Overview
The Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAE) at the University of Miami (UM) has partnered with the University of Bologna (UNIBO) in Italy to offer a dual Master of Science degree program in Civil Engineering (Dual MSCE). Each dual degree program is structured in four semesters and consists of courses and research with two semesters to be completed at UM, and two semesters to be completed abroad at UNIBO. The degrees conferred by each institution are as follows:
Dual Degree Program Area of Emphasis
Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Academic Degree Obtained at UNIBO
Laurea Magistrale in Civil Engineering (Classe LM) - Taught in English
Laurea Magistrale in Ingegneria per l'Ambiente ed il Territorio (Classe LM 35) - "Earth Resources Engineering" International Curriculum taught in English
Academic Degree Obtained at UM
MS in Civil Engineering
MS in Civil Engineering (Environmental Emphasis)
Upon Completion of the Dual Degree Program requirements, the students will be awarded two separate and distinct Master's of Science degrees.
Admission Requirements
This program is open to students who are admitted to the graduate program at the end of their junior year as part of the 4+1 (BS + MS) program. Students applying for this program must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
Once enrolled in the 4+1 (BS+MS) program, students are eligible to apply to the dual MS degree program. The five-year program leading to a B.S. and dual M.S. degrees (BS/2MS) can be completed in 10 semesters as long as the student makes satisfactory progress.
The 5-year dual M.S. in Civil Engineering degree program is open to undergraduates majoring in either civil or architectural engineering. Civil engineering majors will receive a BSCE, and two MSCE degrees (one from UM and one from UniBo). Architectural engineering majors who satisfy the pre-requisites for the master's-level civil engineering coursework are also eligible. They will receive a BS in Architectural Engineering, and two MS degrees in Civil Engineering (one from UM and one from UniBo).
Admission to the 4+1 (BS+MS) program and the BS + dual M.S. program is conducted through the College of Engineering Admissions Office. Any student interested in applying should contact the Director of Admissions in the College of Engineering and their academic advisor in the CAE Department. Both should conduct an overview and feasibility study based on the student's current program of study, and discuss the application requirements and timeline.
Curriculum Requirements
The curriculum for the dual M.S. degree program consists of courses that are required for the MS-UM degree, courses for the MS-UNIBO degree, and common courses shared between the programs. In general, students will enroll in the following program of study during their 4th year (Senior Year), and 5th year (at UNIBO). The table is shown in UM credit equivalents:
Plan of Study Grid Senior Year |
Fall Semester I |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 |
Spring Semester II |
CAE 604 | Master's Design Project | 3 |
| 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 |
Plan of Study Grid Fifth Year (Graduate) |
First Semester |
| 3 |
| 2 |
| 2 |
| |
| |
CAE 795 | Special Problems | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 9 |
Second Semester |
| 3 |
| 2 |
| 2 |
| |
| |
CAE 795 | Special Problems | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 9 |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 |
Students shall submit an individual Program of Study to select courses as part of the program. The individual study program must be approved by both institution's Academic Coordinators. A thesis is required as part of the program and will be completed at UNIBO while working with an advisor at UM. Students must defend their Master's Thesis according to the rules and modalities of UNIBO to obtain the Laurea Magistrale degree.
Program credits are reported using two systems: the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the United States College Credit System (US). The transfer rate between the systems is 2 ECTS credits = 1 US credit. The credit requirements for each MS program are based on the transfer credits between the institutions.
Any deviation from the designated course lists requires pre-approval by the student's UM supervisory committee, the UM CAE Graduate Program Director, and the UNIBO Academic Advisor prior to course registration.
5 YEAR BS/DUAL MS
COURSE SCHEDULE FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING
4TH Year (Senior Year at UM): All courses in Table A (24 U.S., 48 ECTS) + 2 courses in Table B (6 U.S., 12 ECTS)
5th Year (at UNIBO): The remaining courses in Tables B and C (24 U.S., 48 ECTS) + Civil Engineering Research (6 U.S., 12 ECTS) + CAE 795: Special Problems (4 U.S., 8 ECTS). Courses in Table C consist of Curriculum courses and Elective courses which can be chosen by the student, depending on the study area they are interested. They are shown in Tables E, F, and G.
