The Water Resources Engineering track in the Civil Engineering MS program reflects the very broad nature of the field, which encompasses the design, construction, and enhancement of the sustainable infrastructure for society. The program's course work focuses on water resources modeling, hydraulics and hydrology.
Water Resource faculty research interests include ecohydraulic and ecohydrologic modeling; groundwater and surface hydrology; sea level rise and other climate change impact assessments; stormwater management; tide, wind-wave and hurricane storm surge modeling; and environmental water resources management. Students completing the program find positions in consulting firms, in city, county, state, and federal government agencies, and academic institutions.
The Water Resources Engineering track in the Civil Engineering MS program is for students with appropriate science or engineering baccalaureate backgrounds. Both thesis and non-thesis options are available with each requiring 30 credit hours. The thesis option requires 15 credit hours of required courses, 9 credit hours of elective graduate course work exclusive of thesis and research, and a thesis (6 credit hours). The nonthesis option requires 15 credit hours of required graduate course work, 15 credit hours of electives, and submission of an end-of-program portfolio. Each student must have an individual program of study approved by his/her faculty committee and have completed all required articulation course work as described below. At least one-half of the required credits must be taken at the 6000 level.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Please Note: Civil Engineering MS, Water Resources Track may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.
International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit . If you have questions, please consult UCF Global at (407) 823-2337.
UCF is not authorized to provide online courses or instruction to students in some states. Refer to for current information.
Track Prerequisites
A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering or another closely related engineering degree. Applicants who are applying to the programs without a directly related undergraduate degree should closely check the prerequisites.
Calculus and Differential Equations should ideally be passed prior to applying to our Graduate Programs
- MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 1
- MAC 2312 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 2
- MAC 2313 Calculus with Analytical Geometry 3
- MAP 2302 Ordinary Differential Equations 1
Prerequisites (Articulation)
- CWR 3201 Engineering Fluid Mechanics (3 hrs) Taught all 3 semesters
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete at least 5 of the following:
- CWR5125 - Groundwater Hydrology (3)
- CWR5205 - Hydraulic Engineering (3)
- CWR5634 - Water Resources in a Changing Environment (3)
- CWR6102 - Advanced Hydrology (3)
- CWR6126 - Groundwater Modeling (3)
- CWR6235 - Open Channel Hydraulics (3)
- CWR6236 - River Engineering and Sediment Transport (3)
- CWR5999 - Coastal Systems Analysis (3)
- CWR6007 - Ecohydraulics (3)
- CWR6606 - Stochastic River Network Hydro-Geomorphology (3)
- CWR6660 - Water Policy, Planning and Governance (3)
Nonthesis Students - Required Course Selection
0 Total Credits
- ALL NONTHESIS STUDENTS MUST CHOOSE ONE course from this list: CWR 6102 - Advanced Hydrology CWR 6126 - Groundwater Modeling CWR 5999 - Coastal Systems Analysis CWR 6007 - Ecohydraulics CWR 6606 - Stochastic River Network Hydro-Geomorphology CWR 6660 - Water Policy, Planning and Governance These courses represent those with specific independent learning experiences.
Elective Courses
9 Total Credits
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: All students, both thesis and nonthesis, must complete at least 9 additional credit hours of approved electives from the required courses above or other courses as approved by the student's adviser. Directed Research (XXX 6918) is not permitted in the MS program of study.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: CWR 6971 - Thesis A successful defense of the thesis is required. In addition, the College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all thesis defense announcements be approved by the student's adviser and posted on the college's website and on the university-wide Events Calendar at the College of Graduate Studies website at least two weeks before the defense date.
Nonthesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: Two additional electives, which should preferably come from the above list, although other courses may be chosen with adviser's consent.
- Portfolio Requirement Students are required to complete a culminating experience. The culminating experience for nonthesis MS students is submission of an end-of-program portfolio. the portfolio requirements are listed on the CECE website. Make sure and contact your program鈥檚 coordinator early in your graduating semester to find out when the portfolios are to be turned in for evaluation. The Graduate Student Services Coordinator (Arvin Cortez) should be able to tell you who the coordinator is for your degree program if you do not already know.
Grand Total Credits: 30
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Civil Engineering MS program pay a $16 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $8 per semester.
Independent Learning
A research or design project serves as the independent learning experience for thesis students. Nonthesis students are required to take at least one of the courses designated in the "Non Thesis Students - Required Course Selection" section above, denoting an independent learning experience, and submission of an end-of-program portfolio.
