Introduction

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering is dedicated to educating graduate students in the diverse disciplines represented within its degree programs of civil engineering and geoengineering. Graduate study enables a student to develop in-depth knowledge in one or more specialized fields, to reach the frontiers of current knowledge, and to expand those frontiers by doing original research. More than that, graduate study should teach students how to work independently and think critically about one’s own work and that of others. The faculty in this department helps graduate students reach these goals by offering challenging courses, organizing research seminars, encouraging informal discussions, and providing guidance during all stages of a student’s research and coursework.

Information in this handbook applies to all students admitted to the graduate degree programs in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering (i.e. civil engineering and geoengineering). This handbook describes requirements graduate students must satisfy to complete a degree and the facilities available in the department for graduate studies. Any errors, ambiguities, inconsistencies or omissions in this document should be brought to the attention of the Director of Graduate Studies so future editions may be improved. Regulations and programs change over time, and students should consult the latest edition of this handbook. In addition, regulations in the Graduate School Catalog (http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/index.html) supersede policies described in this document, which is essentially a record of departmental practice. Students should read the Graduate School Catalog regarding the M.C.E, M.GeoE, M.S., and Ph.D. degree programs.

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota offers specialization in the areas listed below. However, graduate students can, and often do, conduct research in topics that span more than one of these areas and/or involve other departments in CSE or other colleges at the University of Minnesota. Current administrative areas for research in the department include:

· Environmental

· Geomechanics

· Structures

· Transportation and

· Water Resources