Environmental, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering
The Department of Civil, Construction, and Environment Engineering at North Carolina State University offers graduate programs leading to advanced civil engineering degrees with specialization in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. Three graduate degrees are offered: Master of Civil Engineering (M.C.E.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Approximately 65 graduate students, 12 full-time faculty members, and 3 associate faculty members comprise the Water Resources and Environmental Engineering program.
Areas of emphasis include air pollution control, coastal systems, environmental/water systems analysis, hydroclimatology groundwater hydrology, contamination, transport, computational and environmental fluid dynamics risk assessment, solid waste management, surface water quality, urban stormwater management, water and wastewater treatment, and environmental sustainability.
Students may also specialize in Geoenvironmental Engineering by working with faculty members from both Geotechnical Engineering and Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. Individualized programs of study are arranged by the students in consultation with their advisers and typically include courses outside of Civil Engineering. In addition to Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University has many other nationally recognized departments with faculty interested in the environment, including Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Economics, Forestry, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Microbiology, Soil Science, Wood and Paper Science.
Program Information
- Faculty
- Academic Programs
- Research Programs
- Areas of Specialization and Core Courses
Graduate students in water resources and environmental engineering typically specialize in one or more sub-areas in accordance with their research interests and career objectives. These sub-areas include the following:
- Air Pollution Engineering
- Coastal Engineering
- Environmental Process Engineering
- Environmental/Water Systems Analysis
- Water Resources Engineering
All specialty areas are built from a set of suggested courses. Additional courses are selected by the student in consultation with an advisor. By working with faculty members from both Geotechnical Engineering and Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, students may also specialize in Geoenvironmental Engineering.
- Areas of Specialization and Core Courses
- Related information
Financial Support
Fellowships, traineeships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships are available for highly qualified students. Tuition and health insurance are paid for students who are awarded quarter-time teaching or research assistantships. Outstanding applicants may also be considered for a Dean's fellowship, which adds a supplement to an assistantship. Applicants wishing to be considered for financial support should submit a complete application, including GRE scores, by February 10 of each year.
Contact Information
H. Christopher Frey (frey@ncsu.edu)
Group Coordinator, Water Resources and Environmental Engineering
Vernon C. Matzen (matzen@ncsu.edu)
Associate Head for Graduate Programs, Department of Civil Engineering


©Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering