Civil and Environmental Engineering
Graduate program at Colorado School of Mines
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Select a program type below to learn more. What’s the difference? Read more about program types.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Master’s Non-Thesis
Master’s Non-Thesis Option: 30 total credit hours (CH), consisting of coursework (27 CH) and either a three-credit-hour research-based Independent Study (CEEN599) OR a designated design course (3 CH) and two semesters of seminar.
All students must take at least 18 credits within the CEEN prefix. The student may petition the advisor and/or thesis committee to allow reduction of the CEEN coursework requirement to a minimum of 15 credits (however, the core course requirements must be met).
Application Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- GRE: Not Required
- Letters of Recommendation
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcripts
- International students please review the English proficiency requirements
Civil and Environmental Engineering Master’s Thesis
Master’s Thesis Option: 30 total credit hours (CH), consisting of coursework (24 CH), two semesters of seminar, and research (6 CH). Students must also write and orally defend a research thesis. The student’s advisor and committee (if Master’s thesis or PhD student) must approve elective courses.
All students must take at least 18 credits within the CEEN prefix. The student may petition the advisor and/or thesis committee to allow reduction of the CEEN coursework requirement to a minimum of 15 credits (however, the core course requirements must be met).
Application Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- GRE: Not Required
- Letters of Recommendation (3 letters).
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcripts
- International students please review the English proficiency requirements
Civil and Environmental Engineering Doctorate
PhD: 72 total credit hours (CH), consisting of coursework (at least 24 CH), two semesters of seminar, and research (at least 24 CH). Students must also complete qualifying examinations, prepare and present a thesis proposal, and write and defend a doctoral thesis. PhD students are also expected to submit their thesis for publication in scholarly journals.
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Master’s and PhD students must complete the coursework requirements for at least one emphasis area, comprised of core (required) courses and elective courses. The student’s advisor and committee (if a Master’s thesis or PhD student) must approve elective courses.
All students must take at least 18 credits within the CEEN prefix. The student may petition the advisor and/or thesis committee to allow reduction of the CEEN coursework requirement to a minimum of 15 credits (however, the core course requirements must be met).
Application Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- GRE: Not Required
- Letters of Recommendation (3 letters).
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcripts
- International students please review the English proficiency requirements
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
By studying civil and environmental engineering at Colorado School of Mines can empower, you’ll have the educational foundation, hands-on skills and inspiration to shape your future.
Just look around: the work of civil and environmental engineers is everywhere. Civil and environmental engineering is evident in the roads we travel on, the systems that bring us clean water, the methods we use for controlling pollution and cleaning up waste sites. To continue to thrive in our world today and to meet the challenges of tomorrow, we need smart and driven problem-solvers who help make the world a better place to live.
Mines’ Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate program combines robust research in areas such as environmental and water engineering, geotechnical engineering and structural engineering with world-class faculty and one-of-a-kind industry partnerships to ensure graduates are prepared to be the leaders the world needs. Don’t just envision your future – build it.
A Top Tier University
1st National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for water in the U.S.
Top-ranked university for best return on investment
#1 Best public university in Colorado
Credits and Deadlines
View the academic catalog to see the courses and credit requirements for this program.
