Master of Science in Architectural Engineering
The Master of Science in Architectural Engineering is a research and thesis-based graduate degree program oriented toward students who wish to develop more knowledge about the design, construction, and operation of buildings and their systems, including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, facades and enclosures, and electrical, lighting, fire protection, and plumbing systems. The degree program is intended for preparation for both engineering practice and research rooted in the principles of building science, indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Students are expected to conduct research at a rigorous level beyond the coursework-only Master of Engineering in Architectural Engineering degree program. The program also serves as a foundation for students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree.
Students with a variety of academic backgrounds are eligible to apply for the program, including those with undergraduate degrees in engineering disciplines (e.g., architectural, civil, mechanical, or environmental engineering) and non-engineering disciplines (e.g., architecture, construction management, or environmental design). All admitted students are expected to have passed thermodynamics and fluid mechanics in their undergraduate studies. If students have not passed these courses, they may be required to take proficiency courses in their first year of study or in the summer before their first year of study. Each applicant will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis during the application review process to determine any proficiency course requirements.
Students in the program must complete a minimum of 32 credit hours in total, with 6 to 8 hours of thesis credits (CAE 591) awarded for successful completion of master’s thesis milestones. Up to 12 credit hours of 400-level undergraduate coursework may be included in the program with adviser approval.
Curriculum
Degree candidates in the master of science program must complete a minimum of 32 credit hours, six to eight of which must be research and thesis credits. Up to 12 credit hours of 400-level undergraduate coursework may be included in the program with prior adviser approval. An oral defense of the thesis constitutes the comprehensive examination, and no additional written comprehensive examination is required.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | (6) | |
| CAE 513 | Building Science 1 | 3 |
| CAE 526 | Energy Conservation in Buildings 2 | 3 |
| or CAE 465 | Energy Conservation in Buildings | |
| Statistics/Data Analysis Requirement | (3) | |
| CAE 523 | Statistical Analysis of Engineering Data | 3 |
| or MATH 474 | Probability and Statistics | |
| or MATH 564 | Regression | |
| or MMAE 500 | Data Driven Modeling | |
| or BME 533 | Biostatistics | |
| or STAT 514 | Applied Computational Statistics for Analytics | |
| Thesis Research | (6-8) | |
| CAE 591 | Research and Thesis for M.S. Degree | 6-8 |
| Architectural Engineering Elective Courses | (12) | |
| Select a minimum of 12 credit hours from the followiing: | 12 | |
| Plumbing and Fire Protection Design | 3 | |
| Building Electrical/Lighting Systems Design | 3 | |
| Lighting Systems Design | 3 | |
| Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics in Engineering 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 405 | Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics in Engineering | |
| Building Envelope Rehabilitation | 3 | |
| Building Energy Modeling | 3 | |
or CAE 474 | Introduction to Building Information Modeling | |
| HVAC Systems Design 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 464 | HVAC Systems Design | |
| Structural Forensic Engineering | 3 | |
| Building Enclosure Design 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 463 | Building Enclosure Design | |
| Control of Building Environmental Systems 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 438 | Control of Building Environmental Systems | |
| Applied Building Energy Modeling | 3 | |
| Introduction to Sustainable Building Design | 3 | |
or CAE 462 | Introduction to Sustainable Building Design | |
| Measurement and Instrumentation in Architectural Engineering | 3 | |
| Building Commissioning 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 454 | Building Commissioning | |
| Net Zero Energy Building Design I | 3 | |
| Net Zero Energy Building Design II | 3 | |
| Construction Methods, Cost Estimating, and Project Budgeting 2 | 3 | |
or CAE 470 | Construction Methods and Cost Estimating | |
| Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety 2 | 3 | |
or ENVE 403 | Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety | |
| Global Environmental Change and Sustainability Analysis | 3 | |
or ENVE 422 | Global Environmental Change and Sustainability Analysis | |
| Indoor Air Pollution | 3 | |
| Computational Fluid Dynamics | 3 | |
| General Elective Courses | (3-5) | |
| Select up to five credit hours of general electives 3 | 3-5 | |
Minimum degree credits required: 32
- 1
Students who have previously passed an equivalent course in their prior degree programs may substitute another course for CAE 513 with adviser approval.
- 2
Up to 9-hours of 400-level courses can be applied to the program. For courses that are cross-listed with both graduate and undergraduate sections, students in the program should prioritize taking the graduate (500-level) section. Accelerated master's students can take either section that best fits their plan of study.
- 3
General electives can be taken in CAE, ENVE, ARCH, CHE, CHEM, EG, MMAE, SAM or other disciplines with advisor approval. If 6 hours of thesis credits (591) are taken, then a total of 5 hours of general elective coursework is required; if 8 hours of thesis credits (591) are taken, then a total of 3 hours of general elective coursework is required.
