master thesis in water resources engineering

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Chair of Hydrology and Water Resources Management

Master theses are primarily offered to Master students of the Environmental Engineering curriculum at D-BAUG. In individual cases, it is also possible for students from D-BAUG Civil Engineering and other departments (e.g. D-USYS) and/or universities to carry out their Master thesis at the Chair. General information about the Master thesis is provided here .

Currently offered topics

Available Master thesis topics (and completed works) are listed in the table below with short descriptions (where available) and the supervisor. Please contact the supervisor(s) for more information. We encourage students also to develop their own ideas for Master research and consult them with Prof. Burlando, Prof. Molnar, the assistant's office or other potential supervisors. E-mail addresses can be found on the People page . Master theses can also be executed together with external partners (consulting offices, administration offices, other universities) and build upon your Master project.

Master Thesis presentations are public

Upcoming Master thesis presentations (defences) are highlighted in the table below and a link or room is provided. Finishing Master students are especially welcome to attend the presentations of their colleagues.

Further information

Official documents (e.g. program regulations) can be downloaded from the websites of the study programs: Civil Engineering Environmental Engineering

You have to digitally deliver your thesis report (including the declaration of originality), the final presentation, the poster and a folder with your code / digital work. In addition, please hand in at least one (1) bound hardcopy of your report for our archive and ask your supervisors if they prefer to receive a hardcopy as well. You also have to hand in your printed poster (A0 format).

Sasha Löffler

Field of Study: Environmental and Water Resources Engineering

The Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE) program emphasizes four areas of core competency: quantitative methods; decision support & optimization; environmental mechanics; and environmental chemistry. Working in consultation with their advisors, students select courses that satisfy degree requirements in these areas. The remainder of the master’s requirements are electives that enable students pursue their interests. The EWRE field of study offers paths that comprise coursework only, coursework + project, and coursework + research thesis. Requirements for each of these paths are described below.

Project Option Students wishing to complete the project option must have the scope of the project approved by the chair of the CEE Graduate Programs Committee, identify a faculty advisor for the project, and complete 3 credit of CEE 290 Master’s Project. Projects may be research or practice oriented. The 3 credit of CEE 290 count toward the elective requirements. 

Thesis Option Students wishing to complete the research thesis option must complete 3 credit of CEE 295 Master’s Thesis and 3 credit of CEE 296 Master’s Thesis II, and successfully complete the master’s Thesis requirements established by the University and School of Engineering. The 6 credit total of CEE 295 and CEE 296 count toward the elective requirement. Master students pursuing the thesis option typically complete their degree and thesis requirements over two years of full-time study. 

• Total Credits At least 30 credit of Core and Elective coursework completed with a grade of B- or better.
• CEE 201 – Applied Probability Theory
• CEE 202 – Data Analysis and Statistical Methods
• CEE 203 – Statistical Inferences and Prediction
• CEE 204 – Hypothesis Testing and Uncertainty Analysis
• ES 101 – Numerical Methods
• CEE 214 - EWRE Systems
• ES 100 - Actionable Engineering Diplomacy
• CEE 211 - Physical Hydrology
• CEE 213 - Transport Principles in EWRE
• CEE 245 - Geomechanics
• CEE 136 - Air Pollution and Control
• CEE 212 - Chemical Principles in EWRE
• ChBE 140 - Surface and Colloid Chemistry  
• Electives The remainder of the 30 credit required for the degree are electives that should be selected in consultation with your advisor. Program faculty strongly encourage students to complete the departmental seminar course. 

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Water Resources Engineering Focus—Online MS

Manage Water Resources as a Civil Engineer

Our online Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree program with a focus in Water Resources Engineering prepares you to design, plan, and manage advanced water resources projects ranging from site to watershed scales.

The program is focused on water resources engineering and expanding your capabilities as a civil engineer. Learn advanced design and modeling techniques in hydraulics and hydrology. Topics include those that are critical in today's changing world, such as:

• climate change adaptation
• water supply reliability and affordability
• low-impact stormwater management
• ecosystem restoration
• flood risk reduction
• and infrastructure renewal.

