Structural Engineering is a Civil Engineering discipline which emphasizes analytical and experimental studies of the behavior of structures (e.g., buildings, bridges, and dams) under service loads (e.g., traffic) and environmental loads (e.g., wind and earthquake). Emphasis is placed on response predictions or computations for these structures and their constituent materials (e.g., steel, reinforced concrete, and composites). Study is made of the nature of these loadings, both static and dynamic, with implications being drawn for design.
Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings, and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.- A minimum of 27 units is required to earn the MS in Civil Engineering – Structural Engineering) degree
- Required Courses: 15 units
- Elective Courses: 12 units (elective courses must be pre-approved by a department advisor)
- Additional courses needed for graduation may also be selected from any other area related to structural engineering with the approval of an advisor
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of ClassesAPPLICATION DEADLINES| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
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| Spring 2021 (Final Deadline) | September 15, 2020 |
| Spring 2021 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | August 31, 2020 |
| Fall 2021 (Final Deadline) | January 15, 2021 |
| Fall 2021 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | December 15, 2020 |
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Visit our
Application Deadlines page for more information.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTSBachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in any engineering or engineering-related disciplines including but not limited to: Civil Engineering.
The following materials are required to be included with your online application:
- Transcripts: Upload Electronic Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. A mailed hard copy or official e-transcript is not required for admission to our programs.
- Submit an electronic copy of official transcripts (.pdf recommended) and other degree related documents through the online graduate application (International applicants, visit USC Graduate Admission’s Country Requirements page for details on required documents)
- Unofficial transcripts from university student portals are not acceptable
- If the transcript includes a separate grading scale, make sure it is also uploaded
- For upload purposes, all transcript related documents for a single school must be submitted as one document
- If you are admitted, you will be given specific instructions on submitting your hard copy transcripts
- GRE General Test: Satisfactory and valid test scores. Valid GRE scores must be dated within five years of the start of the intended application semester. The fall semester starts in August, and the spring semester starts in January. Official scores must be reported from ETS directly to USC using ETS school code 4852. A department code is not required.
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement : The personal statement should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- Letters of Recommendation (2 Required): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTSEnglish Language Proficiency: In addition to application requirements above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score. Please review USC Graduate Admission – Proficiency in English.
USC GRADUATE APPLICATION
The following is an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition.
TUITION
| Academic Year | Per Unit Rate | 3-unit Course | 4-unit Course |
|---|
| Fall 2020 - Summer 2021 | $2,148 | $6,444 | $8,592 |
| Fall 2019 - Summer 2020 | $2,075 | $6,225 | $8,300 |
TUITION & SAMPLE COURSE PLAN FOR 27 UNIT PROGRAM
STUDENT FEES
| Fee Description | Fee Amount | On-Campus | DEN@Viterbi |
|---|
| Mandatory Fees (approximate) | Fall 2019: $475
Spring 2020: $420 | | |
| Health Insurance | Fall 2019: $730
Spring 2020: $1,311 | | |
| Norman Topping Student Aid Fee | $8/semester | | |
| ENGR Computing Access Fee (On-Campus students) | $75/semester |
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| ENGR Computing Access Fee (DEN@Viterbi students) | $35/semester | |
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| Exam Proctoring | $40 - $100 per course | | |
Detailed Information on Tuition & Fees
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online.
If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student.
Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS
The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
Required Core Courses
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| All courses are required – 15 units total. Students may choose either CE 537 or CE 539. |
| CE 507 | Mechanics of Solids I (3 units) |
| CE 526 | Engineering Mathematical Methods (3 units) |
| CE 529a | Finite Element Analysis (3 units) |
| CE 537 | Advanced Reinforced Concrete or CE 539 (3 units) |
| CE 539 | Advanced Steel Structures or CE 537 (3 units) |
| CE 541a | Dynamics of Structures (3 units) |
| Elective Courses |
| Elective courses selected after consultation with an academic advisor – 12 units total. At least 2/3 of the units applied to the degree must be at the 500-level or above. Electives are listed below by topic. |
| Structural Mechanics and Structural Design Electives |
| CE 529b | Finite Element Analysis (3 units) |
| Dynamics and Vibrations Elective |
| AME 522 | Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, Vibrations, and Chaos (4 units) |
| Earthquake Engineering Electives |
| CE 541a | Dynamics of Structures (3 units) |
| Solid Mechanics Electives |
| CE 507 | Mechanics of Solids I (3 units) |
| CE 543 | Structural Instability and Failure (4 units) |
| CE 546 | Structural Mechanics of Composite Materials (3 units) |
| Computer Science Elective |
| CSCI 455 | Introduction to Programming Systems Design (4 units) |
Subject to the approval of an advisor, additional courses may be taken in Structural Engineering or from related fields such as: - Mechanical Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
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Please complete the following form for more information.
