for their interests.
List of Group A and B courses
Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Sub-area 1: Structural Engineering | |
| Group A | |
| CVEN 5161 | Advanced Mechanics of Materials I |
| CVEN 5525 | Matrix Structural Analysis |
| CVEN 5511 | Introduction to Finite Element Analysis |
| CVEN 5111 | Structural Dynamics |
| Group B | |
| CVEN 5575 | Advanced Topics in Steel Design |
| CVEN 5585 | Advanced Topics in Reinforced Concrete Design |
| CVEN 6595 | Earthquake Engineering |
| Sub-area 2: Construction Engineering | |
| Group A | |
| CVEN 5836 | Special Topics for Seniors/Grads (CEM Fundamentals) |
| CVEN 5226 | Construction Safety |
| CVEN 5246 | Legal Aspects of Construction |
| Group B | |
| CVEN 5276 | Engineering Risk and Decision Analysis |
| CVEN 5346 | Managing Construction and Engineering Projects and Organizations |
| CVEN 5836 | Special Topics for Seniors/Grads |
| Sub-area 3: Geotechnical Engineering | |
| Group A | |
| CVEN 5708 | Soil Mechanics |
| CVEN 5798 | Dynamics of Soils and Structures |
| CVEN 5788 | Computational Modeling in Geotechnical Engineering |
| CVEN 5768 | Introduction to Rock Mechanics |
| Group B | |
| CVEN 5628 | Seepage and Slopes |
| CVEN 5728 | Foundation Engineering |
| CVEN 5818 | Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering |
| Sub-area 4: Water Resources Engineering | |
| Group A | |
| CVEN 5333 | Physical Hydrology |
| CVEN 5353 | Groundwater Hydrology |
| CVEN 5313 | Environmental Fluid Mechanics |
| CVEN 5454 | Statistical Methods for Natural and Engineered Systems |
| CVEN 5537 | Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering |
| Group B | |
| CVEN 5363 | Modeling of Hydrologic Systems |
| CVEN 5393 | Water Resources System and Management |
| CVEN 5383 | Applied Groundwater Modeling |
| CVEN 5343 | Transport and Dispersion in Surface Water |
| CVEN 5423 | Water Resources Engineering Design |
Graduate program information session. Watch Now!
Nov. 12, 2025
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. MST
Registration
In the first half of the session, we’ll provide an overview of the CEAE programs, application requirements and life at CU Boulder. In the second half, you’ll have the opportunity to join breakout rooms to explore your specific Subplan/Track of interest in more detail.
If you have questions, please contact us at ceaegrad.advising@colorado.edu.