1. The M.S. "Thesis Option" requires at least 30 hours of credit including:

• 12 to 18 hours in geotechnical engineering,
• 6 to 12 hours in one or two supporting areas, and
• 6 hours for thesis research and writing.

2. The M.S. "Graduate School Report Option" requires at least 33 hours of credit including:

• 18 to 24 hours in geotechnical engineering
• 6 to 12 hours in one or more supporting areas, and
• 3-credit-hour report to the Graduate School.

3. The M.S. "Departmental Report Option" requires at least 36 hours of credit including:

• 15 to 27 hours in geotechnical engineering,
• 6 to 18 hours in one or more supporting areas, and
• 3-credit-hour report to the Civil Engineering Department.

In each option, only graduate and upper division undergraduate courses apply toward 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.

Most M.S. students, especially those holding University fellowships or research assistantships, are encouraged to complete a thesis. Students with research assistantships generally write a thesis that also serves as the report to the research sponsor. Students who are not supported on sponsored research projects or a University fellowship may elect either the thesis option or a report option. The report options are particularly appropriate for students interested in a broader education and thus wanting to take more courses in related fields.

M.S. students are supervised by one member of the geotechnical engineering faculty, with at least one other professor serving as the thesis or report reader.