Master's Thesis & Doctorate (PhD) Program Deadlines
Select a Term:
Spring 2025 Deadlines | Fall 2025 Deadlines
Spring Deadlines
Fall Deadlines
| Degree Program | Priority | International* | Domestic* | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Energy Systems | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Applied Chemistry | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Applied Mathematics & Statistics | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Applied Physics | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Chemical Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Chemistry | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Civil & Environmental Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Computer Science | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Earth Resources Development Engineering | January 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Electrical Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Engineering & Technology Management | January 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Environmental Engineering Science | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Geochemistry | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Geological Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Geology | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Geophysical Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Geophysics | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Humanitarian Engineering & Science | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Hydrology | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Materials Science | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Mechanical Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Mineral & Energy Economics | January 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Mining Engineering | January 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Nuclear Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Operations Research with Engineering | January 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Petroleum Engineering | March 1 | March 1 | ||
| Physics | December 15 | March 1 | March 1 | |
| Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Quantum Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Robotics | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 | |
| Space Resources | March 1 (International on-campus) | July 1 (Domestic on-campus) | August 1 | |
| Underground Construction & Tunnel Engineering | December 15 | March 1 | July 1 |
Residential (on-campus) Master's Non-Thesis & Graduate Certificates Deadlines
| Spring Deadlines | Fall Deadlines | |
|---|---|---|
| International Students* | October 1, 2024 | March 1, 2025 |
| Domestic U.S. Students | December 15, 2024 | August 1, 2025 |
| International students are not eligible to apply for residential certificate programs. We encourage you to check out our online certificate options | ||
Online Master's Non-Thesis & Graduate Certificates Deadlines
| The following deadlines apply to online master's non-thesis and graduate certificate programs for domestic U.S. and International students. | |
| Spring I & II (January 6 start) | January 2, 2025 |
| Spring III*** (March 10 start) | February 17, 2025 |
| Fall I & II (August 19 start) | August 1, 2025 |
| Fall III*** (March 10 start) | October 22, 2025 |
| **The Fall III deadline is only available for the following programs: Additive Manufacturing; Business Analytics; Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage; Chemical Engineering Processes in Energy Transitions; Data Science: Computer Science; Data Science: Earth Resources; Electrical Engineering (Professional Master and Certificate Only); Engineering and Technology Management; GIS & Geoinformatics; Mechanical Engineering; Underground Construction and Tunnel Engineering | |
| ***The Spring III deadline is only available for the following programs: Additive Manufacturing; Business Analytics; Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage; Electrical Engineering (Professional Master and Certificate Only); Engineering and Technology Management; GIS & Geoinformatics; Mechanical Engineering; Product Management (Offered for only session III in spring); Underground Construction and Tunnel Engineering | |
Get Connected
You don’t have to decide right now, but let’s get you connected so we can stay in touch and keep you up-to-date. Fill out the quick information form below to get started.
Faculty Spotlight
Kristoph-Dietrich Kinzli
In 2016, Dr. Kinzli joined Mines as a teaching professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Kinzli earned his PhD in Water Resources Engineering from Colorado State University and brings a wealth of teaching experience and research to our department. Dr. Kinzli’s research interests include stream restoration, river mechanics, engineering teaching pedagogy and more. He teaches courses in Hydrology and Water Resources and Senior Design.
During his extensive academic career, Dr. Kinzli has received various awards, including the ASCE ExCEED Assistant Teach Mentor in 2012, 2014 and 2016 and the ASCE Excellence in Civil Engineering Education ExCEED Teaching Fellow. Dr. Kinzli strives to continually improve his teaching ability to prepare students to enter the work force as professional and well-developed engineers.
You Are Ready
Contact Us
(303) 273-3247
grad-admissions@mines.edu
Career Connections
At Mines, your career goals are the focus. You will connect with world-class faculty and industry experts in your field, all while enhancing your knowledge through hands-on learning and research.
Why study civil/environmental engineering at Mines?
As the #1 STEM university in Colorado, Mines has the faculty, research facilities and resources to help you thrive in your exploration of civil and environmental engineering. When you come to Mines, you won’t just be a bystander—you’ll take an active role in shaping our program and delving into cutting-edge research with our state-of-the-art facilities and renowned faculty.
Our graduate program is designed to ensure that you’ll graduate with the skills, educational foundation and hands-on experience needed to thrive in the world of civil and environmental engineering. Our graduates are prepared to take on tomorrow’s greatest challenges.
Why study civil and environmental engineering at Mines? Just take a look:
- Research assistantships to provide valuable hands-on learning
- World-renowned faculty
- State-of-the-art research facilities and labs
- Program designed to prepare you to qualify for the Professional Engineer (PE) exam
- Close ties with industry partners
Civil and Environmental Engineering career outcomes & types
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Visit the Mines Career Services website for more resources and information.
Career Types
- Civil engineer
- Environmental remediation engineer
- Water project manager
- Environmental health and safety director
- Green building engineer
- Air pollution control engineer
Where to find our alumni
- American Waterworks Association
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Chevron, Newmont Mining
- U.S. Geological Survey
Engineer Your Future Today
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Mines Research Magazine
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