The Lyles School of Civil Engineering strives to provide its students with opportunities to gain the best possible education and to ensure they're prepared to make an immediate impact in the profession. With that in mind, the school has announced a new professional master's degree option: the Civil Engineering with Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Management (CE-LEM) concentration.

Designed for students who want to focus on a civil engineering career in industry or government, the professional master's concentration enables students to earn their graduate degrees in one year. Plus, students who earn the CE-LEM concentration will have the business knowledge to lead others in their field.

"We've developed this new concentration because we saw a growing need in both the public and private sectors for specialized, skilled civil engineers," says Dulcy Abraham, Professor of Civil Engineering and Chair of the Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Graduate Program. "We also saw a need to serve students who want to further their education but also want to start their careers as soon as possible."

Jim Rowings, Peter Kiewit and Sons Inc. vice president and Purdue Civil Engineering Advisory Council member says the new concentration will propel the school further forward as a leader in civil engineering education.

"There are plenty of professional civil engineers out there who would love to pursue a graduate degree, but with a focus on leadership, which is critical for many looking to move up in their careers," Rowings says. "Time is also a factor — and with this concentration allowing students to earn their degree in as soon as one year — it also will be an attractive option for employers who would like their engineers to expand their skillsets."

The CE-LEM option incorporates professional skills and managerial competencies. Instruction is primarily residential. Up to 25 percent of the credits may be completed online. At present, students can earn the CE-LEM concentration in these civil engineering specialty areas:

• architectural engineering
• construction engineering
• environmental engineering
• geomatics engineering
• geotechnical engineering
• hydraulic and hydrologic engineering
• materials engineering
• transportation and infrastructure systems engineering

The CE-LEM concentration includes three components: core courses in management, entrepreneurship and leadership; professional development seminars; and course options based on the area of specialization.

Rao "G.S." Govindaraju, Bowen Engineering Head of Civil Engineering and Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Professor of Civil Engineering, says the school's newest concentration is yet another example of how Purdue Civil Engineering continually strives to change and improve with the times.

"In addition to ensuring we provide the very best civil engineering education, we are cognizant that our students must be prepared to face the ever-changing professional landscape," he says. "As the world and civil engineering change, we must adapt as well."

Additionally, students pursuing this concentration are eligible to apply to the recently approved concurrent MS-MBA program, offered jointly by the College of Engineering and Krannert School of Management at Purdue. The program allows students to receive both their MSCE and an MBA in just two years.

For more information, contact Burke Graduate Program Administrator Jenny Ricksy at jricksy@ purdue.edu or at 765-494-2436.