Sunday, 27 May 2012

Online Civil Engineering Colleges and Schools: How to Choose

Online civil engineering programs are often created with working adults as their target audience and may be designed to be completed over a longer periods of time than traditional programs. They are primarily available at the master's degree level; though it is possible to find an online bachelor's degree program in civil engineering.

How to Choose an Online Civil Engineering School

Areas of Focus

Online civil engineering degree programs are available in different focuses and areas of concentration. Possible focuses include construction engineering and management, structures and mechanics, transportation systems and materials, water resources and coastal engineering, environmental engineering, and geotechnical engineering. Prospective online engineering students may choose to consider schools and programs that offer a program in line with their career goals, for example a graduate of an online construction engineering program may be more likely to find employment with construction companies, while those with water resources or environmental engineering might work on bridges or highways.

Online Degree Program Format

Depending on the school, online programs in civil engineering vary drastically in program format and time requirements. Some programs operate on a flexible schedule, with open start times and due dates. Other programs have strict assignment due dates, online time requirements, set start times and test dates - similar to an on-campus environment; these programs are typically designed for full-time students who are able to meet the assignment and testing dates required by the program, which continuing education students might find more difficult. In addition, the online civil engineering programs may require a thesis, research project or a final project at their workplace. Students should consider whether they will be able to meet the time requirements of a school's online civil engineering programs meet their needs before enrolling.

Available Online Civil Engineering Programs

Online Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Very few bachelor's degree programs in civil engineering are available online. Those that are may be targeted to serve working adults, and thus to take significantly longer to complete than the four years that are normal for most bachelor's degrees. On-campus lectures are often recorded in video or audio form for distance learning students to review. Common coursework in this program includes fluid mechanics, structural engineering, hydrology and civil engineering design.

Online Master of Science in Civil Engineering

A Master of Science in Civil Engineering provides online students the opportunity to explore different parts of civil engineering in greater depth, with research options that may cover the entire range of topics in the civil engineering field. Required courses may include topics such as geotechnical engineering, structural stability, mass transportation engineering, water system engineering and independent research. Students typically communicate with professors via e-mail correspondence and often complete the course at their own pace, usually with only a final deadline by which all work must be completed for a given course.

Online Master of Civil Engineering

A Master of Civil Engineering program is often targeted at students who must fulfill continuing education requirements or who are already working in the civil engineering field. Programs often make special effort to give students the ability to work on their own schedule and often work with employers to ensure that continuing education requirements are fulfilled. Coursework typically focuses on one area of civil engineering, for example a water resource management focused program could include classes in engineering hydrology, environmental monitoring statistics and pipe systems engineering.

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