1. Energy, Civil Infrastructure and Climate
  2. Graduate Requirements

Graduate Requirements

Prerequisites

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or recognized equivalent
  • 1 year of college-level calculus
  • 1 semester of probability and statistics
  • 1 semester of elementary linear algebra
  • 1 year of college-level physical science (e.g., Physics 7A & 7B)
  • 1 course in thermodynamics or energy conversion (can be taken as part of graduate study). Example courses in thermodynamics and energy conversion at Berkeley include:
    • E 115 Engineering Thermodynamics
    • ME 40 Thermodynamics
    • ME 105 Thermodynamics and Biothermodynamics
    • ME 254 Thermodynamics
    • CHM ENG 141 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
    • ME 146 Energy Conversion Principles

Course descriptions

See Berkeley Academic Guide for all CEE course descriptions.

Berkeley Graduate Division's Degree Policy

All UC Berkeley graduate degree programs must conform to minimum requirements established by Graduate Division. See Degrees Policy.

Degrees

Master of Science:  Plan I

  • 20 units, with at least 12 units from CEE graduate courses
  • Three of CE 218A Air Quality Engineering, CE 256 Transportation Sustainability, CE 268E Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment, CE 295 Energy Systems and Control
  • At least 6 units from the 3 core areas: Environmental Science and Engineering; Civil Infrastructure; and Economics and Policy, but no more than 3 units in any one area
  • Up to two upper-division undergraduate courses (maximum 6 units) can be counted towards the 20 units. However, only one upper-division undergraduate course from the ECIC Core Areas course list can be counted towards the 6-unit requirement.
  • If a student takes the fourth course from the list of ECIC Required Courses, they can count it towards the 6 units needed from the Core-Course list, in any of the three areas.
  • Thesis required, with at least one adviser from the ECIC faculty
  • A maximum of 3 units of individual study and research (CE 299) with an ECIC faculty member may be counted toward the 20 units and the 12 units in the major
  • Two-thirds of all course work (and all Required Courses taken) must be letter-graded. This includes all courses taken in your graduate studies, not just the courses included on the Master’s Advancement to Candidacy form.

Master of Science:  Plan II

  • 24 units, with at least 12 units from CEE graduate courses
  • Three of CE 218A Air Quality Engineering, CE 256 Transportation Sustainability, CE 268E Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment, CE 295 Energy Systems and Control
  • At least 9 units from the 3 core areas, Environmental Science and Engineering; Civil Infrastructure; and Economics and Policy, but no more than 6 units in any one area
  • A maximum of 3 units of individual study and research (CE 299) with an ECIC faculty member may be counted toward the 24 units and the 12 units in the major. 
  • Up to three upper-division undergraduate courses (maximum 9 units) can be counted towards the 24 units. However, only one upper-division undergraduate course from the ECIC Core Areas course list can be counted towards the 9-unit requirement..
  • If a student takes the fourth course from the list of ECIC Required Courses, they can count it towards the 9 units needed from the Core-Course list, in any of the three areas.
  • Two-thirds of all course work (and all Required Courses taken) must be letter-graded. This includes all courses taken in your graduate studies, not just the courses included on the Master’s Advancement to Candidacy form.
  • You must pass the Comprehensive Examination, a 3-hour written exam administered at the end of the spring semester. You must answer 3 questions, each addressing material covered in the required ECIC courses. Reference materials (texts, reference books, notes) are not permitted. You will receive a grade of Pass or Not Pass. If you receive a grade of Not Pass, you may retake the exam once more in order to pass.

PhD

  • A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution or a recognized equivalent is required.  If you hold only a bachelor's degree, you must earn the master's degree while progressing towards the PhD.  A demonstrated superior level of academic achievement (minimum 3.5 GPA) in your graduate studies and support of a faculty research adviser are required to continue in the program.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and above 3.0 in the minor fields.
  • Three of CE 218A Air Quality Engineering, CE 256 Transportation Sustainability, CE 268E Civil Systems and the Environment, CE 295 Energy Systems and Control
  • At least 12 units from CEE graduate level courses
  • At least 15 units from the 3 core areas, Environmental Science and Engineering; Civil Infrastructure; and Economics and Policy, but no more than 6 units in any one area
  • If a student takes the fourth course from the list of ECIC Required Courses, they can count it towards the 15 units needed from the Core-Course list, in any of the three core areas.
  • Two minor fields, where only one can have CEE courses
  • Each minor constitutes at least 9 units of graduate or upper-division undergraduate courses. (At least 6 units must be from graduate courses)
  • You must have a graduate adviser to provide general academic guidance and to help with administrative matters, and a research adviser to supervise your dissertation research. Your research adviser must be identified before the Preliminary Examination.
  • At least 3 units of individual study and research (CE 299) must be completed with an ECIC faculty member before the Preliminary Examination.
  • Preliminary Examination - see department handbook for additional detail.
    • The Examination Committee is made up of 3 members of the ECIC program (one member can be from another program), one of whom is the research advisor. The Preliminary Examination has three parts. The Examination Committee faculty write one or more questions, and the student submits written answers to the provided question(s) after 3 days, a few days before the Preliminary Exam. The student sends the Committee a short research proposal a few days before the exam. The Preliminary Exam is a 2-hour long oral exam, focusing on the written answers, the proposed research, and the completed course work. The student is expected to give an approximately 10-minute presentation on the proposed research.
  • PhD Qualifying Examination - see department handbook for additional detail.
    •  The PhD qualifying examination is administered by a committee of 4 faculty members (at least two from CEE, one of whom must be from ECIC), with each minor subject represented by a faculty member, and with at least one member from outside of CEE. The research/thesis advisor may be a member of the committee. The student sends the committee their research proposal at least a week before the exam. The student is expected to give an approximately 20-minute presentation on the proposed research.