B.S./M.S. in Civil Engineering

5 Years On Campus Accelerated-bachelors Program

Kansas State University

Program Overview

The B.S./M.S. in Civil Engineering at Kansas State University is an accelerated pathway for high-performing civil engineering undergraduates to earn both degrees with limited coursework overlap, typically taking an additional year beyond the bachelor’s degree. Students build a broad civil engineering foundation and can develop advanced expertise through Construction, Environmental, General, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation/Materials, or Water Resources Engineering, with the M.S. available through either a thesis/research or coursework-only option.

Curriculum structure

First Year: Students establish the mathematical, scientific, and engineering foundations needed for civil engineering through courses such as MATH 220 – Analytic Geometry and Calculus I, CHM 210 – Chemistry I, and PHYS 213 – Engineering Physics I. The curriculum also begins professional preparation through DEN 160 – Engineering Orientation and DEN 161 – Engineering Problem Solving.

Second Year: Students move into core civil engineering analysis with subjects such as CE 333 – Statics, CE 241 – Introduction to Civil Engineering Materials, and ME 310 – Dynamics. Mathematics continues with MATH 221 – Analytic Geometry and Calculus II and MATH 340 – Elementary Differential Equations, strengthening the quantitative skills used in engineering design and analysis.

Third Year: The program develops deeper civil engineering knowledge through subjects such as CE 522 – Soil Mechanics I, CE 550 – Environmental Engineering Fundamentals, and CE 563 – Water Resources Engineering, alongside STAT 510 – Introductory Probability and Statistics I. Students also begin more advanced professional and design preparation through courses such as CE 502 – Project Management and CE 503 – Project Delivery.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced undergraduate engineering and design work through courses such as CE 585 – Civil Engineering Project, CE 528/552/565 – design electives, and track-specific coursework. The B.S. curriculum allows students to specialize in areas including structural, environmental, geotechnical, transportation/materials, construction, and water resources engineering.

Fifth Year: The accelerated stage transitions students into graduate-level civil engineering study, with up to 9 credit hours of approved 600–700-level coursework able to count toward both degrees under the current accelerated-program structure. Students complete the M.S. through either a research/thesis pathway, which can include independent research, or a coursework-only pathway, while completing 30 graduate credit hours and maintaining at least a 3.0 graduate GPA.

Focus areas: Construction engineering, environmental engineering, general civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation/materials engineering, water resources engineering.

Learning outcomes: Civil engineering analysis and design, infrastructure planning and preservation, project management, engineering problem solving, professional communication, research, and application of civil engineering principles to construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation/materials, and water-resource challenges.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Kansas State University is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil Engineering Programs.

Reputation (employability rankings): K-State reports 100% career placement for its civil engineering graduates, with an average starting salary of $72,292; the department states that its placement data are provided by the K-State Career Center and include graduates employed or enrolled in further education within six months of graduation. At the university level, K-State reports 97% of fall and spring 2025 graduates were employed or continuing their education, based on an 80% knowledge rate.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S./M.S. in Civil Engineering at Kansas State University combines undergraduate civil engineering study with an accelerated graduate pathway, allowing students to gain practical experience through research, design teams, internships, and advanced laboratory work. Students can choose a thesis-based research route or a coursework-only M.S. option, while undergraduate research assistantships provide opportunities to work directly in civil engineering research laboratories.

Students can develop hands-on engineering skills through:

