3D Rending of outside view of the Advanced Engineering building.

Graduate Programs

The Civil and Environmental ​Engineering and Construction (CEEC) Department offers multiple graduate degree programs that prepare students to take leadership roles in academic and research institutions, as well as in engineering, consulting, manufacturing, and construction firms.

Academic Programs

Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
MSE in Civil and Environmental Engineering
M.S. in Construction and Infrastructure Management

Program Highlights

Top 100
U.S. News and World Report ranks UNLV Civil Engineering Graduate Program in the Top 100 in the U.S.
STEM
All CEEC Degrees are in the STEM Classification
36%
of CEEC Students are female
45%
of CEEC Students are funded by extramural research and state funds
$4.3 Million
The CEEC Department manages about $4.3 million of research expenditures every year
Diverse
The CEEC Faculty are diverse and welcoming

Admissions

The process of admission to the CEEC’s Graduate Programs and required documentation are described in the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering section of the Graduate Catalog. Please follow the process for proper and timely evaluation of your application for admission.

The UNLV Graduate College is responsible for processing all applications. The CEEC Department will evaluate the applications and provide admission recommendations to the Graduate College. Students applying for admission must follow the UNLV Graduate College procedures.

Please email the Graduate Coordinator of the CEEC Department at ceec.gradcoord@unlv.edu if you have further questions about our Graduate Programs.

Learn more about Graduate College admissions

 

Graduate student head counts
Academic Year PhD MSE MSCIM Total
2023-24 33 37 14 84
2022-23 33 34 12 79
2021-22 31 29 5 65
2020-21 29 22 3 54

2019-20

 35 31 3 69

2018-19

 36 40 3 79

2017-18

 40 41 3 83
2016-17 33 44 6 83
2015-16 28 35 6 69
2014-15 31 35 2 80
2013-14 42 37 1 80
2012-13 40 39 3 82
Graduation numbers
Academic Year PhD MSE MSCIM Total
2023-24 7 11 4 22
2022-23 6 11 1 18
2021-22 4 4 1 9
2020-21 5 13 3 21

2019-20

 8 15 0 23

2018-19

 3 25 1 29

2017-18

 7 11 3 21
2016-17 5 14 0 19
2015-16 7 12 0 19
2014-15 9 14 1 24
2013-14 3 19 3 25
2012-13 2 17 2 21

Application Deadlines

Spring Semester: Aug. 30 for international students and Nov. 15 for domestic students

Fall Semester: Mar. 15 for international students and Jun. 15 for domestic students

Applying for Graduate Faculty Status (GFS) for Faculty Outside the Department Guidelines

  1. If you are not a tenured or tenure-track faculty of the CEEC Department and want to serve in an advisory committee for one of the department’s graduate students, contact the faculty (committee chair) and detail whom you want to serve.
  2. Upon the recommendation of the CEEC Department’s tenured and tenure-track faculty, the Graduate Affair Committee will review the applicant’s CV and vote on it during a faculty meeting.
  3. Upon the approval of CEEC faculty, the applicant can fill out Graduate Faculty Status (GFS) form on the Graduate College website.
  4. This GFS will be provided for a limited time until the graduate student completes the degree.
  5. The CEEC Department has developed the GFS approval process for individuals outside the department. Please read the criteria.

Full-Time Graduate Student Timelines

The CEEC Department has full-time and part-time students. Our part-time graduate students take longer to complete their degrees. Below are suggested timelines for full-time graduate students enrolled in our Graduate Degree programs.

Standard Timelines

  • First semester: select advisor
  • Second semester: submit plan of study
  • Third semester: select project presentation type
  • Fourth semester: complete course work, present project in seminar course

  • First semester: form advisory committee
  • Second semester: submit plan of study
  • Third semester: submit Thesis Prospectus Form
  • Fourth semester: complete coursework, defend final thesis

  • First semester: form dissertation committee
  • Second and third semester: pass Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
  • Fourth and fifth semester: submit plan of study
  • Sixth and seventh semester: complete course work
  • Eight semester: defend dissertation proposal
  • Ninth and tenth semester: defend final dissertation

  • First semester: form dissertation committee
  • Second and third semester: pass Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
  • Third and fourth semester: submit plan of study
  • Fifth and sixth semester: complete course work
  • Sixth and seventh semester: defend dissertation proposal
  • Eight semester: defend final dissertation

Accelerated Post-Master’s Ph. D. Timelines

Some Post-Master’s Track Ph.D. students complete their degrees in less than four years by following the following timelines:

  • First semester: Form dissertation committee, complete six credits of coursework
  • Second semester: Pass Ph.D. qualifying exam, complete six credits of coursework
  • Third semester: Submit plan of study, complete six credits of coursework
  • Fourth and fifth semester: complete coursework, complete six credits of coursework and six credits of dissertation
  • Sixth semester: defend dissertation proposal, complete six credits of dissertation
  • Seventh semester: defend final dissertation, complete six credits of dissertation

  • First semester: Form dissertation committee, complete six credits of coursework
  • Second semester: Pass Ph.D qualifying exam, complete six credits of coursework
  • Third semester: Submit plan of study, complete six credits of coursework
  • Fourth semester: Complete coursework, complete six credits of coursework
  • Fifth semester: Defend dissertation proposal, complete nine credits of dissertation
  • Sixth semester: Defend final dissertation, complete nine credits of dissertation

CEEC Students Forms

Group of students working on rocks with various tools