Geotechnical Engineering (MSc)

Rationale of the Graduate Program
The postgraduate program (M.Sc. /M. Eng. in Geotechnical Engineering) deals, primarily with the necessary advanced theoretical backgrounds to handle the analysis of directing and performing site investigations and soil laboratory testing as well as evaluating and interpreting investigation results for building and bridge site, dam sites, roads, highways, etc.
The program is designed in the way to tackle the problem and achieve better results would have been to give advanced courses at a post graduate level. The problem now as before is that the training at the undergraduate level, no matter how comprehensive it might be, lacks the most important element of a postgraduate training, which is enabling the graduates to be capable of identifying the essence of an engineering problem, converting it into a suitable model and solving it independently. The most important rationale for developing a postgraduate program is the need of the country development of skilled human resource that is capable of handling more complex civil engineering problems with little or no guidance whatsoever, supervising the designs of yet inexperienced engineers working in a project team and thereby acquire skills of professional leadership. Such trained manpower is known to be instrumental to the effective implementation of national development programs.

Objectives of the Graduate Program
(i)    To train Geotechnical Engineers who are capable of directing and performing site investigations and soil laboratory testing as well as evaluating and interpreting investigation results for building and bridge site, dam sites, roads, highways, etc.
(ii)    To train Geotechnical Engineers who are capable of handling the design and construction of building and bridge foundations, dams, dam foundations, roads, retaining and underground structures, etc.
(iii)    To train instructors in Engineering Fields

Admission Requirements
The applicant must have a B.Sc. Degree in Civil Engineering or its equivalent and meet the admission requirements of the school of Graduate Studies. He/she must also pass the entrance examination administered by the school. Regarding applicants from other related disciplines, the Chair and School Academic Council (SAC), by consulting senior instructors in the area, will rule on the eligibility of such candidates and the candidate must take bridge-courses.

Duration of Study
In general, the programs are designed to be a two-year full time studies i.e. the total duration of the study is 2 years for both MSc and MEng programs. But it is also possible to offer both programs in continuing education (evenings, or weekends, summer etc.) depending on the need.

Graduation Requirements
Degree Options
The master programs shall offer the following two degree options:
•    Master of Science Degree (MSc)
•    Master of Engineering Degree (MEng)
The requirements to obtain MSc degree are:
•    Successful completion of all three semester courses, 35 Cr. Hrs for Geotechnical Engineering
•    Successful completion and defense of a Master’s thesis work (6Cr. Hrs)
The requirements to obtain MEng degree are:
•    Successful completion of all three semester courses, 35 Cr. Hrs for Geotechnical Engineering
•    Successful completion of a graduate project works 4 Cr. Hrs.