Civil engineering
Doctor of Philosophy
Where blueprints meet breakthrough
Designing the infrastructure that makes modern societies work defines civil engineering. From highways and bridges to dams and airports, civil engineers design, build and manage the public and private works that make modern life possible.
This doctoral program is for those who want to conduct research or become a faculty member at a college or university. You can customize your studies to focus on environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics and water resources engineering, structural engineering or transportation engineering.
Overview
Related Topics
Engineer the future
Degree fit
This program will be a good fit if you:
- Hold an undergraduate and master's degrees in civil engineering or closely related fields
- Want to specialize in an area of civil engineering
- Like to solve complex problems
- Are a good writer and think you might like teaching
- Are interested in conducting research or becoming a university faculty member
- Work well as part of a team
Career outcomes
Current job openings
1,648 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and starting salaries
- Postsecondary Engineering Teachers
$48,689 - Civil Engineers • Transportation Engineers • Water/Wastewater Engineers
$71,940 - Architectural and Engineering Managers
$122,156 - Energy Engineers • Wind Energy Engineers • Solar Energy Systems Engineers
$67,828 - Environmental Engineers
$77,869
* Career data provided by Lightcast.
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Financial aid
Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but U of I’s Financial Aid Office is here to help. Our experienced financial aid counselors can assist you in exploring financial aid options, making informed financial decisions and addressing common concerns.
To maximize aid and scholarship possibilities, be sure to complete your FAFSA. For information on FAFSA deadlines and answers to common questions, visit the University of Idaho FAFSA website.
Plan ahead — estimate your cost of attendance with U of I’s Cost Calculator.
Graduate funding opportunities
Financial assistance in the form of teaching or research assistantships is available on a competitive basis. All students who are admitted to the Master of Science in civil engineering program are considered for an assistantship, but not all admitted students will receive such support. An offer of financial support is separate from the admissions decision.
Only those students who receive funding in the form of a teaching or research assistantships are admitted to the Ph.D. program in civil engineering.
For questions relating to the Ph.D. in civil engineering degree, please email cee@uidaho.edu or call 208-885-6782.
Clubs and involvement opportunities
Clubs
Our college offers 20+ clubs and organizations tied to international and national engineering organizations, including national competition teams.
Learn about clubs related to your major:
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA)
- Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC)
- Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Application information
Applicants for the Ph.D. in civil engineering must meet the following admission requirements:
- Education level: Bachelor's
- GPA: 3.0
- GRE: No
- TOEFL/IELTS: 79/6.5
- Number of references: 3
- Other requirements: Applicants not holding a B.S. degree in civil engineering are required to show evidence of completing the following undergraduate coursework:
- mathematics through differential equations
- one semester of chemistry
- one semester of calculus-based physics
- one semester of engineering statics
- Once admitted, additional preparatory coursework will be determined by the student’s advisory committee and/or as prerequisites to courses listed in the student's study plan.
Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application.