PhD in Civil Engineering

The objective of the graduate program in civil engineering is to prepare students for continued professional and scholarly development consistent with their technical interests. Students, with the assistance of a faculty advisor in their area of interest, plan their programs of study in one of the technical areas in civil engineering.

Research Areas

• Environmental (water and air quality control, and solid and hazardous materials control);
• Construction Engineering and Management
• Geotechnical (soil mechanics and foundations);
• Infrastructure Systems;
• Structures and Applied Mechanics;
• Transportation (traffic planning, highways, airports, and transit);
• Water Resources (hydrology and hydraulics).

Admission Requirements

Performance on the GRE will not be the sole criterion for admitting applicants or the primary criterion to deny admission to either the Master's or Ph.D. program. In cases where GRE performance is relatively poor, all other qualifications presented by the applicant will be carefully evaluated for evidence of potential for success.

Unconditional Admission

A student must meet the following requirements for unconditional admission:

1. A Master’s Degree or at least 30 hours of graduate coursework in Civil Engineering. (Applicant with a Master’s Degree in another discipline is considered, subject to satisfactory completion of deficiency courses for the CE area of interest.)
2. No specific GPA requirement (application considered as a whole). However, a graduate coursework GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the Graduate School, is typical of a successful applicant.
3. A Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Quantitative score of 740 (old score system) or 158 (new score system) or higher is typical of a successful applicant.
4. A competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal score. A successful applicant typically has a Verbal score of 420 (old score system) or 148 (new score system).
5. For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 79 on TOEFL iBT, 50 on the SPEAK, 148 on Verbal GRE, 86 on MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), or 6.5 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). (MELAB and IELTS are used only when other tests are not available in the applicant’s country.)
6. Favorable letters of recommendation from people familiar with the applicant’s academic work and/or professional work.

CE BS-Ph.D. Program

Unconditional Admission

A student must meet the following requirements for unconditional admission:

1. No Specific GPA requirement (application considered as a whole). However, an undergraduate coursework GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the Graduate School, is typical of a successful applicant.
2. A Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Quantitative score of 740 (old score system) or 158 (new score system) or higher is typical of a successful applicant.
3. A competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal score. A successful applicant typically has a Verbal score of 420 (old score system) or 148 (new score system).
4. For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 79 on the TOEFL iBT, 50 on the SPEAK, 86 on MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), or 6.5 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). (MELAB and IELTS are used only when other tests are not available in the applicant’s country.)
5. Favorable letters of recommendation from people familiar with the applicant’s academic work and/or professional work.

Additional information about admission requirements

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. degree is a research degree and, as such, requires the candidate to successfully carry out original, independent research in an area acceptable to the civil engineering faculty. Normally, a minimum of 15 credits of coursework beyond the master's degree is required. Candidates are also required to complete the master's program's core course requirements. The student must pass qualifying, comprehensive and dissertation defense exams administered by his/her committee.

The BS-Ph.D. degree is a research degree and, as such, requires the candidate to successfully carry out original, independent research in an area acceptable to the civil engineering faculty. Normally, a minimum of 45 credits of coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree is required. The student must pass qualifying, comprehensive and dissertation defense exams administered by his/her committee.

Tuition and Affordability

UTA Tuition and Affordability Information

Priority Application Dates

Fall | March 15
Spring | August 15
Summer | February 15

Applications are accepted after the published priority date for each term, but for guaranteed consideration of admission please submit the application and associated materials by the priority date. However, it is important to apply well in advance of your intended start date to be eligible for program-specific funding opportunities such as assistantships and fellowships. Keep in mind that departmental application processing times vary greatly and some programs require applications up to one year in advance.