Overview

The Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAE) offers a 5-year BS/MS program that allows students to earn both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in civil or architectural engineering. 

The educational objectives, specialty areas, and learning outcomes of each Master of Science program are shown in their respective sections MSAE and MSCE

This 5-Year program is open to students who are admitted to the graduate program at the end of their junior year. Students applying for this program should have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate students of the CAE department having a GPA of 3.0 or better are encouraged to apply to the 5-year BS/MS program during their junior year. Applicants are required to submit official transcripts, and three letters of reference. Admission criteria are described under College of Engineering - Graduate Admission Requirements

Graduation

Requirements for graduation are:

  • Minimum of 30 graduate-level credits with a GPA of at least 3.000, and no grade lower than C; refer to the Curriculum Requirements for details regarding the distribution of the credits
  • Completion of the BS degree requirements

Curriculum Requirements

The Program of Study is the student's specific set of coursework that defines the course requirements for graduations and must be approved by an advisory committee (known as the Supervisory Committee). The Program of Study is tailored to the student's background and goals by their advisor, and must be approved as constituting an MS in Civil Engineering by the student's Supervisory Committee. 

For the M.S. portion of the curriculum, students must complete a minimum of 30 graduate-level credits with a GPA of at least 3.000, and no grade lower than C. More details on the course group classifications can be found in the CAE Courses section.

BSCE Requirements (124 credits)
Engineering Courses
CAE 115Introduction to Engineering II: Geospatial Data (Surveying and GIS)2
CAE 210Mechanics of Solids I3
CAE 211Mechanics of Solids II3
CAE 212Structural Laboratory1
CAE 310Structural Analysis 13
CAE 320Concrete Structures 13
CAE 321Steel Structures 13
CAE 330Fluid Mechanics3
CAE 350Transportation Engineering I 13
CAE 361Building Information Modeling I3
CAE 370Geotechnical Engineering I 13
CAE 371Geotechnical Laboratory 11
CAE 401Civil and Architectural Engineering Seminars (Civil and Architectural Engineering Seminars (NEW COURSE))1
CAE 402Professional Engineering Practice3
CAE 403Senior Design Project I - Engineering Design 13
CAE 430Water-Resources Engineering I 13
CAE 470Foundations and Earth Retaining Systems 13
CET 340Introduction to Environmental Engineering 13
CET 440Water Quality Control Systems 13
ECE 205Principles of Electrical Engineering--I3
EGN 114Global Challenges Addressed by Engineering and Technology3
ISE 311Applied Probability and Statistics3
MAE 303Thermodynamics3
CEN Tech Elective Course 43
CEN Design Electives:
CAE 530Water Resources Engineering II3
or CAE 570 Advanced Foundation Engineering
CAE 520Advanced Design of Concrete Structures3
or CAE 521 Advanced Design of Steel Structures
Math and Science Courses
MTH 151Calculus I for Engineers5
MTH 162Calculus II4
MTH 211Calculus III3
MTH 311Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations3
CHM 151Chemistry for Engineers3
CHM 153Chemistry Laboratory for Engineers1
PHY 221University Physics I3
PHY 222University Physics II3
PHY 106Physics Laboratory 11
Basic Science Elective 33
General Education Requirements
Written Communication Skills:
WRS 105First-Year Writing I3
WRS 107First-Year Writing II: STEM3
Quantitative Skills:
Calculus I for Engineers (fulfilled through the major)
Areas of Knowledge:
Arts and Humanities Cognate 29
People and Society Cognate 29
STEM Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major)
MS Requirements (30 credits)
CAE 604Master's Design Project 1,53
6 credits from the following Group A electives (700-level lecture-based CAE courses in civil and architectural engineering):6
Theory of Elasticity
Structural Reliability
Structural Dynamics
Fracture Mechanics
Concrete Materials Science
Molecular Simulation of Materials
Risk Management and Resilience
Construction Project Management
Control Theory and HVAC Applications
Advanced Topics
9 credits from the Group A electives above or from the following Group B electives (600-level lecture-based CAE Courses in civil and architectural engineering):9
Advanced Structural Analysis
Advanced Design of Concrete Structures
Advanced Design of Steel Structures
Design of Prestressed Concrete Structures
Design of Masonry Structures
Timber Structural Systems
Water Resources Engineering II
Surface-Water Hydrology
Ground-Water Hydrology
Sustainable Construction
Computer Aided Architecture Engineering Design
Advanced Foundation Engineering
Energy-Efficient Building Design
Building Energy Modeling and Simulation
Special Topics
9 credits from Groups A or B electives above or from Group C electives below (600- or 700-level CAE courses in construction management). A student can also take pre-approved coursework in any UM department at the 600- or 700-level except UMI to satisfy this category.9
Facilities Operation and Management
Construction Management Seminars
Special Topics
Construction Accounting and Finance
Construction Management Capstone Internship
Advanced Topics in Construction Management
3 credits from Groups A and B electives above, or:3
Any pre-approved course in any UM department at the 600- or 700-level except UMI
Special Problems
Special Problems
Special Problems
Total Credit Hours154
1

Only offered once a year in the semester indicate in the curriculum

2

To be selected from the approved lists.  Students take a minimum of 3 courses (9 credits) in the AH cognate and 3 courses in the PS cognate (9 credits).

