Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

The Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering offers an MS and PhD with a specialization in structural engineering. Learn what structural engineers do.

Students can enhance their professional competency through focused, customized, and intense coursework and independent study of advanced topics related to structural engineering.

The program prepares students to function effectively in engineering roles. Course electives and a creative component provide a high degree of flexibility that enables students to tailor their own programs.

Learn why you should choose our graduate program.

Master's students complete a minimum of six credits of graduate-level courses in engineering analysis and six credits of graduate-level courses in engineering design (CE 500-level courses in the student’s area of specialization or 400-level or higher level courses outside of the student’s area of specialization).

They also take Advanced Mechanics of Materials (EM 514) and at least three credits in mathematics, statistics, or computer science at the 300 level or above if such courses were not taken as an undergraduate. Following is a list of courses available to structural engineering graduate students:

• C E 532. Structural Analysis II
• C E 533. Structural Steel Design II
• C E 534. Reinforced Concrete Design II
• C E 535. Prestressed Concrete Structures
• C E 536. Masonry and Timber Design
• C E 541. Dynamic Analysis of Structures
• C E 542. Structural Analysis by Finite Elements
• C E 545. Seismic Design
• C E 547. Analysis and Design of Plate and Slab Structures
• C E 649. Advanced Topics in Structural Engineering

For course descriptions, see the ISU catalog.

Degree Requirements

• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy

Structural engineering faculty at Iowa State research a variety of specialties, including health monitoring of structures, earthquake-resistant design, precast structural systems, and timber and masonry structures. These specialties involve both theoretical and experimental projects. The faculty's innovative solutions to both safety and cost-related problems have been the basis for industry standards and design criteria.

Learn more about structural engineering research at Iowa State:

• current research topics and faculty
• research projects

Research Center and Labs

• Bridge Engineering Center

Structural Engineering

• Livesay Structural Materials Testing Facility (LSMTF) (164a Town)
• Structural Engineering Research Laboratory (164 Town)
• Wallace W. and Julia B. Sanders Structures Laboratory (130 Town)

Research assistantships and teaching assistantships are available to qualified students to help offset the cost of graduate education. In addition, graduate scholarships and fellowships are available to highly qualified students.

For more information, see Financial Aid for CCEE Graduate Students.

The Graduate Admissions Office handles all admissions to Iowa State graduate programs. Graduate information is available from the CCEE Admissions and Graduate College Web pages.

You may also contact the college by mail:

Graduate Admissions Office
100 Alumni Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3232

Prerequisites

The normal prerequisite for graduate work in structural engineering is a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. However, students from other curricula (such as other engineering curricula and architecture) may enter the program on a provisional basis provided they satisfy certain additional requirements.

With provisional admission, these prerequisites may be met once the student enrolls at Iowa State University and may be met while also taking graduate-level coursework. See specific prerequisites.

For more information about the structural engineering graduate program, please contact Sri Sritharan, sriiastate.edu, 515-294-5238.