COURSE CURRICULUM

The HESE graduate program at CU Denver (Hydrologic, Environmental, and Sustainability Engineering) has a relatively standardized graduate structure for both Master of Science (MS) and Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees, while also offering a pathway into doctoral study for students seeking advanced research careers. At the master’s level, both the MS and MEng degrees require a total of 30 semester hours of graduate coursework, reflecting a balanced combination of technical depth and elective flexibility within civil and environmental engineering domains. A key distinction between the two degrees lies in the culminating requirement: MS students complete a master’s thesis involving 6 semester hours of research work, typically oriented toward academic or research-intensive careers, while MEng students complete a 3-semester-hour master’s report, which is more applied and professionally focused, emphasizing engineering practice, design solutions, or industry-based problem solving. This structure allows students to choose between a research-driven academic track or a practice-oriented professional track depending on whether they aim for PhD study or direct entry into industry and consulting roles. Beyond the core credit requirement, students follow individualized course planning using an HESE Course Planning Worksheet, which helps align coursework with one of the program’s three thematic areas—hydrologic engineering, environmental engineering, or sustainability engineering—while ensuring sufficient breadth and specialization. Doctoral-level study (PhD) is also available through the program, with personalized advising to design research-focused academic pathways in collaboration with faculty, typically involving advanced specialization in environmental systems, water resources, or sustainability engineering research topics. The program is designed to accommodate students from diverse academic backgrounds, and prerequisite courses may be completed either before or during graduate study, allowing for flexible entry while still ensuring technical readiness. Overall, HESE’s structure combines standardized graduate requirements with flexible specialization, making it suitable for both professional engineers and future researchers working in environmental and sustainability-focused fields.