3

Basic Science Elective - BIL 150, BIL 160, ECS 111, GSC 110, ATM 102, or MSC 301

4

CEN Technical Elective – Any CAE course 300 or above.

5

CAE 604 is in lieu of CAE 404 

Notes
  1. All courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated
  2. Master's Thesis (CAE 810) will not count towards the degree requirements 
  3. Courses may not count towards multiple requirements
  4. The following graduate-level courses in CET (previously offered in CAE) will count as CAE courses:  CET 633CET 640CET 641CET 642CET 643CET 730CET 735.

Refer to the Additional Details section (below) for additional options and restrictions. 

Transfer of credits from other institutions

  • A total of 6 credits of transfer and/or exchange coursework not counted towards the student’s B.S. may be taken at another institution and used to satisfy requirements for the M.S. The number of eligible credits for transfer is 9, when pre-approved coursework is taken as part of a semester abroad experience.

Additional Details

  • The classification of courses into their respective Groups can be found in the CAE Courses section.
  • 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. 
  • The Supervisory Committee must have a minimum of 3 members, including:
  1. Committee Chair (Advisor) shall be full-time CAE faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty
  2. Full-time or part-time CAE Faculty
  3. Non-CAE member with an earned PhD

In addition to the Committee Chair, at least one member must be tenured/tenure-earning or a member of the Graduate Faculty. 

Plan of Study

The course requirements for the BS and MS portion of the five-year BS/MS program can be met as follows:

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
EGN 114 Global Challenges Addressed by Engineering and Technology 3
MTH 151 Calculus I for Engineers 5
PHY 221 University Physics I 3
WRS 105 First-Year Writing I 3
PS Cognate 2 3
 Credit Hours17
Second Semester
CAE 115 Introduction to Engineering II: Geospatial Data (Surveying and GIS) 2
CAE 210 Mechanics of Solids I 3
CHM 151 Chemistry for Engineers 3
CHM 153 Chemistry Laboratory for Engineers 1
MTH 162 Calculus II 4
WRS 107 First-Year Writing II: STEM 3
 Credit Hours16
Sophomore Year
First Semester
CAE 211 Mechanics of Solids II 3
CAE 212 Structural Laboratory 1
ISE 311 Applied Probability and Statistics 3
MTH 211 Calculus III 3
PHY 222 University Physics II 3
AH Cognate 2 3
PHY 106 Physics Laboratory 1 1
 Credit Hours17
Second Semester
CAE 310 Structural Analysis 1 3
CET 340 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 1 3
ECE 205 Principles of Electrical Engineering--I 3
MTH 311 Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations 3
AH Cognate 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior Year
First Semester
CAE 320 Concrete Structures 1 3
CAE 330 Fluid Mechanics 3
CAE 350 Transportation Engineering I 1 3
MAE 303 Thermodynamics 3
Basic Science Elective 3 3
PS Cognate 2 3
 Credit Hours18
Second Semester
CAE 321 Steel Structures 1 3
CAE 361 Building Information Modeling I 3
CAE 370 Geotechnical Engineering I 1 3
CAE 371 Geotechnical Laboratory 1 1
CAE 430 Water-Resources Engineering I 1 3
CET 440 Water Quality Control Systems 1 3
 Credit Hours16
Senior Year
First Semester
CAE 401 Civil and Architectural Engineering Seminars 1
CAE 403 Senior Design Project I - Engineering Design 1 3
CAE 470 Foundations and Earth Retaining Systems 3
CAE 530 or 570 Water Resources Engineering II
or Advanced Foundation Engineering
3
PS Cognate 2 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
 Credit Hours19
Second Semester
CAE 402 Professional Engineering Practice 3
CAE 521 or 521 Advanced Design of Steel Structures
or Advanced Design of Steel Structures
3
CEN Tech Elective Course 4 3
AH Cognate 2 3
CAE 604 Master's Design Project 6 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
 Credit Hours18
Fifth Year
First Semester
Graduate Level Course 5 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
 Credit Hours9
Second Semester
Graduate Level Course 5 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
Graduate Level Course 5 3
 Credit Hours9
 Total Credit Hours154
1

Only offered once a year in the semester indicate in the curriculum

2

To be selected from the approved lists.  Students take a minimum of 3 courses (9 credits) in the AH cognate and 3 courses in the PS cognate (9 credits).

3

Basic Science Elective - BIL 150, BIL 160, ECS 111, GSC 110, ATM 102, or MSC 301

4

CEN Technical Elective – Any CAE course 300 or above.

5

Graduate Courses must follow the distribution detailed in the Curriculum Requirements table. More details can also be found in the CAE Courses page.

6

CAE 604 is in lieu of CAE 404