Master of Science in Transportation

Plan Description

The Master of Science in Transportation degree program is terminal in nature and oriented toward the practice of transportation science, with emphasis on the planning and operations aspects of transportation systems. It is intended for applicants who have backgrounds in areas other than engineering or closely related disciplines, and who either presently work for or aspire to work for transportation agencies or firms.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

To be considered for admission:

1. Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. It is desirable to have a degree in one of the following areas: urban or regional planning, architecture, business, economics, public administration, quantitative geography, computer science, mathematics, operations research, statistics, political science, physical science, or similar discipline.
2. Undergraduate GPA must be at least 3.00 and credit must have been earned in the following subjects, or equivalent subjects, with a grade of B or better: MAT 180 (3 credits), PHY 155 (4 credits), computer Science or Management Information Systems (3 credits), ECO 201 or ECO 202 (3 credits), and STA 391 or ECO 261 (3 credits). CEE 362 (3 credits) also is required of applicants who have not had at least one year of acceptable experience with a transportation agency.
3. Submit a two-page Statement of Objectives indicating:
   1. Previous work experience, particularly in transportation.
   2. The reason they wish to pursue the M.S.T. program.
   3. How the degree will be utilized following graduation.
4. Submit two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with their skills and abilities. Contact the department for additional information.
5. Take the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing portions of the GRE General Test and submit the scores to the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Successful applicants generally have a combined verbal and quantitative GRE score of at least 300 on the new test (1000 on all GRE exams taken before August 2011) and GRE analytical writing score of at least 3.
6. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

The degree offered is a Master of Science in Transportation (M.S.T.). Completion of the degree does not qualify the student with a non-engineering background to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Total Credits Required: 33

Course Requirements 

Required Courses – Credits: 6

Complete two of the following courses:

CEE 609 - Engineering Project Management 

CEE 663 - Traffic Engineering 

CEE 760 - Transportation Planning 

CEE 671 - Public Transportation Systems 

Elective Courses – Credits: 24

Complete 24 credits of advisor-approved elective coursework.

Project – Credits: 3

CEE 796 - Design Project in Civil Engineering 

Degree Requirements

1. The program of study for each student must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. The degree requires completion of 33 credits including a 3 credit project.
2. A minimum of 21 credits must be taken in civil engineering courses, and 12 credits may be taken from other departments.
3. The program is highly quantitative in nature and requires aptitude and familiarity with analytic and mathematical reasoning. Course work is rigorous, and students in the program will be taking the same courses offered to engineering students.
4. Satisfactory progress is defined as filing an approved program before the completion of 12 credits of course work, completion of at least six credits of the approved program per calendar year, maintenance of a GPA of 3.00 (4.00), not grades below C and compliance with the letter and spirit of the Graduate Catalog and published policies of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering. Additionally, no more than nine credits below B are allowed in the student’s graduate program. If progress is not satisfactory, probation and separation may result, in accordance with the rules of the Graduate College. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise it to 3.00 or above.
5. The student’s Advising Committee should be composed of at least four members of the UNLV Graduate Faculty of which at least two must be tenured or tenure track members of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the third from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering or a related field, and the fourth must be appointed by the Graduate College.

Plan Graduation Requirements

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
2. Successfully complete a project.