Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical Engineers design foundation and earth structures such as dams and levees. Their work may also include slope stability of roadway cuts, design of rocket launch pads and assessment of geologic hazards like earthquakes and landslides.

Geotechnical Engineering is a specialization that graduate students majoring in civil engineering or geological engineering may elect at the University of Idaho. A student specializing in geotechnical engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering may work toward the degrees of Master of Science, Master of Engineering, or Doctor of Philosophy. Applicants should have an earned baccalaureate degree in the parallel undergraduate major, but those who majored in mathematics, a physical science, or other engineering discipline can also specialize in geotechnical engineering by completing appropriate prerequisite courses in addition to those required for the degree.

For more information about the M.S. Civil Engineering degree, visit the academics page.

Geotechnical Research Facilities
Facilities available for graduate research on campus include the soil mechanics laboratories in the Department of Civil Engineering, rock mechanics laboratories in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, and analytical laboratories of the Idaho Geological Survey.

For additional information regarding studies in geotechnical engineering, contact Dr. Sunil Sharma.