TABLE A
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CAE 402 | Professional Engineering Practice | 3 |
CAE 450 | Transportation Engineering II | 3 |
CAE 470 | Foundations and Earth Retaining Systems | 3 |
CAE 520 | Advanced Design of Concrete Structures | 3 |
CAE 530 | Water Resources Engineering II | 3 |
CAE 604 | Master's Design Project | 3 |
| |
CAE 611 | Advanced Structural Analysis | 3 |
CAE 621 | Advanced Design of Steel Structures | 3 |
MAE 607 | Advanced Mechanics of Solids | 3 |
CAE 711 | Theory of Elasticity | 3 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 9 |
| 9 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 9 |
| 9 |
Total Credit Hours | 48 |
TABLE B
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CAE 460 | Construction Management | 3 |
MAE 601 | Methods of Engineering Analysis | 3 |
CAE 670 | Advanced Foundation Engineering | 3 |
MAE 705 | Finite Element Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 12 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 24 |
*Numerical Methods I & II may be offered in a combined course worth 12 credit hours.
TABLE C
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 18 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 36 |
TABLE D
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CAE 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 6 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 12 |
Total Credit Hours | 12 |
TABLE E
Curriculum 1 - Structural Engineering
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
TABLE F
CURRICULUM 2 -Territorial Infrastructures
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
TABLE G
ELECTIVE COURSES
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
ECTS | 6 |
COURSE SCHEDULE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
4th Year (Senior Year at UM): All the courses in Table A (24 U.S., 48 ECTS) + 2 courses in Table B (6 U.S., 12 ECTS)
5th Year (at UNIBO): The remaining courses in Tables B and C (24 U.S., 48 ECTS) + Civil Engineering Research (6 U.S., 12 ECTS) + CAE 795 Special Problems (4 U.S., 8 ECTS)
TABLE A
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CAE 402 | Professional Engineering Practice | 3 |
CAE 430 | Water-Resources Engineering I | 3 |
CET 440 | Water Quality Control Systems | 3 |
CAE 530 | Water Resources Engineering II | 3 |
CET 533 | Water-Quality Control in Natural Systems | 3 |
CET 540 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
CET 542 | Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering | 3 |
CAE 604 | Master's Design Project | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 24 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 9 |
| 9 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
TABLE B
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
MAE 601 | Methods of Engineering Analysis | 3 |
CET 641 | Environmental Engineering Microbiology | 3 |
CAE 670 | Advanced Foundation Engineering | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 9 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 18 |
TABLE C
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CET 730 | Advanced Fluid Mechanics | 3 |
CET 735 | Water and Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse | 3 |
CAE 743 | Risk Analysis | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 24 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 42 |
TABLE D
Courses offered at UM
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
CAE 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 6 |
Courses offered at UNIBO
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 12 |
Total Credit Hours | 12 |
Grade Equivalencies
The following conversion table of grades applies once a course is completed:
The Grading System Grade | Description |
Grade at UM | |
A+ | |
A | |
A- | |
B+ | |
B | |
B- | |
C+ | |
C | |
C- | |
D+ | |
D | |
D- | |
F | |
I (Incomplete) | |
W (Withdrawal) | |
The Grading System Grade | Description |
Grade at UNIBO | |
30L | |
30 | |
28 | |
26 | |
25 | |
24 | |
23 | |
22 | |
21 | |
20 | |
19 | |
18 | |
Failed/Respinto | |
No Equivalent | |
No Equivalent | |
Additional Details
- Each Student is required to complete a Program of Study and have it approved by their Supervisory Committee and the Graduate Program Director prior to entering the program.
- Internships, Practical Training, Workshops, or other types of practicum are neither required nor optional credit-earning components in the established graduate curriculum (Program of Study). Credit earned through these experiences (such as UMI 605) will not count towards any CAE degree requirements. CAE 665 - 669 and CAE 765 - 769 shall not count towards the degree.
- Credits completed at UniBo (that count towards the MS-UM degree) will be facilitated by students enrolling in SAP (Study Abroad Program) sections at UM. Graduate work that counts towards the MS-UM degree (i.e. SAP sections) must be completed with no grade below "C".
- All graduate courses that count towards the MS-UM degree (including SAP courses) must be completed with an overall average of "B" or better and no grade below "C".
- The Supervisory Committee at the University of Miami must have a minimum of 3 members, including:
- Committee Chair (Advisor) shall be full-time CAE Faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty
- Full-time or Part-time CAE Faculty
- Non-CAE member with an earned Ph.D.
In addition to the Committee Chair, at least one member must be tenured/tenure-earning or a member of the Graduate Faculty.