All graduate students must meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School and be accepted into the departmental program. All prospective students should thus study the admission requirements of the Graduate School as given in detail in the current Graduate Catalog (found on the Graduate School website). The salient requirements are quoted below, and additional departmental rules as to acceptance into the graduate program are given.
GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
For the most current and accurate Graduate School Admission Requirements, please visit the Graduate School website. Admission Requirements can be found in the "Graduate Admissions" section.
DEPARTMENTAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
1. Students who desire to obtain a M.S. or Ph.D. degree in civil engineering are normally expected to hold bachelors degrees in civil engineering from an accredited program. The current guidelines for admission to graduate study in the Department of Civil Engineering are given in the following table. These requirements are the recommendations set by the Department. In making decisions on an application, individual departmental discipline groups can modify these requirements based on their evaluation of the application.
|
Type Of Admission |
GPA |
GRE
Verbal + Quantitative |
|
Regular |
>=3.00 |
>=1100 |
|
Probationary |
>=2.7 |
>=1000 |
2. International students whose native language is not English:
TOEFL Score
- Minimum 550 (Paper-based)
- Minimum 213 (Computer-based)
- Minimum 79 (Internet-based)
IELTS
- Minimum 6.5
3. Students with bachelors degrees from accredited programs in science or in an engineering discipline other than civil may pursue the interdisciplinary Masters and Ph.D. programs in the College of Engineering or plan to make up deficiencies by taking articulation courses that may be required by the Department, for which credit toward a graduate degree will not be given. Credit will be given for any of the articulation courses completed by the applicant prior to admission into the graduate program. The Ph.D. in Civil Engineering program may require additional articulation courses of applicants with a bachelors and/or masters degree in civil engineering. Completion of a graduate degree in civil engineering may not necessarily satisfy the eligibility requirements for professional engineering registration. These individuals should contact their Local State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers for eligibility requirements.
ADMISSION PROCEDURE
All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online at the Graduate School website. All applications require a $25 application fee. This fee is mandatory and cannot be waived.
Once you have submitted your application and application fee to the Graduate School, the following items should be mailed directly to the Graduate School:
ü One official transcript from EACH college or university attended (including summer only work, and even if work appears on another institution’s transcript). International applicants should include degree statements and an English translation of each foreign document.
ü Request ETS to submit official GRE and TOEFL (international applicants only) scores directly to the LSU Graduate School. The institution code is 6373. The department code is not required.
The following items should be mailed directly to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering:
ü 3 Letters of Recommendation (on official university/company letterhead and in sealed envelopes). Please note that no form is needed.
ü Statement of Purpose (there is a section on the application for a Statement of Purpose but this space is limited. Therefore, we ask applicants to send a more detailed Statement of Purpose for departmental review)
ü A copy of all transcripts (the Graduate School requires official transcripts but the department requires only a copy)
These items should be mailed to the following address:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Louisiana State University
Attn: Graduate Advisor
3418 Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
USA
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
All applicants are strongly urged to review our FAQ ("Frequently Asked Questions") page. This page provides information regarding our departmental admission requirements, the admission process in general and answers to many questions often asked during the admission process.
REGISTRATION AND GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM
1. Prior to registration for the first time (or upon re-entering), a student should consult with the Graduate Coordinator or the pre-assigned temporary advisor regarding his or her particular interests in graduate school. If an advisor is not pre-assigned, the Department chairman will then assign a temporary faculty advisor at the time.
2. Students are required to complete Form G 104, Graduate Student Information Form and submit it to the Civil and Environmental Department every registration throughout their studies at LSU. On-campus graduate students are expected to pre-register to ensure that scheduled course work does not conflict with research or teaching duties for which he/she may be responsible.
3. The student is responsible for selecting a permanent advisor within the first year of study, irrespective of whether the student is pursuing a Masters degree or a PhD.
If pursuing a Masters Degree:
4. The temporary advisor, together with the student, will plan and approve a schedule for the first semester, and subsequently for the second semester. The student will seek a permanent advisor during the first semester.
5. The permanent advisor, together with the student, will set up an advisory committee and identify permanent advisor before completing G101, formulate a complete Graduate Degree Program ( with a Thesis proposal when applicable ) on Form G 101, and submit it to the Department for approval through the Civil Engineering Graduate Programs Committee (CEGPC ). The Request for Masters Examination (Graduate School Form) will not be approved by the Department in the same semester as approval of the G 101.
6. Further changes/ modifications to the Department on Form G 102, Revision to Graduate Degree Program.
All students are strongly encouraged to review and follow the Master's Program Checklist.
If pursuing a Ph.D Degree:
7. The advisor together with the student will:
a. Form a committee comprising a minimum of three faculty members (including the advisor) and submit for departmental approval.
b. Discuss the entire graduate program with the committee.
c. Formalize the conduct and administration of the qualifying examination with the committee.
8. The advisor together with the student will set up an advisory committee, formulate a complete Graduate Degree Program of Study, and have the advisor submit it on Form G 1010 and the Graduate Schools Program of Study for the Doctoral Degree form to the Department and the Dean of the Graduate School and the Graduate Council, respectively, for approval through the Civil Engineering Graduate Programs Committee (CEGPC). Further changes/ modifications to the Graduate Degree Program require due approval of the advisory committee, Department, and the Graduate School on Form G102, Revision to Graduate Degree Program, and the Graduate Schools Request for Change in Program of Study for Doctoral Degree form, respectively.
Students are strongly encouraged to review and follow the Doctoral Program Checklist.
FORMS
Forms required by the Graduate School can be found on the Graduate School website. This includes the following forms:
a. Request for Masters Examination
b. Application for the Accelerated Masters Degree Program
c. Graduate Credit for LSU Seniors
d. Program of Study for the Doctoral Degree
e. Request for Change in Program of Study for Doctoral Degree
f. Request for Doctoral General or Final Examination
Forms required by the Department can be found on the Forms page of this website.
CHANGING AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION WITHIN THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
New graduate students (in their first semester at LSU) interested in changing their areas of specialization must submit a petition to the CEGPC Chair. The coordinators of the original accepting program and the new receiving program will review this petition. If the two coordinators approve the petition the student will be allowed to change the area of his/her specialization. If either of the coordinators rejects the petition, the student will not be allowed to change the area of specialization. In the event of a dispute, the CEGPC will meet and make a recommendation on this matter to the chairman of the Department.
CHANGING ADVISORS
Graduate students have a right to change advisors provided this transfer does not violate contractual obligations between the current advisor and the student as evidenced by an approved program of study for academic matters and/or written agreement covering financial arrangements. Students interested in switching to an advisor from a different program must, in addition to not violating contractual obligations, submit a petition to the CEGPC chair for changing the area of specialization as outlined in the preceding Section. In the event of a dispute, the CEGPC will meet and make a recommendation on this matter to the chairman of the Department.