In the field of civil engineering, the need for more advanced study has been met by three types of programs. The least formal program is that of seminars, short courses, and other short-term meetings. This type of effort is generally called "continuing education." These activities will be described in more detail later. The other two types of advanced study are the traditional graduate studies toward advanced degrees such as the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, and the professional school, with study directed toward obtaining a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree. These two types of degrees reflect a difference in opinion among engineering educators. This disagreement began during the 1960s, when the American Society of Engineering Education commissioned a study by a group of distinguished educators and engineers. The goal of this study was to define "... the goals of engineering education" in our rapidly changing society. In its final report issued in January 1968, this committee recommended more official recognition of the role of graduate study, especially the master's degree program, in the profession. Many people disagreed with the findings of this committee. However, the faculties in a number of schools decided that four-year programs were inadequate for professional engineering education. These groups changed their programs to include a Bachelor of Science degree (not an engineering degree) to be awarded after four years of study, with a professional Master of Engineering degree to be awarded after a fifth year of study. The Master of Engineering degree was considered the first professional degree in these programs. In the more traditional type of advanced study in civil engineering, the course work was directed more toward research rather than practice as in the Master of Engineering degree. A primary focus of the M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs has been the preparation of the students for work in research or in academically related activities such as teaching. However, as civil engineering education has become more complex and sophisticated, there has been an increasing emphasis on the need for advanced degrees for practicing engineers. The great debate among civil engineers is whether or not the traditional research-oriented degrees, similar to the advanced degrees awarded in the scientific professions, are more suitable for engineering students than the practice-oriented degrees such as the Master of Engineering. In contrast to engineering, law and medicine graduate professional studies are directed almost equally toward practice and research. The emphasis on research in traditional graduate studies in engineering originated, in the fact that much of engineering education is scientific in character. Also, when graduate study programs were developed in engineering schools, graduate study programs already existed in the sciences and were well established. For this reason, graduate study programs in engineering often were modeled after graduate studies in science. Different schools have approached this problem-how much emphasis to put on theory as opposed to how much emphasis to put on practice-in different ways. Some schools have maintained the traditional research-oriented degree programs while other schools offer programs more closely related to actual engineering practice, and some stress a professional orientation in their advanced study programs.
In most cases the course of studies leading to the master's degree generally consists of a broad civil engineering program taken during one additional year of study, or a concentration of courses in one specific specialization within the general field of civil engineering. In other words, some schools have stressed one additional year of general preparation for civil engineering, while others have used an additional year to focus the student's studies into one area of specialization. Many schools require that the student write a thesis to obtain the Master of Science degree. This thesis must be based upon an original investigation of a problem which can be either theoretical or practical in nature. Some universities will permit the students to substitute additional course work in place of the thesis. In general, most graduate programs are quite flexible and allow the student to select a required number of courses from a diversified group of offerings. Each student works with an advisor and a committee to tailor the selection of courses to her or his particular needs and choice of career specialization. In contrast to the master's degree programs, the course of studies followed for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must include the preparation of a written thesis based upon an original research project. The course work involved in the Ph.D. program is similar to that taken for the master's degree, except that the level of study is much more detailed and intense. Additionally, the course work for the doctoral degree usually contains a significant emphasis on research. The preparation for the Ph.D. is designed to prepare the student to become an engineering educator as well as an engineering practitioner. It is virtually impossible to obtain a position as a full-time, permanent faculty member in any engineering school in the United States without a Ph.D. degree or an equivalent degree. That is not to say that all students who obtain Ph.D. degrees go into teaching. A significant proportion of Ph.D. graduates enter practice but concentrate on professional activities requiring a strong background in research.
