Graduate programs leading to M.Eng., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees are available in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Transportation Engineering. The selection of a graduate program and degree is based on student interest, the area of graduate concentration, and the satisfaction of prerequisites. This 30-credit research-oriented degree is open to students with undergraduate degrees in engineering or the physical or natural sciences. In addition to the satisfactory completion of an approved set of advanced courses, candidates for this degree must complete a six-credit thesis, which must provide documentation of an independent research-related effort and be approved by the student's faculty adviser.<br><br>Rensselaer's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering prepares students to provide for the world's constructed facilities and the infrastructure on which modern civilization depends.<br><br>Rensselaer civil and environmental engineers develop a full range of skills in design, analysis, fabrication, communication, management, and teamwork. Rensselaer's civil and environmental engineering students are broadly trained and able to deal with the latest technologies. The growing panoply of sensors, instrumentation, intelligent facilities, and new materials highlights the high-tech character of the discipline, creating new educational challenges and redefining the skill set that civil and environmental engineers need to succeed. Environmental Engineering at Rensselaer has roots that date back to the late 1800s, with a full degree program in Environmental Engineering introduced in the mid-1950s.