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Graduate Degrees - Application Process

Application Checklist

Applicants must submit two application packets – one to PSU Admissions, and one to the Department. The admission process will be delayed if incomplete applications are submitted.

Return the following items to the Office of Admissions as a complete packet:

  1. PSU Application for Admission.
  2. $50.00 non-refundable application fee (do not send cash). The fee is good for one year.
  3. One official transcript, in its unopened envelope, from each post-secondary institution attended. (PSU transcript is not required for Office of Admissions.)
  4. International applicants must also submit the following:
    1. Those students whose first language is not English and who do not have a U.S. degree are required to take the TOEFL. An Official TOEFL score report must be sent directly to PSU from the Educational Testing Service. Required minimum for paper-based test is 550 and minimum for computer-based test is 213.
    2. Declaration of Finances form. This is for F-1 and J-1 visa holders only. International applicants must show proof of adequate finances for at least the first year of study at PSU.
    3. Transfer Clearance form. This is for F-1 and J-1 visa holders only. This is only required for international students who are transferring from another U.S. school. If applicants are not transferring from a U.S. school, this form does NOT need to be submitted.
    4. It should be noted that the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department does not usually offer financial assistance to international students during their first term at PSU. Assistantships are offered on a competitive basis, often only after at least one full term of successful graduate coursework. International students must demonstrate financial status to the PSU Admissions Office, and should contact them for financial criteria. They can be contacted directly at admissions@pdx.edu.

Return the following to the Department as a complete packet:

  1. Departmental application form with calculated GPA.
  2. One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended.
  3. Three letters of recommendation (or departmental evaluation forms). It is preferred that at least one of the recommendations should be from a faculty member or an academic advisor. These recommendations should come directly from the evaluator to the Department.
  4. Ph.D. applicants must also submit a statement of career plans and resume or curriculum vitae.

Note: The CEE Department does not require GRE test scores, but students may submit them as supplemental application material.

When the Department has received all of the above, the student’s application will be reviewed by the CEE graduate admissions committee. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Since the Ph.D. student must have a supervising advisor for admittance, all prospective Ph.D. students must contact one of the faculty members in their research area of interest prior to submitting their Ph.D. application.

If you do not register for the term to which you are admitted, your admission will be automatically cancelled unless you notify PSU Admissions and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of your intent to change the date of enrollment. Notification must be given prior to the term for which you are admitted. Failure to supply complete and accurate information will subject a student to the University’s policies governing academic dishonesty.

Application Deadlines for admission:

  • Post-Baccalaureate and Re-Enrolling Graduate Students
    • Fall Term: June 1
    • Winter Term: October 1
    • Spring Term: February 1
    • Summer Term: May 1
  • New Graduate Students
    • Fall Term: April 1
    • Winter Term: August 1
    • Spring Term: November 1
    • Summer Term: February 1
  • International and New PSU Students
    • Fall Term: April 1
    • Winter Term: August 1
    • Spring Term: November 1
    • Summer Term: February 1

Eligibility

Candidates for graduate programs in Civil & Environmental Engineering must satisfy the following pre-admission criteria (see also additional criteria for M.Eng and Ph.D. below):

  1. Candidates with B.S./B.A. degrees in engineering fields, sciences or closely related areas shall have completed (with a minimum grade of “C” in engineering courses, and minimum GPA of 2.0 in non-engineering courses) the following: Calculus through differential equations, Physics and Chemistry, and Computer Programming.
  2. The necessary prerequisites for the graduate courses that comprise the student's program of study, including the following specified courses, depending on the option selected by the student:
    • Environmental Engineering: fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and environmental engineering.
    • Geotechnical Engineering: soil mechanics and foundation design.
    • Structural Engineering: strength and properties of materials, structural analysis and design.
    • Transportation Engineering: two courses in transportation engineering.
    • Water Resources Engineering: fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and water resources engineering.
  3. GPA Requirements
    • To be considered for admission as a “regular status” student, the applicant with a B.S. in engineering must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all upper-division engineering courses, or a minimum of 2.75 in all undergraduate engineering courses.
    • To be considered for admission as a "qualified” or “conditional" student, the applicant must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all upper-division engineering courses, or a minimum of 2.50 in all undergraduate engineering courses. Upon review of the application, conditions are assigned and must be met within a given amount of time.
    • To be considered for admission as an “alternate status” student, the applicant must possess significant practical experience, and must submit a resume highlighting merits of his/her experience, along with an essay describing educational/career goals and objectives. If admitted as an “alternate status” student, the applicant will be required to complete 16 credit hours of pre-approved CE graduate courses with a minimum GPA of 3.25.
    • The applicant with a baccalaureate degree in a field other than engineering must meet minimum GPA requirements stated in parts (a) and (b) above, except "major discipline" will be substituted for "engineering". A post-baccalaureate student may enroll in approved undergraduate courses to improve GPA prior to admission. Candidates who meet the University requirements but do not have degrees in engineering fields, sciences or closely related areas may petition for admission based on the merits of their extraordinary experience and/or unique education.

Additional criteria for the M.Eng. - Civil and Environmental Engineering Management : In addition to the criteria listed above, the candidate for the MEngCEEM must also hold a B.S. degree in civil engineering.

Additional criteria for the Ph.D.: a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering or closely related area from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.00 and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering or closely related area with a minimum GPA of 3.25 and a faculty member in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department who has agreed to be the student’s official Ph.D. advisor.