All Master's degrees may be completed online. Students choosing this path should be in touch with our staff for special consideration for the fall 2025 program start.
Students may choose to pursue a Master of Science, Master of Engineering, or Ph.D. degree based on their interests and career goals. Students will specialize in one of the department's four areas of focus:
- Environmental engineering
- Geotechnical engineering
- Structural engineering
- Water Resources engineering
Lehigh's CEE graduate programs consistently rank among the top 25 nationally on the U.S. News & World Report rankings. The research facilities and faculty of the CEE Department are world-class, and those who have studied CEE at Lehigh at the graduate level have quickly risen to the top of both academia and industry. You can also schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
You can follow in the footsteps of industry leaders and the foremost minds of the profession. Click here to learn more about the CEE faculty and their specific research areas and projects. Read on for more information about the programs and their requirements, and when you are ready, click below to apply to Lehigh University graduate school:
Graduate Student Application Deadlines
The CEE Department now has a rolling admission system, so applications are considered at all times. However, it is recommended to submit your application by the following dates: December 15 for Summer and Fall admissions, December 1 for Spring admissions.
Application fee waivers are available and offered to prospective students who participate in departmental open houses and webinars, which are announced on the CEE Department homepage.
CEE Department Admission Requirements
Admission to the graduate programs in the CEE Department is highly selective. The graduate admissions committee considers the entire application package in making decisions. It carefully reviews each applicant's academic transcript, GRE scores (if submitted), TOEFL or IELTS scores (if applicable), personal statement, letters of recommendation, and resume.
Students with a non-CEE undergraduate background will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis, assuming they have met core requirements and have demonstrated competency in the senior-level courses of their undergraduate major. Please contact the department for additional information (incee@lehigh.edu).
The CEE Master's Degrees
Flexibility in the courses. All the CEE Master’s degree programs require 30 credits. Most programs include a small number of required courses (~3) and let each student choose from a broad portfolio of elective courses in the CEE department and in other departments. Each student will have an academic advisor (a faculty member in the department) who will assist the student in planning their program of study to meet their needs and interests, while taking advantage of the flexibility offered by the program.
Flexibility in the final product. Together with the academic advisor, each student chooses how to complete their program with one of these options.
- Project report. This has become the most popular choice among students in all CEE programs. A concise document that can be easily attached to a resume showcases the result of a research project or a design project conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Sometimes, the project report can be submitted for publication in a professional or scientific journal. The research or design project and the preparation of the report typically count as 3 credits of effort towards the degree.
- Thesis. A Master's thesis is the traditional final product for Master students. The student will work with a faculty member for the duration of the program, and collect their findings in a thesis that will be perpetually stored in Lehigh's archives. The research and the preparation of the thesis typically count as 3 credits of effort towards the degree.
- Coursework only. Some students choose to take maximum advantage of the broad portfolio of graduate electives offered by the department and use their 30 credits to take 10 different courses, without a specific final product.
Flexibility in the duration of the program. The average time is to complete a Master's degree program is three semesters (e.g., from August to December of the following year). With good planning, all programs can be completed in about 1 year. For international students it is often convenient to spend 2 full years and then take advantage of OPT. Some example timelines are provided below.
The Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering is a unique program which emphasizes group and individual structural design projects. Lean more on the dedicated page.
The CEE Doctoral Degrees
A doctoral degree is for students with career ambitions in research, in all of its aspects. Lehigh's CEE doctoral graduates secure leadership position in top academic institutions, consulting firms, private companies, and in important government organizations.
A doctoral program includes courses in the major field, as well as courses offered by other departments, to equip CEE students to tackle some of the most interesting research problems of today, which are at the intersection of multiple disciplines. In addition to providing the technical knowledge, the CEE doctoral programs train the students to become leaders. The doctoral students work in teams and learn how to effectively collaborate with other scholars. Moreover, almost all Ph.D. students take professional development courses, and at the end of their program they are typically involved by their advisor in training new members of the team. This exercise helps develop their mentoring and communication skills. Regarding the latter, CEE doctoral students have the opportunity to serve as teaching assistants (TA) during their program. The department considers this to be an important part of the education of a doctoral student. If they pursue a career in the academia, obviously teaching will be part of their job and their experience as TAs will make them ready to be good course instructors. Even if they do not pursue an academic career, all CEE doctoral graduates are expected to be leaders in their profession, and being able to convey complex concepts in a concise and effective manners is an essential skill that will make them emerge in their working environment.
Admission to the CEE doctoral programs is offered to candidates holding a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering or in a field related to their future research.
In the CEE department, doctoral students join a research group immediately upon enrollment, and recruitment of prospective students is mainly handled by individual faculty members seeking talent for their world-class research teams. Explore our four areas of research focus to see example projects.
Financial Support Opportunities
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers a variety of financial support packages in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships based on the research and educational needs of the department and the academic and research performance of the student. Consideration for financial support is part of the standard application review process. In general, CEE support packages include graduate tuition and a monthly stipend.
For more details on financial aid options available through the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, click here.
The Graduate Certificates
As part of their master's or doctoral program, graduate students in the CEE Department can receive a graduate certificate that completes their education. The students interested in the certificate program take a series of four courses in a specific area, and at the end receive a graduate certificate that complements their main degree (M.S., M.Eng., or Ph.D.). The courses of the certificate count also towards the main program and they do not incur additional tuition charges. Some examples of how a graduate certificate program can be embedded in a master's or doctoral program are provided below.
- Graduate Certificate in Probabilistic Modeling across Engineering and Science
- Graduate Certificate in Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience [upcoming]
Graduate certificates can also be taken as a stand-alone degree. For information, contact incee@lehigh.edu
Example Timelines
These timelines are to be considered as examples, each graduate student will be encouraged to shape a program that meets their needs and interests, in collaboration with an academic advisor.
Example MS in Civil Engineering with focus on Structures (in 16 months)
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Environmental Engineering (in 16 months)
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Civil Engineering with focus on Structures and Graduate Certificate in Probabilistic Modeling (in 16 months)
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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At the end of the program, the student will receive a MS in Civil Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Probabilistic Modeling.
Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Structural Engineering (in 16 months)
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MEng in Structural Engineering (in 10 months)
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Summer
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Fall
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Spring
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Structural Engineering for Lehigh Undergraduates (in 10 months)
Transfer undergraduate credits in excess of requirement (typically 6)
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Summer
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Fall
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Spring
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Civil Engineering with focus on Structures (in 2 academic years – ideal for international students seeking OPT)
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Fall 1
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Spring 1
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Spring 2
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Civil Engineering with focus on Water Resources (in 16 months)
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.
Example MS in Civil Engineering with focus on Structures and Graduate Certificate in Catastrophe Modeling (in 16 months) - Upcoming
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Fall 1
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall 2
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Students can apply to the MS in Civil Engineering and then add the graduate certificate in the Fall.
Schedule a conversation on one of our faculty members or current students.