Prof. Toole’s University and Career FAQs
This document provides unofficial and from-the-hip answers to the following
questions (scroll down or Control+left click on the link).
How important is getting a P.E.?
Should I pursue my masters on a full- or part-time basis?
When should I go to grad school?
What are my chances of getting financial assistance for my masters?
What graduate degree should I pursue?
How can I maximize my chances of getting accepted and funding?
How does Bucknell’s 3-2 Program work and when should I apply?
Are there special instructions for a Bucknell 3-2 program involving construction
research?
How important is it that I have an internship in civil and environmental engineering?
What special experiences should I pursue at Bucknell?
How can I line up research with a professor?
How do I know if construction management is for me?
What should I do if I am interested in architecture?
How important is getting a P.E.?
Obtaining professional licensure is extremely beneficial for all Civil &
Environmental Engineering (CEE) graduates, even those who do not intend to spend
their entire career in CEE. Having a P.E. as soon as possible is critical to
professional advancement for consulting engineers and other CEEs performing
design. Having a P.E. is highly desirable for CEEs working in construction or
development because it sets you apart from non-licensed peers in the eyes of
employers and clients. In short, obtaining your P.E. will give you a credential that
will open doors and boost your earnings potential.
Every Bucknell CEE student should take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)
exam during their junior or senior year, regardless if they intend to pursue a
career in CEE or not. Proper preparation for this exam is essential. CEE graduates
going into construction should discuss their desire to obtain a P.E. with prospective
employers in order to ensure their first few years of experience will qualify them
to sit for the P.E. exam.
Should I pursue my masters on a full- or part-time basis?
Full-time graduate school is generally preferable in terms of the quality of the
education you will receive, how much you will enjoy the program, and how quickly
you will receive the degree. (Completing a masters through evening courses
generally takes three or more years of trying to squeeze in a course on top of a
busy job, while full-time programs are typically completed in 18-24 months.)
Engineering students with strong applications often have their tuition waived and
receive a modest living stipend for living expenses.
But not everybody can afford to give up a full-time job salary to study full-time.
Also, students with weak applications may be required to pay all or part of their
tuition costs. In this case, it makes sense to take courses on a part-time basis.
Most companies will reimburse full-time employees for the tuition costs of evening
courses. (Some companies require you to get the course approved before you take
it and/or earn at least a B.)
When should I go to grad school?
(Note: This paragraph does not apply to Bucknell’s 3-2 program. See advice on
this program below.)
Having two or more years of work experience will strengthen your application
(which may increase your chances of getting into a better school and/or getting
funding) and allow you to get more out of school. However, some people find it
much more difficult to go back to school several years after they earn their B.S.
because their employer makes it too financially attractive to stay in their current
position, marriage and kids come along, etc. So go work for a few years unless you
think you will end up never going back to school, in which case go now. Not knowing
what type of job you want or which subdiscipline of civil engineering most interests
you are NOT good reasons to go to grad school right away.
What are my chances of getting financial assistance for my masters?
Your chances depend mostly on which degree you pursue and the strength of your
application. Regarding the degree, getting part or all of tuition paid for an MBA or
a one-year M.S. program is highly unlikely. Getting a break on tuition and perhaps
even a stipend for living expenses is more likely for a thesis M.S. program,
especially if the school is not an Ivy League school. If you choose a thesis M.S.
program (which typically takes two years), your chances of getting funding depend
on your GPA (above 3.5 is good), your GRE scores, whether you have been involved
with faculty research as an undergraduate, and perhaps your work experience.
Your chances of getting funding for a Masters will be much higher if you indicate
you intend to stay on for a Ph.D.
If you are not awarded a research or teaching assistantship as part of being
accepted into the masters program, don’t give up. Student loans are generally
available. Students with good work habits and strong communication skills can
often line up some sort of assistantship after being on campus for a semester.
What graduate degree should I pursue?
For most civil and environmental engineers, the choice is whether to pursue a M.S.
in civil engineering or construction management or to pursue an MBA. If you are
interested in consulting engineering/engineering design, an M.S. in CEE is a good
idea. If you are interested in construction engineering and management, either an
M.S. in Construction Management or an MBA is the way to go. Most construction
management employers will value either degree. MSCM degrees provide important
skills for early- and mid-career advancement. An MBA provides important skills
for mid- and late-career advancement (i.e., working up to being a Vice President
and above). As noted above, securing some sort of financial assistantship while
pursuing an MBA is very rare, but student loans are always an option.
