What are the Career Paths with a Graduate CE Degree but No Bachelor’s in CE?
Employers will often expect those with graduate degrees in civil engineering to have the fundamental knowledge and skills obtained during the BSCE or BSENVE curriculum. Most traditional careers in civil engineering will require professional licensure for advancement and promotion. Not all career paths will require licensure; in general, this is more likely in transportation and environmental/water resources fields. We generally do not advise someone to consider a career in the structural or geotechnical fields without a BSCE degree.
We encourage students to seek out professionals in the field of interest and ask for informational interviews and meetings to discuss career options based on their unique situation. Other options for understanding career options would be attending professional association meetings such as ASCE, ITE or similar. Some government positions may list specific criteria such as “BS degree from an ABET-accredited university” or similar. You may want to browse position postings in the field you are considering to get an idea of typical entry requirements.
Can I obtain an professional engineering license if I have a CE MS degree but no BS degree?
Possibly. The traditional path to licensure requires a Bachelor’s degree from an ABET accredited program. Without a Bachelor’s degree, you will need to read rules posted by the state boards since they control the licensing process and it differs in each state. Most likely, you will need to meet additional criteria, possibly including courses, to sit for the professional engineering exams. Links to the state boards in the Pacific Northwest:
• Oregon: www.oregon.gov/osbeels/
• Washington: www.dol.wa.gov/business/engineerslandsurveyors/index.html
• California: www.bpelsg.ca.gov/
• Idaho: ipels.idaho.gov/
• National Council of Engineering Examiners (NCEES): ncees.org/
Do I pay graduate tuition?
Once admitted as a graduate student, all tuition and fees are assessed at the graduate rate (PSU policy). This is why it may be in your best interest to not be admitted conditionally as a graduate student if you have a substantial amount of required undergraduate coursework to complete.
When should I just consider a second BS degree?
Since most undergraduate coursework that is required will need to be completed BEFORE starting a graduate degree, each student should consider how much effort (in time and money) would be required to complete a graduate degree or just complete a second Bachelor’s degree. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, most of the general education will be waived (except EC 314U). Obtaining a second bachelor’s degree eliminates licensure ambiguity and employer concerns about the breadth and depth of your knowledge. Even though it is in another field, your first bachelor’s degree will presumably give you additional marketability.
Can I self- evaluate how many courses I will need for a second BS degree?
Yes! If you are considering how much coursework would be required for a second Bachelor’s degree, please review the courses in Table 1 in your area of interest and the prerequisites for these courses course planning website. For each prerequisite shown, if you do not have an equivalent course you will need also take that course.