The application is available online on the Graduate Admissions page of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Lehigh’s department of civil and environmental engineering offers a number of graduate programs in structural engineering, civil engineering, and environmental engineering. If you are interested in the 10-month, project-based, M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program, be sure to select “M.Eng. - Structural Engineering” as your first choice of study from the drop-down box on the right of the online application form. Note that we also offer a M.Eng. - Civil Engineering, which is a 30-credit, courses-only program that has no thesis or project requirement.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, we must receive the following by January 15:
- Online application form (click button below)
- Letters of reference
- Transcript(s) from all universities attended
- TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable
- Application fee
GRE is not required for 2021.
Transcripts should be sent unopened to Linda Wismer at the following mailing address:
Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering
Lehigh University
c/o Linda Wismer
13 East Packer Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Transcripts may also be sent electronically from your college directly to Linda Wismer at structures@lehigh.edu. (Questions about this process may also be directed toward Linda via this e-mail address.
All other applicants seeking admission to the M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program must submit the documents and fee outlined above by April 15. Applications received after January 15 are reviewed on a rolling basis (see discussion below).
The graduate admissions committee of the M.Eng. in structural engineering program considers the entire application package in making admission decisions. We carefully review each applicant’s academic transcript, TOEFL or IELTS scores (if applicable), personal statement, letters of recommendation, and resume. We do not have specific minimum criteria for GPA in order to gain admission. However, we can report that the average admissions statistics for students enrolled in our program reflect an average undergraduate GPA of 3.5. Please note, GRE scores are not required for 2021, however, if you have taken the GRE, you may submit your scores.
Visit the CEE Graduate Admissions section for more information.
Admission decisions on applications received by January 15 are typically made by the end of February. Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed for admission on a rolling basis, pending room in the program for additional students.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, graduate tuition for the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science is $1500 per credit. The M.Eng. program requires 30 credits to complete. Students who have taken graduate-level courses that do not count toward their undergraduate degree requirements are eligible to petition to transfer up to six (6) credits toward their M.Eng. degree.
Funding for graduate-level study in engineering traditionally takes the form of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or fellowships. Since the M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program is not research-based, and the course load required to complete the program in 10 months is heavy, we are not able to offer research assistantships or teaching assistantships to our students. Instead, Lehigh’s M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program is uniquely structured to provide partial-tuition scholarships, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, to deserving students.
Our board of industry partners contributes money to the M.Eng. program to fund student scholarships. Your application for admission automatically places you in consideration for these partial-tuition scholarships. Please note that in order to be considered for a scholarship, you must submit your completed application by January 15.
We also encourage our students to explore funding from industry organizations that offer scholarships for graduate study, such as the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Many of our students finance part or all of their education with low-interest student loans. Student loans for graduate study have different limits and requirements than undergraduate student loans. We encourage anyone interested in graduate student loans to speak to Tami Bauder in Lehigh’s Office of Financial Aid. Be sure to mention that you are applying to the 10-month M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program.
Yes. We do accept students with undergraduate degrees from other areas of study. If accepted into the program, we will send you a letter indicating the undergraduate-level courses you need to take before beginning the M.Eng. in Structural Engineering program. You can take these courses at Lehigh or take equivalent courses at another university. If you choose to take the courses at Lehigh, you will be enrolled as a graduate student taking undergraduate-level courses and will pay the graduate student per-credit tuition. We have had students enrolled in our program with undergraduate degrees in fields such as math, physics, architecture, and architectural engineering.
It is possible to begin the program in the spring semester. However, since the design project courses must be taken in sequence, students who start in the spring will not graduate until the end of the following spring (15-month-program duration). If you wish to begin the program in the spring, you can take two classes that semester, which will lighten your course load for future semesters.
Yes, you can enroll in the program as a part-time student, if you take the design project courses in sequence during the same academic year. Part-time students typically take one to two courses per semester and complete the program in two to three years.
Students also have the option to enroll in the Co-Op Program. Co-Op students will take one class each summer and two classes each fall/spring semester while working 20 hours per week. Students in the co-op program will graduate in May of their second year. Please see the Co-Op Program section for more information.