Civil Infrastructure Systems Laboratory (CISL): Students have access to one of only six accelerated testing facilities of its kind in the United States, where large-scale asphalt and concrete pavement sections and full-scale structural elements can be tested under controlled loading. The facility includes hydraulic pumps, load cells, hydraulic rams, data-acquisition systems and a 500-kip self-reacting test frame.
Structural engineering laboratories: Facilities in Fiedler Hall and Engineering Hall include MTS hydraulic testing systems, multiple test frames, a 400-kip Baldwin Universal Testing Machine, a 1,200-square-foot strong floor, structural actuators and a five-ton crane for advanced structural testing.
Concrete and materials laboratories: Students can work around equipment including concrete mixers, slump cones, concrete test hammers, aggregate-testing equipment and systems for measuring compressive and flexural concrete strength; these laboratories support both undergraduate instruction and research.
Advanced asphalt laboratories: Dedicated facilities contain Superpave gyratory compactors, dynamic shear rheometers, bending beam rheometers, Hamburg wheel-rut testers, rolling thin-film ovens, AMPT equipment and UTM-25 systems, supporting transportation and materials engineering research.
Geotechnical laboratories: Students and researchers can use conventional triaxial devices, consolidometers, direct-shear equipment and systems for electrical resistivity imaging, induced polarization and ground-penetrating radar.
Environmental engineering laboratories: Research facilities include gas chromatographs, high-performance liquid chromatographs, an ion chromatograph, atomic absorption spectrometer, total organic carbon analyzer, fluorimeter and UV-Vis spectrophotometer.
Design teams: The Steel Bridge Team provides practical experience in teamwork, design, fabrication, assembly and competition, while the Concrete Canoe Team involves students in designing, fabricating, building and racing a concrete canoe.
Professional software and digital tools: K-State's civil engineering design facilities have historically provided engineering software including AutoCAD, Creo, SolidWorks, Revit, MATLAB, Mathematica, Minitab, GIS, Pipe2000, RISA 3-D, WinPond and HCS2000; the department specifically documents these tools in its senior-design facilities.
Internships: K-State reports that most civil engineering graduates complete at least one year of internship experience, with opportunities circulated through the K-State Career Center and Civil Engineering Department. Students have interned with organizations including Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Turnpike Authority, Terracon and TranSystems.
Undergraduate research: The department offers undergraduate research assistantships in civil engineering laboratories, with support of up to $2,000 for a 10-hour-per-week, semester-long appointment through the department's current research-assistantship initiative.
Accelerated B.S./M.S. research: Students choosing the thesis route can conduct graduate-level research under a Civil Engineering faculty member who is also appointed to the K-State Graduate Faculty, creating a direct pathway from undergraduate study into advanced research.
Industry connection and mentoring: The CEMent Civil Engineering Mentorship Program connects freshmen with upperclassmen and upperclassmen with CE alumni working in professional practice, helping students understand the transition from coursework to project sites and design offices.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S./M.S. in Civil Engineering gives students a direct pathway from undergraduate study into advanced civil engineering practice, combining the bachelor’s degree with a master’s degree in typically one additional year. Graduates can pursue roles such as civil engineer, structural engineer, transportation engineer, environmental engineer, construction engineer, geotechnical engineer, project engineer, or water resources engineer, while the program also supports preparation for professional licensure and advanced study.

Career development and employment opportunities:

Career placement: K-State reports 100% career placement for its civil engineering graduates, with placement counting graduates who are employed or enrolled in graduate/professional school within six months of graduation. The program reports an average starting salary of $72,292.
Internships: Civil engineering students can undertake summer internships to gain industry experience and strengthen their preparation for permanent employment.
Career Center: K-State’s Career Center provides career advising, job-search training, employer connections, a career library, and career/major assessments, while its post-graduation statistics track employment and further-education outcomes.
Industry engagement: The Civil Engineering Advisory Council creates an ongoing connection between the department and practicing professionals. Its current members include professionals from Kiewit, HDR, Olsson, B&W Engineers, Professional Engineering Consultants, Johnson County Wastewater, and Wichita Public Works and Utilities, with responsibilities that include industry interaction, curriculum input, research and technology transfer, and student engagement.
Professional preparation: The program encourages students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination before graduation, supporting the option of pursuing professional engineering licensure during their careers.
Long-term accreditation value: The K-State B.S. in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Civil Engineering Program Criteria. The program’s educational objectives explicitly include professional growth, licensure and certifications, while ABET accreditation provides an established quality framework for the undergraduate engineering degree.
Graduation outcomes: K-State’s Civil Engineering program reports 100% career placement, and the department states that alumni live across 48 U.S. states and 49 countries, demonstrating the geographic reach of its graduate network.

Further Academic Progression: The accelerated structure allows eligible high-performing students to progress directly from the B.S. into the M.S. in Civil Engineering with limited coursework overlap. Students can select a thesis-based research option or coursework-only option, and the M.S. can be pursued in areas including construction, environmental, general, geotechnical, structural, transportation/materials, and water resources engineering. The department also offers a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, providing a route into advanced research and academic careers after the master’s degree.