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 Civil Engineering - General  
 

Master of Science in Civil Engineering 

General  OptionMSCE General


  • A broad education covering several specialty areas of Civil Engineering.
  • A Master of Science in Civil Engineering with the designation "General Track"
  • Specialized Masters of Science in Civil Engineering are also offered in several specific areas, e.g. Construction Engineering and Management and Geotechnical Engineering.

Prerequisites

  • A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.
Requirements
  • Conform with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering
  • 27 units selected under the direction of the student's advisor as follows:
  • A minimum of 18 units from the following four areas with a minimum of 3 units and a maximum of 6 units from each area.

    • Environmental Engineering and Water Resources
      • CE 465 - Water Supply and Sewerage System Design (3)
      • ENE 505 - Energy and the Environment (3)
      • CE 511 - Flood Control Hydrology (3)
      • CE 520a - Ocean and Coastal Engineering (3)
      • CE 522 - Groundwater Hydrologic Modeling (3)
      • ENE 535 - Applied Air Quality Management (3)
    • Construction and Transportation
      • CE 462 - Construction Methods and Equipment (3)
      • CE 471 - Principles of Transportation Engineering (3)
      • CE 501 - Functions of the Constructor (3)
      • CE 556ab - Project Cost Estimating Control, Planning and Scheduling (3)
      • CE 579 - Introduction to Transportation Planning Law (3)
      • CE 583 - Design of Transportation Facilities (3)
      • CE 585 - Traffic Engineering and Control (3)
    • Structural Engineering
      • CE 537 - Advanced Reinforced Concrete (3)
      • CE 538 - Prestressed Concrete (3)
      • CE 539 - Advanced Steel Structures (3)
    • Geotechnical Engineering
      • CE 482 - Foundation Design (3)
      • CE 531 - Soil Mechanics (3)
      • CE 534 - Design of Earth Structures (3)
  • Additional courses (up to six units) may be selected from Civil Engineering courses or disciplines related to Civil Engineering with the consent of an advisor.
  • Special Concentration in Geographic Information Science
    • A selected sequence of 12 units (3 courses) from the Department of Geography's Graduate Certificate Program in Geographic Information Science.
    • The first two courses in this sequence are:
      • GEOG 581 Concepts for Spatial Thinking (4). The unique characteristics and importance of spatial information as they relate to the evolving science, technology, and applications of Geographic Information Systems.
      • GEOG 583 Spatial Analysis and Modeling (4). Examination of the process of geographic abstraction and modeling in relation to the different data models and spatial analysis operations available in current GIS. Prerequisite: GEOG 581.
    • The last course in this sequence may be selected from:
      • GEOG 585 Geographic Information and Society (4). The role of GIS as a human activity system and an examination of the legal, privacy, and policy issues affecting geographic information. Prerequisite: GEOG 581.
      • GEOG 587 GPS/GIS Field Techniques (4). Field exploration of methods and problems of data acquisition and integration using GPS/GIS data collection systems at Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island.
    • Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science in addition to the MSCE degree by applying to the GIS Certificate Program (uscgoeog@usc.edu), and successfully completing a combined, advisor approved program of at least 35 units.
  • Special Concentration in Public Works
    • A selected sequence of 12 units (3 courses) from the School of Policy, Planning and Development's graduate program in Public Administration.
    • Two courses in this sequence may be selected from among:
      • PPD 540 Public Administration and Society (4). Administrative concepts, institutions, legal systems, and practices; values; facilitation of responsibilities and rights; professional applications for personal, private sector, and public
      • PPD 501 Public Sector Economics (4). Microeconomic theory applied to issues in public and non-profit sectors, including organizational models, market failures and policy instruments, and macroeconomic issues.
      • PPD 541 Public Financial Management and Budgeting (4). Financial management applied to public and nonprofit organizations; financial valuation, financial markets, budgeting, tax administration, debt financing, cost-benefit analysis and financial analysis. Prerequisite: PPD 404x.
      • PPD 545 Human Behavior in Public Organization (4). Behavior in organizations; focus on personal, interpersonal, and group level factors that influence such behavior.
      • PPD 681 Public Organization and Management Theory (4). Nature and management of public organizations; examination of organizational characteristics, forms, and processes, including the relationship with the broader environment.
      • PPD 546 Professional Practice of Public Administration (4). Constitutionally accountable and ethical practice, individually and organizationally; applications of core competencies; practical inquiry, analysis, systems; comparative frameworks; citizenship and public service. Prerequisite: PPD 501, PPD 540, PPD 681 and 16 additional units.

        One course in this sequence may be selected from among:
      • PPD 666 Administrative Research and Analysis (4). Theory and methods for study of administration effectiveness; problem solving, performance measurement, administrative organizational research, quality improvement, and change implementation. Prerequisite: PPD 404x.
      • PPD 542 Policy and Program Evaluation (4). Methods and models for policy evaluation and program evaluation; methods of collecting and analyzing evaluation data; processes for linking evaluation to policy formulation and program management. (Duplicates credit in PUAD 529). Prerequisite: PPD 404x.
      • PPD 557 Quantitative Analysis I (4). Various quantitative methods, including multivariate analysis, linear programming, and decision theory. Research design and causal modeling in management and policy analysis; use of computer packages. Prerequisite: PPD 404x.
      • PPD 546 should be taken last if elected.
    • Statistics is a prerequisite for many of these courses. Students who have completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering will normally have met this requirement. If not, students should also complete PPD 404x, Statistics for Policy, Planning and Development, or CE 408, Risk Analysis in Civil Engineering, or an advisor approved alternative.