Candidates for the MEng degree must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of course work and a report on a significant aspect of engineering in the area of specialization. The subject of the report must be approved by the GAU at least six months before the encaenia or convocation at which the candidate expects to receive the degree.

The report must be based upon work done by the student under the supervision of a faculty member. The student is permitted to carry out this work at the place of employment provided that supervision is maintained by a faculty member. At least 60 per cent of the approved course work must be in the area of specialization. The MEng has no residency requirement, but the minimum time requirement is one calendar year. Students must have a BScE in civil engineering or a related engineering degree to enter this program.

Because of the requirement of the completion of a report under the supervision of a faculty member, the MEng degree is considered to be a research-based degree as defined by the School of Graduate Studies. Financial assistance is not provided for this program.

The MScE degree is a research-oriented degree for which a thesis is a major requirement. The subject of the thesis must be approved by the GAU concerned at least six months before the encaenia or convocation at which the candidate expects to receive the degree. The master's thesis must demonstrate the candidate's competence to undertake independent research work. It must make a contribution to knowledge in the candidate's field of study. The thesis must show that the candidate is fully aware of the pertinent published material and it must be written in a satisfactory literary style. It should be free from typographical and other mechanical errors.

The program requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of course work (see calendar for credit hour allocation) and a minimum residency requirement of one academic year. At least 60 per cent of the approved course work must be in the area of specialization. Each student, in conference with a faculty advisor, selects courses suited to the appropriate area(s) of specialization. Students whose undergraduate degree is in a field other than the intended graduate program may be required to take additional courses as background material or as prerequisites. Students are encouraged to take suitable courses in mathematics and other relevant fields of engineering when possible.

The minimum time required for completion of the requirements for the master's degree shall be one calendar year of which the equivalent of one academic year must be spent in residence. Only full-time graduate students (with not more than three hours per week of teaching assistantship duties) are eligible to complete the requirements for the degree in this minimum time.

The PhD degree is a research degree for which a thesis on original and significant research in the field of civil engineering is a major requirement. Candidates are normally required to have a graduate degree in engineering or applied science. To qualify for the PhD degree, a student must maintain a superior grade point average and obtain a passing grade on a Comprehensive Examination administered within the first 12 months. Acceptability and suitability are determined by the candidate's PhD comprehensive examination committee.

A PhD candidate is normally required to take a minimum of 12 credit hours of approved course work. For candidates who have obtained a MScE degree from the GAU of civil engineering at UNB and who during that degree obtained more than the minimum 15 credit hours, consideration may be given to transferring credits toward the PhD degree requirements. Such transfer of credit hours will only be made with the approval of the candidate’s supervisor(s), the Director of Graduate Studies, and the School of Graduate Studies.

The residency requirement for a student with a relevant bachelor's degree, is a minimum of eight terms, six of which must be during the Fall and Winter terms. For a student with a relevant master's degree, the minimum residency requirement is five terms, four of which must be during the Fall and Winter terms.

Students who initially enroll in the MScE degree program, but later proceed to the PhD degree program without completion of the Master’s degree, will be required to complete at least 27 credit hours of course work. The comprehensive examination for students who transfer into the PhD program will normally be administered at the end of the first term as a PhD candidate.