How long does it take to complete a MS in structural engineering?

[ride5150]

Im a junior majoring in civil engineering, and I am considering going to grad school to get a MS in structural engineering. i see that my school requires 36 credit hours for a MS in structural, which is about 12 classes. assuming that i took 2 classes over the summer, could i finish a MS in 2 semesters +summer?

or is the courseload so much that you can only take a few classes at a time?

 

[edgepflow]

I think this may be difficult. If you take two summer classes, I would plan on 3 semesters as these classes will take some work. Does your MS program require a thesis or project write-up?

BTW, structural engineering is a very interesting field - I think you are making an excellent choice. I have learned a lot of practical structural engineering on-the-job over the years.

 

[ride5150]

I think this may be difficult. If you take two summer classes, I would plan on 3 semesters as these classes will take some work. Does your MS program require a thesis or project write-up?

BTW, structural engineering is a very interesting field - I think you are making an excellent choice. I have learned a lot of practical structural engineering on-the-job over the years.

thank you for the response. my school doesn't require a thesis if youre doing the 36 credit hour route. the other option is to take twenty-something (cant remember exact number) credit hours but it requires a thesis.

so you're saying that classes in grad school would be a lot more work than my undergrad classes now?

 

[edgepflow]

thank you for the response. my school doesn't require a thesis if youre doing the 36 credit hour route. the other option is to take twenty-something (cant remember exact number) credit hours but it requires a thesis.

so you're saying that classes in grad school would be a lot more work than my undergrad classes now?

The non thesis option would be faster in my opinion. In my case, I had all my graduate engineering classes done, but went round-and-round with my professor on the thesis write-up (mostly nit-picky things).

A few companies may be interested in your thesis, but for a practical field like structural engineering, the fact that you have a masters degree is what counts.

My experience was the graduate classes were usually more work than undergrad. There is more theory in graduate school, whick took me longer.