Introduction

Requirements

Additional Requirements

Admission Requirements

Financial Aid

Employment Opportunities

Course offerings

The usual length of time required to complete this degree depends on many factors, but the typical student usually requires three long semesters and one summer session.  Additional time is necessary if the student attends part-time or is involved in a lengthy research project.  Students are required to maintain a B average.  Full-time students are required to take a minimum of 9 hours of coursework each semester, including thesis and other non-lecture courses, which may be taken credit/no credit.

For the Thesis Option, at least six hours but no more than twelve hours must be taken outside the major area of study. All courses in your major area must be taken for grade. No more than 50% of your minor courses may be taken on a credit/no credit basis. Only graduate and upper division undergraduate courses will apply towards the M.S. degree. A maximum of nine hours of upper division undergraduate work is allowed with no more than six hours in either the major or supporting area.

For the No Thesis/Departmental Report Option, at least thirty semester hours of coursework are required with at least twenty-seven hours of graduate coursework. At most, three hours of upper division undergraduate coursework may be counted toward the degree in either the major or the supporting work. In addition, credit/no credit classes are only allowed in supporting work and so seminars -- CE x97S and ARE x97S Master’s Research -- are not allowed in approved programs of coursework. The required classes are area specific. Some areas may require registration in a seminar, even if it cannot be counted toward the Graduate School degree requirements.

Another choice recently offered by the department is the No Thesis/No ReportOption, also referred to as the Coursework Only Option, which requires 30 hours of organized coursework versus the 24 or 27 hours for the thesis or report program. At most, three hours of upper division undergraduate coursework may be counted toward the degree and a minimum of 27 hours of graduate coursework. In addition, credit/no credit classes are only allowed in the supporting classes. The required classes are area specific and some areas may require registration in a seminar, even if it cannot be counted toward the graduate
school degree requirements.

For more information about each of the graduate programs above, please click on the following link: http://www.caee.utexas.edu/compage.cfm?pagePK=8. The Graduate School Report Option is not offered by the department.