Advanced courses emphasize theory and modeling of water resources projects. All courses listed here are currently offered either remotely, online, or both.

30 credits are required, at least 15 of which must be in water resources engineering courses with cognate courses also an option (see below for a list). The degree can be completed in anywhere from 2 to 10 semesters, depending on how many courses are taken at a time.

Semesters offered for courses below refer to on-campus courses. Check Online Courses and Registration for available online courses for upcoming semesters.

CEE 5730 is required.

Water Resources Engineering Courses

Introduction to hydrologic engineering, including rainfall-runoff modeling and hydrologic frequency analysis. Analysis and design of hydraulic systems such as pipe networks and storm water management systems. Computational, field, and experimental laboratory sessions reinforce lectures and provide hands-on learning opportunities.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-2)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): (ENG 3200 or CEE 3200) and (MA 3710(C) or MA 2710(C) or MA 2720(C) or CEE 3502(C) or CEE 3710(C))

Application of basic principles in civil and environmental engineering to the analysis and design of water distribution systems, wastewater collection systems, and their appurtenances.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-1)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): (CEE 3501 or CEE 3503) and CEE 3620

Application of basic principles in civil and environmental engineering to the analysis and design of water distribution systems, wastewater collection systems, and their appurtenances. Analysis of research on some topic of the course.

Solve complicated, open-ended real-world water resources problems in natural and built systems by developing and executing models using state of the practice technologies. Includes programming to manage large datasets and validation or calibration and optimization of models for design.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-1-0)
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore
• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 3620 or CEE 3650
• Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate

Analysis and modeling strategies of open channel systems, including natural channels, designed channels, flow transitions, non-uniform flow, and unsteady flow.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall
• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 3620

Design techniques for stormwater collection, conveyance, infiltration, and detention storage systems are discussed, both traditional stormwater management systems and newer approaches based on the philosophy of low impact development (LID) that seek not to alter the natural ecology of a site.

• Semesters Offered: Summer

Application of mathematical modeling to water quality management. Models are developed to simulate natural phenomena, mass transport, and reaction kinetics in lake and river ecosystems. Students will construct simple models and be introduced to state of the art modeling tools.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-3)
• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 4505 or BL 4450

Introduce fundamental concept and numerical methods used in hydrodynamic modeling, physical process in the hydrodynamic system and their numerical representation using governing equations. Students construct simplified numerical models with application to problems of coastal oceans and large lakes, as well as engineering systems of interest to environmental and other engineers.

• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore, Junior
• Pre-Requisite(s): MA 3520 or MA 3521 or MA 3530 or MA 3560

Students will understand hydrologic processes such as transpiration, evaporation, infiltration, base flow, and surface runoff. Students will learn principles of hydrometeorology, principles of sustainability applied to surface water resources, how to collect/analyze hydrologic data, and how to predict/estimate hydrologic responses.

• Semesters Offered: Fall, in odd years, Spring, in odd years

Application of basic principles fluid mechanics in civil and environmental engineering to the analysis and design of hydraulic structures. Analysis of research on some topic of the course.

• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 3620(C)

Basin mechanics of the transport of sediments in natural systems, including tractive forces and geomorphic functions.

Economic and environmental aspects of water use. Topics include flood damage reduction, water demand and hydrologic forecasting, water supply planning, and water resource systems operation.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 3620 and EC 3400

Examines probabilistic analysis of engineering systems including first-order methods, Monte Carlo simulation, and time-to-failure analysis. Reliability analysis will include capacity/demand reliability and system reliability. Emphasis will be on civil and environmental engineering systems.

• Pre-Requisite(s): CEE 3502 or CEE 3710 or MA 3710

Approved research or design project in civil engineering, originating with an individual student or assigned by the instructor.

• Credits: variable to 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Restrictions: Permission of instructor required; Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate

Study of an acceptable civil or environmental engineering problem and preparation of a report or thesis.

