Civil Engineering and Environmental Science
Graduate Admission FAQs
1. Anticipated Application Decisions:
FALL APPLICATIONS - 15 February (applications submitted by 15 January), 15 March (applications submitted by 28 February), 15 April (final day to submit admission recommendation for international applicants and unsolicited applications).
SPRING APPLICATIONS - 15 September (applications submitted before 31 August), 15 October (applications submitted by 30 September), 15 November (final day to submit admission recommendation for international applicants and unsolicited applications).
2. What is the procedure for a graduate student at another university who wants to transfer to the University of Oklahoma?
There are no automatic "transfers" into our graduate programs. All prospective students must apply to the Graduate College, supply the required materials, and go through the full review process. Application review can take a few months as CEES faculty members individually review applications. Please refer to the Graduate Bulletin for more information regarding transfer credit.
3. Can someone in CEES tell me whether I am admissible before I go through the expense and trouble of applying?
The only definitive way to know whether you are admissible is to apply. A sound judgment cannot be made without all required credentials submitted and review by the Graduate Studies Committee.
4. Is there any opportunity to waive my application fee?
No, CEES does not provide application fee waivers. Prospective students being recruited by CEES faculty can discuss any hardship with paying application fee with that specific faculty member.
5. Does the department provide central funding (as Graduate Research Assistantship or Graduate Teaching Assistantship)?
The department does not provide central funding for GA positions.
6. How do I obtain funding?
All applicants are considered for funded positions during admissions review. Please contact CEES faculty members directly regarding graduate research opportunities. You may hear back from the faculty member if they have an interest in supporting you, or they may wait to review your application until received from the Graduate College.
7. Is there a priority application deadline for this program?
Applications received by the initial screening deadline have more opportunities for funding as positions may fill up before later applications are reviewed.
8. Am I still eligible to be considered for funding if I apply after the initial deadline?
If you submit your application after the initial screening deadline, yes you will still be considered for funding if still available. However, applications submitted before the deadline are given priority considerations.
9. Must I submit an official transcript and test scores after the administrative decision?
The OU Graduate College will share applications with unofficial English proficiency scores and unofficial transcripts for schools to review. If you are admitted, a final admission decision will not be processed until official scores are received.
10. Does CEES require GRE scores?
Official GRE scores are optional and not required for admission, but they may be required by some potential faculty sponsors to be considered for a graduate assistantship.
11. Will you waive any entrance requirements?
CEES has no authority to waive basic University requirements (such as the GPA minimum and TOEFL scores), and the University does not waive their requirements.
12. Must I have a bachelor’s degree to be admitted to your graduate program?
You must have (or are about to be granted) the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree to be admitted to a graduate program at the University of Oklahoma. A bachelor’s degree in a related discipline is typically required for admission to all CEES MS degree programs, although students who have outstanding academic credentials at the undergraduate level may occasionally be conditionally admitted. Most conditional admissions have eighteen or fewer coursework deficiencies to complete. If you have more, it would be suggested to take some core undergraduate courses as a non-degree seeking student and reapply once those courses are completed. You can compare your bachelor’s degree to CEES bachelor’s degree requirements here.
In addition, a master’s degree in a related discipline is typically required for admission to all CEES PhD degree programs, although students who have outstanding academic credentials and a documented record of research experience at the undergraduate level may occasionally be admitted to the doctoral program without a master’s degree.
13. Is it possible to recieve a Doctorate degree from a Bachelors degree?
Although OU has a policy that allows for direct admission into a Ph.D. program, the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science strongly advises you to first enroll as an MS degree student. After you have begun the MS degree program, it is possible to switch to the Ph.D. program with permission from the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, if such a track is deemed to be optimal for you.
14. What should my Statement of Purpose include?
CEES suggests your Statement of Purpose describe why you are interested in studying at OU, what interests you about the program you are applying to, highlight your previous research experience and what you plan to do with the degree. You may also mention any faculty you have specific interest in working with or having as an advisor.
15. Am I required to submit recommendation letters?
Recommendation letters are required as part of the application review process. The review committee relies on these recommendations as another professional observation of an applicant’s ability to successfully complete an advanced degree.
16. Will work experience count as the background needed for admission to a CEES engineering graduate program?
While work experience may be considered in cases where conditional admission is an option (e.g. an applicant has a GPA slightly below 3.0), for the CEES traditional graduate programs, full admission is based on academic merit and not work experience. However, work experience may also be of benefit later (such as, when competing for graduate assistantships).
17. When will I receive a decision on my application?
The CEES Graduate Studies Committee aims to have fall admission decisions by mid-April and spring admission decision by mid-November. You will receive an email from the OU Graduate College when a decision is made.
18. How can I change my start term after I have submitted my application?
Applicants and newly admitted students can request to defer their admission to a different term then the one they initially applied to. The Term Change Request form can be accessed by the applicant logging in the Application portal or if they are an admitted student, accessing the New Student Welcome portal. Once the graduate admissions counselor receives a Term Change Request form, they will contact the academic unit for approval. Term changes are subject to approval of the Graduate College and the graduate program.
19. I have not received any communication from OU in a long time. Is there a problem with my application?
You will not necessarily receive confirmation of each step and each document received along the way. OU does not have an online system for applicants to check their own progress in the system. The University receives thousands of applications, but it is quite rare for any office to lose documents. If critical documents are missing, you will receive a notice; otherwise, you may usually assume that your application is moving along if all required materials have been sent.
20. Are there any mental health resources available to me?
Please visit https://www.ou.edu/ucc/counselingservices to see all counseling services available to you. See all resources available to you at https://www.ou.edu/gradcollege/student-life/resources.
