About this Program

The PhD degree is awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed all of the requirements of a doctoral degree program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The doctoral program involves taking coursework as well as conducting research of significant importance. The PhD degree program focus areas include Biofuels, Coastal Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and Water Resources Engineering.

Program Highlights

  • High-level jobs in engineering, faculty positions at universities, engineering consultants, leaders for governmental or non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and starting consulting enterprises or companies

AT A GLANCE
Degree Level
Graduate
Degree Earned
Doctor of Philosophy
Concentration
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Delivery Modes
On-Campus

Careers

Check out these ideas from ODU Career Development Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is a midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

Civil Engineers

$91,790 Median Salary

Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.

Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

$109,830 Median Salary

Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Civil & Environmental Engineering at ODU?
Students entering the Doctor of Philosophy program in Civil & Environmental Engineering should meet the minimum university admission requirements Graduate Admission.

A master’s degree or equivalent in engineering or a related field is required for admission to the Ph.D. program; however, exceptionally well qualified students can be directly admitted to the Ph.D. program directly without a master’s degree. Each applicant must submit an essay of 500 words or less describing personal and academic goals, professional objectives, preparation for graduate study, and how the chosen program will help the applicant achieve these goals and objectives. Two letters of recommendation are required. At least one of these must be submitted from former or current professors, and one could be from an employment supervisor. Regular admission to a Ph.D. program generally requires a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the master’s program. Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered for regular or provisional admission on the basis of successful engineering work experience or other credentials demonstrating potential for success in the Ph.D. program. Submission of GRE scores is required except for applicants who hold an engineering degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program. TOEFL (or IELTS) scores are required for all applicants whose native language is not English, unless they have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from institutions in USA or countries where English is the primary language of the people.

Cost

Estimated rates for the 2023-24 academic year. Rates are subject to change. Anyone that is not a current Virginia resident will be charged non-resident rates. That includes international students.

Virginia Resident
Cost Per-Credit $599
Technology Delivered Courses Outside Virginia and/or the United States
Cost Per-Credit $623
Non-Resident
Cost Per-Credit $1,439

Ways to Save

Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending ODU. For more information visit University Student Financial aid

Teaching & Research Assistantships

Teaching and research assistantships may be available on a competitive basis. The Civil and Environmental Engineering Visiting Council also offers Graduate Enhancement Awards to provide supplemental financial support to some of the graduate students who receive an assistantship.

Contact

Professor

130B KAUFMAN HALL
NORFOLK, 23529