• Credits: variable to 10.0; May be repeated; Graded Pass/Fail Only

Cognate Courses

The fundamentals of GIS and its application to natural resource management. Spatial data, its uses and limitations are evaluated. Students work extensively with the ARCGIS software package.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-3)
• Pre-Requisite(s): MA 2710(C) or MA 2720(C) or MA 3710(C) or ENVE 3502 or CEE 3502(C)

This course comprises theory and applications of hydrographic mapping technologies. Typical application scenarios are covered. An intensive lab component provides hands-on experience in hydrographic data processing and visualization.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-1)

Theory and application of terrestrial LIDAR scanning. Typical application scenarios are also included. Intensive lab component provides hands-on experience in LIDAR point cloud processing and visualization.

• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
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Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Graduate program, graduate admission prerequisites:.

The Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics (HWR&EFM) group wants to ensure as a graduate applicant you are well-prepared for your graduate coursework. We have identified a set of required courses; students who have a civil engineering or related degree will most likely have taken these courses already.

If you are coming in with a different background, you may still be admitted, but will need to make up these requirements. You may either take these courses at another institution before arriving at CU Boulder, or complete them within your first several semesters during graduate study.

Below is the list of specific courses identified by the HWR&EFM group, with CU Boulder equivalent course numbers listed.

• Calculus 1 APPM 1350
• Calculus 2 APPM 1360
• Calculus 3 APPM 2350
• Diff Eq/Lin Alg APPM 2360
• Physics PHYS 1110
• Physics PHYS 1120
• Physics PHYS 1140
• Fluid Mechanics CVEN 3313

Master of Science

Most prospective students who do not already have an MS degree will apply into the MS degree program. If you do not have an MS but wish to apply directly to the PhD program, you may do so, but are advised to consult with an HWR&EFM faculty member first. Students admitted to the MS program can later apply to the PhD degree program through a relatively informal application process. More information can be found here .

MS Degree Plan

As an MS student in the Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics program, you can opt for one of several degree plans as prescribed by departmental rules. The Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department offers two types of Master of Science degrees, Plan I and Plan II. Plan I includes a written thesis, with reduced coursework. Plans II(a) and II(b) focus on coursework with the option of including up to two semesters of independent study.

Plan I (Thesis Option): This degree requires 24 hours of course credits and six hours of thesis credits. Usually, this translates into eight courses (most courses are worth three credits), and research leading to a Master of Science thesis. Plan I degrees can only be pursued under the direct supervision of a research advisor, and you must formally defend your thesis. This option will give you experience in the research process, including writing and potentially publishing a research paper.

• Plan IIa (Coursework Option): This degree requires a total of 30 credits. The 30 credits may be obtained by taking 10, three-credit courses. This plan typically offers a faster route to an MS degree with a wider variety of coursework.  
• Plan IIb (Report Option) This degree requires 30 credits, but up to six credits of independent study may be included toward the 30-credit requirement. An independent study usually includes research leading to a report (a "mini-thesis") completed under the guidance of a faculty member. This degree plan is the least common of the three.

Doing research for a Master of Science thesis or independent study may not be possible for all students admitted to the program. If you are interested in doing a thesis or independent study: (1) get to know the faculty in the program, (2) do well in your classes, and (3) express your enthusiasm for doing research with faculty whose research areas interest you. While it is rare for incoming masters students to be offered research assistantships, most MS students who are interested in doing research are able to associate themselves with some kind of paid research project during their time here.

MS Course Requirements All MS students, regardless of degree plan, are subject to the following coursework requirements. We sometimes make exceptions to these requirements when your research or interests would benefit. All exceptions must be approved in writing by your academic advisor. Courses in which you receive a C+ grade or below may not be counted toward a degree plan.

Analytical Skills (6 credits) CVEN 5537: Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering CVEN 5454: Statistical Methods in Civil Engineering

Core Content (9 credits) CVEN 5313: Environmental Fluid Mechanics CVEN 5333: Physical Hydrology CVEN 5353: Groundwater Hydrology

Modeling Skills (3 credits) includes, but is not limited to: CVEN 5343: Transport and Dispersion in Surface Water CVEN 5363: Modeling of Hydrologic Systems CVEN 5383: Groundwater Modeling

Advanced Skills (3 credits) One CVEN 6000-level course, or an advisor-approved 5000-level course from outside the CEAE Department.

