Overview of Graduate Degrees

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers advanced degrees within the broadly defined areas of Environmental Science and Engineering (which includes Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Coastal Engineering, Environmental Microbiology, and Hydrology and Hydroclimatology), Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics, Mechanics of Materials and Structures, and Transportation. The depth and breadth of coursework and research required differ for each degree program.

The degrees offered are:

• Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)
• Master of Science in Transportation (M.S.T.)
• Master of Science (S.M.)
• Doctoral Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)

Comparison of Degree Programs

Students can choose from two types of master's degree programs: Master of Engineering and Master of Science. The Master of Engineering program (M.Eng.) is practice-oriented, while the Master of Science (S.M. and M.S.T.) programs are research-focused. Many students in the M.S.T. and S.M. programs hold research or teaching assistantships throughout their term of graduate study.

The Master of Engineering program is an intensive, nine-month program that places more emphasis on project work, teamwork and connection to industry than do the research-oriented Master of Science and Doctoral programs. Most students in the M.Eng. program are self-supported, and the majority enter or return to engineering practice after graduation, although some go on to earn a doctoral degree at MIT or elsewhere.