Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Concurrent BS/MS Degree Program

A concurrent bachelor of science/master of science (BS/MS) degree program is available to qualified seniors in Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) at Iowa State University.

You may also be interested in the concurrent engineering/MBA program.

Benefits of the CCEE Concurrent Degree Program

  • Opportunity to begin research for graduate degree in the senior year
  • Potential to use up to six graduate-level credits to simultaneously meet both undergraduate and graduate degree program requirements
  • Graduate scholarship to pay up to one-half of graduate tuition if student is appointed on a teaching or research assistantship; the remaining tuition is charged at Iowa resident rate
  • Monthly stipend with an assistantship appointment
  • See detailed benefits below

Eligibility

To be eligible for the concurrent degree program in Civil Engineering, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
  2. Be within two semesters of graduation
  3. Be able to satisfy all graduation requirements for the B.S. with less than 30 credits

Application Process

The concurrent degree program may begin when the student is within the last 30 credits of graduation. Juniors and seniors interested in graduate studies should visit with a faculty in their area of interest to discuss research and teaching assistant opportunities. Applications for graduate school and the concurrent program can be obtained online:

Applicants do not need to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.

Consider a PACE Award

Additional university support for very highly qualified graduate applicants is available through the Premium for Academic Excellence Program (PACE). This program provides one-half the resident tuition rate for one year.

Interested students should discuss the potential for a PACE award with the appropriate specialization (e.g., geotechnical, structural) coordinator.

If a PACE application is to be submitted, three written letters of recommendation must be provided. The PACE nominations are submitted by the faculty, but the student must obtain the recommendation letters.

Since the awards can only be sought when a student begins graduate study, you should consider this as part of the application process.

Admission

Admission criteria and the departmental review process are similar to those used for all graduate students. The graduate admissions representative for the specialty area will review the application and submit the recommendation to the department’s graduate admission coordinator.

The department coordinator reviews all division requests, seeks any needed changes, and forwards the final recommendation to the Graduate College.

Unless an applicant already has another bachelor’s degree, the only admission category that is allowed is “provisional.” This classification allows all the same privileges as a full admission status and can be changed to full admission upon the completion of the bachelor’s degree in civil or construction engineering.

Beginning the Program

Students accepted to the concurrent program should select a major professor from among the faculty in their specialization area to help develop a plan for completing the undergraduate requirements as well as guiding their graduate course selection. This plan is an unofficial document that is in addition to the formal program of study form that specifies the components of the graduate program.

Courses and Credits

A student should take at least two 500-level courses during the senior year that could count toward the M.S. (but not the B.S.) degree. Graduate assistants may take only 12 credits if on a half-time appointment and 15 credits if on a quarter-time appointment. All master’s programs require a minimum of 30 credits. Students enrolled in the concurrent program are required to do a thesis.

All credits taken by the student will appear on the graduate transcript until the student has completed the courses required in the undergraduate program. At that time it is necessary to file a form to transfer the appropriate courses back to the undergraduate transcript. The appropriate transfer form is available at http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/deadline/formss.html#Graduation off site.

Program of Study Committee

A graduate program of study (POS) committee to help formulate and approve the graduate program elements must be established no later than the second semester following admission.

Detailed Benefits

Financial benefits

Graduate assistantships

Students enrolled in the concurrent program are classified as graduate students and they may be appointed to graduate research or teaching assistantships which pay a monthly stipend. These positions are typically quarter-time appointments, but may be up to one-half time.

For the purpose of tuition assessment, research and teaching assistants are considered Iowa residents. In addition, the tuition is reduced by one-fourth to one-half of the assessed tuition, depending on the assistantship appointment rate.

Graduate teaching and research assistants are eligible for additional benefits including free student health insurance coverage and a free prescription drug benefit program that reduces the cost of generic and prescription drugs obtained through the Student Health Center.

PACE Award

Additional university support for very highly qualified graduate applicants is available through the Premium for Academic Excellence Program (PACE). This program provides one-half the resident tuition rate for one year.

Other benefits

Registration priority

Graduate students receive registration priority.

Work space

The department provides students who are on appointment a desk and work space in one of the graduate study areas.

Quicker degree completion

Because seniors with a research assistant appointment begin working with graduate faculty on research projects, which may become the foundation for the master’s thesis, the overall time to complete both degrees is expected to be reduced.

Students in concurrent degree programs may apply, subject to program of study committee approval, up to 6 credits of major or non-major graduate credit courses used to fulfill the requirements for a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree program of study.

A summer research internship and coursework following the junior year is advised to meet an early graduation schedule.

Example Program of Study

This student is completing a BS in civil engineering with a specialization in civil engineering.

Fall 2002, Senior, BS/MS

  • CE 334, 3 credits
  • CE 453, 3 credits
  • CE 485, 2 credits
  • Grad class, 3 credits
  • Undergrad elective, 3 credits

14 credits total (6 undergrad elective credits delayed)

Spring 2003, Senior, BS/MS

  • CE 486, 3 credits
  • CE grad, 3 credits
  • Undergrad electives, 9 credits

15 credits total (4 undergrad elective credits delayed)

Normal BS requirements completed

Summer 2003, BS/MS student

  • CE 699, 3 credits
  • Undergrad electives, 3 credits

6 credits total

Fall 2003, BS/MS student

  • Grad class, 3 credits
  • Grad class, 3 credits
  • Undergrad electives, 7 credits

13 credits total

BS requirements completed in BS/MS program

Spring 2004, MS student

  • Grad classes, 12 credits (major/non-major)

12 credits total

Summer 2004, MS student

  • CE 699, 3 credits
  • Complete thesis

3 credits total

MS requirements completed