Electives (9 credits, must be approved by your advisor) Plan I: 3 coursework credits plus 6 credits for MS thesis Plan IIa: 9 coursework credits Plan IIb: 6 coursework credits plus 3 credits for MS report

Graduate Seminar MS students are required to register for two semesters of CVEN 6393, the Graduate Seminar, and must make at least one seminar presentation. Note that the seminar credits cannot be used as elective credits, and thus do not directly contribute toward your MS degree.

Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate

If you wish to obtain a graduate certificate in Global Engineering in conjunction with your MS in Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics, you must fulfill the MS course requirements above in addition to the courses required for the Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate . These courses do not count toward the modeling skills, advanced skills, or elective courses required for the MS in Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics. Although the above description provides general guidelines, graduate students who need to take courses relevant to their areas of research are allowed some flexibility in course plans with approval of their advisors and graduate committees.

Doctor of Philosophy

A PhD requires: (i) a Preliminary Examination, (ii) a Comprehensive Examination, (iii) a Dissertation Defense in addition to courses and a dissertation. Dissertation credit hour requirements and examination details can be found in the CEAE current student guide . Students who apply to the PhD program typically already have an MS degree, or are currently enrolled in an MS degree program. Students without an MS who wish to apply directly to the PhD program may do so, but are advised to consult first with an HWR&EFM faculty member first.

PhD Course Requirements In accordance with Graduate School rules, a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework at the 5000-level or above is required for a PhD degree. Courses taken prior to enrollment in the PhD program may be transferred as follows:

• Up to 21 credit hours of 5000-level or above course work may be transferred from another institution and applied toward the 30-hour minimum coursework requirement (even if those credit hours were counted towards another degree).
• For a student who obtained an MS degree at the University of Colorado Boulder, all 30 credit hours of 5000-level or above coursework may be transferred (even if those credits were counted toward MS degree).

Preliminary Examination

After you have completed your core coursework, all PhD candidates must take a Preliminary Examination. The goal of the Preliminary Exam is to determine if you are adequately prepared to pursue a PhD degree, and to identify subject matter areas in which additional study may be needed. You must pass this examination in order to continue in the PhD program.

The Preliminary Exam is a written test of the knowledge you have accumulated through MS-level course work. The Preliminary Exam is an open-book, closed-colleague exam. The exam is typically offered once a year in January.  The exam consists of three questions, each corresponding to one course in the graduate program.  Each question is allotted six hours. Students can complete the questions at their convenience over a seven-day period.

In consultation with their advisor, students must select one course from the Core Content, one course must come from Analytical Skills, and the remaining will be an advisor-approved graduate course within the HWR&EFM-taught courses.

Students must select these subject areas for the preliminary exam and convey these selections to the preliminary exam administrator one month before the exam.

Each problem set is graded out of 5: 5 = satisfactory understanding of all concepts, 4 = satisfactory with minor gaps, 3 = marginal understanding, 2 = marginal with major gaps, 1 = poor understanding, 0 = poor understanding with incomplete responses.

The final score is computed as the average score across questions

Unconditional pass: an average score of at least 4.0 without a score of 1 or lower on any given problem;

Conditional pass: an average score between 3 and 4: if important gaps in student knowledge are identified, the following actions are recommended with the goal for the committee to render a decision by the end of Spring semester. Potential student follow-ups are at the discretion of the committee and may include: 

(i) providing a written document detailing relevant analysis and/or peer-reviewed literature, 

(ii) taking a relevant course to fill knowledge gaps.

Does not pass: an average score below 3.0; this will necessitate the student retaking all questions on the exam in spring or summer at the discretion of the committee. If the student does not pass the retake exam this would result in a request that they discontinue the Ph.D. program.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination consists of a written research proposal and an oral defense of the proposal to a committee of three faculty members.  The comprehensive exam is typically completed within one year of passing the preliminary examination and at least one year prior to the dissertation defense.  More information is available on the CU graduate school website .

