UW CEE’s Geotechnical Engineering Master’s Program provides a solid background in all traditional areas of geotechnical engineering and allows students to focus on areas of particular interest, including geotechnical earthquake engineering, landslide hazards, soil mechanics and foundation engineering.
Next start date
Autumn 2026
Priority deadline
December 15, 2025
Admissions
Autumn quarter only
FORMAT
On-campus
DURATION
PMP: ~9 months-2 years
Research: ~18 months-2 years
TOTAL CREDITS
42
Estimated tuition cost
- Professional Master’s Program (PMP) track:
- $754 per credit (2025-2026)
- Research track:
- Students on the research track receive full tuition as part of their financial award.
Curriculum
Faculty and research
Research track students conduct cutting-edge research with renowned faculty in a broad range of geotechnical engineering areas including, seismic site response, earthquake- and rainfall-induced landslide analysis, numerical modeling of flow slides and other large deformation problems, soil liquefaction, soil-structure interaction and partially saturated soils.
Explore Geotechnical ResearchCareer opportunities
People with advanced degrees in geotechnical engineering enjoy careers with consulting firms, major contractors, design firms and government agencies. Geotechnical engineering jobs tend to have a balance of analysis, design, subsurface investigation and construction monitoring that can allow time both in the field and in the office. Geotechnical engineers work closely with geologists, seismologists, structural engineers, and construction engineers in the design and construction of buildings, bridges, dams, pipelines and other critical elements of modern infrastructure.