Dissertation and Dissertation Defense

The dissertation is a formal written document of the PhD research.  As a general guideline, the dissertation should contain content for three refereed journal publications, some of which may have already been published or be in review.  The dissertation defense is an oral public defense of the dissertation that consists of a public presentation, followed by a private question and answer session with a committee of five faculty members. More information is available on the CEAE current student guide .

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• Master of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Villanova's Master of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering (MSWREE) program presents an engineering view of these fields, although students with science backgrounds constitute a significant portion of the total enrollment.  

Our Community

Pursuing an engineering master's degree at Villanova is to become part of a close-knit scholarly community. Professors are highly available and engaged in their students' success.

Master's in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering:

• 54% part-time
• Average age: 27
• Total enrollment: 28

Flexible Options

Most classes are conveniently held in the evenings to allow you to successfully balance work and family while earning your degree. You can participate in class on campus, in real-time (synchronously) via our E-Learning program, or on your own schedule through recorded materials and lectures. Our graduate programs are unique in that you can combine online and on campus options, attending class and participating remotely depending upon your availability and preference. You can also complete your water resources and environmental engineering graduate degree entirely online. Learn more about the opportunities of  E-Learning .

Successful Outcomes

Villanova’s Water Resources and Environmental Engineering graduate program alumni work for some of the leading companies in the nation including:

Langan Engineering

Jacobs 

Michael Baker International

Philadelphia Water Department

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department has state-of-the-art laboratories supporting Environmental and Water Resources research and teaching.

Covering over 5,000-ft2 space, these laboratories are equipped with the latest analytical instruments including GCs, GC/MS, HPLC/, AA and UV/Vis spectrophotometers, epifluorescent microscope, and real-time PCR.

The University campus serves as a living laboratory for the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems  and Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership (VUSP) . Our Green infrastructure Stormwater Research Park features many instrumented stormwater control measures on sites that include a green roof, infiltration trench, stormwater wetland, multiple bioretention and bioinfiltration control measures, pervious pavements, bio-swale, and a treatment train.

Ongoing research areas for faculty in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering:

• Remediation of contaminants in natural and engineered systems
• Public health microbiology and biological processes for waste management
• Design and evaluation of barrier systems
• Stormwater control measures and green infrastructure
• River dynamics and environmental fluid systems

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APPLICATION  INFORMATION

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Joseph Yost Director of Graduate Studies

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES

"The MSWREE graduate program has had a tremendous impact on my career as a consulting engineer. The program features a wide array of courses that are very relevant to my everyday projects in the civil and environmental engineering industry. Furthermore, the professors do an excellent job engaging both in-class and E-learning students in the lecture discussions. As an E-learning student in New York City, not once have I felt 100 miles away."

George Kokaliaris, EIT, ENV SP, Environmental Engineer, STV, Inc.

“Great peers, excellent faculty and unique research scopes.”

Humaira Monowara Jahangiri, Water Resources Engineer, OHM Advisors

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

College of engineering, water resources engineering.

About Water Resources Engineering

Water Resources Engineering offers a stimulating and diverse educational environment with opportunities to participate in innovative experimental, computational and modeling research.

Our program focuses on water, air, and land systems, with an emphasis on the science and engineering applications of environmental transport processes and sustainable resource management. Students and faculty members often develop their research into new technologies that benefit engineering practice in fluid mechanics, hydraulics, hydrology, hydroclimatology, and water resources.

Focus Your Studies

There are opportunities available at all levels for students interested in Water Resources Engineering. Undergraduate students may choose an optional track to focus their electives and gain a deeper understanding of this discipline. There are also opportunities for students to conduct research in this area with faculty and graduate students.

Graduate programs in civil engineering are organized within the affinity groups. Students pursuing a master's degree or PhD can choose to affiliate with the Water Resources Engineering group for their educational and research activities. Graduate students will work closely with faculty advisors throughout their studies and as they prepare a thesis. Browse the directory at the bottom of the page to get to know the faculty in this group and learn more about their research interests.

Key Research Areas

Hydroclimatology and Water Resources

• Terrestrial and atmospheric water/energy processes and fluxes.
• Decision support systems promoting integrated, equitable, and sustainable water use.

Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Engineering

• Turbulent entrainment, transport, and mixing processes in natural and engineered environments.

Coastal and Ocean Engineering

• Waves, currents and transport from the ocean to the intertidal zone

Research and teaching are supported by state-of-the-art experimental, computational and data-acquisition facilities.

The Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory includes a large constant-head tank, a 4.3 m wide sediment scour flume, a 24 m long tilting flume, a recirculating flume for cohesive sediment resuspension, a recirculating salt-water flume, a density-stratified towing tank, and a 24 m long wave tank. Instrumentation includes Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV), Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF), and three-dimensional visualization.

The Computational Laboratory includes a 16-node (64 CPUs) High Performance computing cluster and a number of Linux workstations. An eight-CPU, 32GB RAM visualization workstation was recently added. Our graduate students also have access to Georgia Tech's high performance computing systems and several European supercomputers.

Field instrumentation includes pressure transducers and ther mistors; a Campbell Scientific Eddy Covariance Tower System that directly measures sensible, latent and CO2 fluxes between the terrestrial landscape through the atmosphere. This tower includes soil moisture probes, a rain gauge and dataloggers. Additional equipment includes an ISCO portable water sampler with ultrasonic level sensor and rain gauge, a depth-integrating suspended sediment sampler, a bed sediment sampler, a PPP Spectral Analyzer, and current meters.

Water Resources Engineering group is comprised of an intellectually diverse group of faculty whose expertise includes tsunamis, rogue waves, flood and drought management, fluid mechanics and more. Click on each image below to learn more about their educational and research objectives.

College of Engineering

Hydraulics and water resources.

About The Program

The graduate program in Hydraulics and Water Resources at The University of Iowa prepares students for careers in hydraulics, hydrology, and water resources, by providing a strong theoretical and applied foundation, and a broad-based academic background, necessary for positions in engineering design, research, and academia.  The program combines hydraulics, fluid mechanics, hydrology, and water resources, with elements from environmental engineering, meteorology, remote sensing and systems analysis, and related disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, electrical and computer science engineering, geology, and geographical information systems.

The Hydraulics and Water Resources curriculum is associated with IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, a world-renowned research institute, where senior staff members of the institute are professors in the program.  IIHR offers unique curriculum opportunities in laboratory and field-scale experimentation, and in mathematical modeling with IIHR's high-speed computer facilities. 

Most of the faculty members in the Hydraulics and Water Resources program are also part of the Iowa Flood Center, the only academic flood center in the nation.  By training and educating a workforce knowledgeable in the flood-related sciences, the Iowa Flood Center provides students with the opportunity to work on improving flood monitoring and prediction capabilities, and on developing models for flood frequency estimation and real-time forecasting.

Admission Requirements

For consideration for financial support, we strongly encourage you to submit your application by January 15.

Decisions on admission to the graduate program, and offers of financial support, are made on a competitive basis. Factors considered include academic background and performance, letters of recommendation, work experience and professional training,  and TOEFL scores (when applicable).

The TOEFL exam is required for admission for students whose native language is other than English or that do not have a degree from an English-speaking country. A minimum TOEFL score of 81 for the internet-based exam is required.

Students who do not have an undergraduate B.S. degree in civil & environmental engineering, but who have adequate training in mathematics or science, may be admitted for graduate study in the Hydraulics and Water Resources Program. However, certain undergraduate courses may need to be taken without graduate credit.

HWR Graduate Degree Requirements

The Hydraulics and Water Resources Program offers both masters and Ph.D. degrees.

The MS degree may be earned on either a thesis or a non-thesis basis. The thesis option requires a minimum of 30 hours of credit – 25 semester hours of course work plus 5 semester hours of thesis research credit. The non-thesis option requires a minimum of 31 semester hours of course work. Students seeking financial support should apply for the thesis option.

The Ph.D. degree requires 72 hours of credit beyond the basic undergraduate degree.  This requires 43 semester hours or coursework plus 29 semester hours of thesis research credit.   A minimum of one year of on-campus residency is required for the Ph.D.

Completed MSc theses