How can I maximize my chances of getting accepted and funding?
Get good grades (3.4 and higher) throughout your undergraduate years and
especially during the junior year, do well on the GREs by studying for them, do
research with a faculty member while an undergrad (see below), draft a good essay
and have it reviewed by the Writing Center and a faculty member or two, and ask
faculty whom you have impressed to write you letters of recommendation. Letters
from senior CEE faculty are preferable to letters from untenured or nonengineering faculty.
How does Bucknell’s 3-2 Program work and when should I apply?
The 3-2 program within the College of Engineering is a special program that allows
a few current students to earn a masters degree after only one additional year of
coursework and a satisfactory thesis. You should start the process early in your
junior year by speaking with the CEE Graduate School representative (currently
Prof. DiStefano) and picking up an application at Graduate School office in Marts
Hall. You will need to submit an essay and arrange for letters of recommendation
from at least two professors. One of these letters will be from a faculty member
with whom you have spoken about supervising your research. Your completed
application must be received at the Graduate School office by March 1 of your
junior year. You should hear whether your application is accepted over the
summer.
Students who are accepted into the 3-2 program need to complete a graduate
schedule of courses that identifies the six courses that will be taken for graduate
credit. Many upper level CEE courses can be taken for graduate credit if arranged
with the instructor before the semester starts. 3-2 students take some graduate
classes during the senior year and the remaining required graduate and
undergraduate courses during their fifth year on campus. During this fifth year,
the student will not have to pay for tuition but will be expected to provide the
department with approximately 10 hours per week of grading or lab assistance.
Unlike regular (two-year) masters students, 3-2 students do not receive a stipend
for living expenses. Fourth year students who have completed nearly all of the
required 34 undergraduate credits are typically allowed to participate in
Commencement with their classmates but do not actually receive their BSCE
diploma.
The 3-2 program is definitely not for everyone. Bucknell may not offer enough
graduate courses in your area of interest. Most importantly, completing a masters
thesis after only one additional year of study (beyond the normal four years)
requires tremendous initiative and discipline. It is highly likely that completing the
masters thesis within one year will require full-time research during both the
summers before and after the fifth year. Students who leave campus to start a
job before completing their thesis often struggle to finish their thesis.
Are there special instructions for a Bucknell 3-2 program involving construction
research?
The preceding paragraphs apply to all areas of civil & environmental engineering.
Pursuing a 3-2 masters with research in construction is particularly difficult for
two reasons. First, there is only one construction course offered at Bucknell.
Second, Prof. Toole’s research areas are in areas of construction that are not
covered in CENG 472 or CENG 490. Thus, construction masters students must
learn advanced construction topics through independent study and/or relevant
courses in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The steps below are typically required to be admitted to and succeed in the 3-2
masters program when your masters thesis will be related to construction.
1. Let Prof. Toole know by January 15 of your 3rd year that you may be interested
in staying for a masters at Bucknell and performing your masters thesis research
on a construction topic. You should already be registered to take CENG 472 during
the spring of your 3rd year.
2. Send your resume, unofficial transcript and draft 3-2 application essay to Prof.
Toole by February 1 of your 3rd year. He will write one of the two required letters
of recommendation and critique your essay. Arrange for another CEE professor to
write a second letter of recommendation.
3. Submit your 3-2 application to the Graduate Studies office by March 1 of your
3rd year.
4. Register for an independent study (CENG 479) to be taken during one of the
semesters of your 4th year. This study will include topics in construction
management, construction engineering, project management and/or social science
research methods, depending on your background and intended research topic.
5. Submit a proposal for a University undergraduate summer research grant by
Feb 1 of your 4th year. If this proposal is not funded, submit a proposal for
summer funding to the CEE Chiloro Fund by May 1 and present your proposed
summer research to the Chiloro Committee by the end of final exams. (These
grant programs provide $2500-$3000 stipends for your summer research. You will
be responsible for your own housing and food.)
7. Perform thesis research full-time during the summer between your 4th and 5th
years.
8. Take 3-4 courses during the fall of your 5th year, likely including 1-2 courses in
management or a social science that is relevant to your research.
9. Take 1-2 courses during the spring of your 5th year as well as register for 1.5
thesis credits.
10. Complete a masters thesis and pass an oral defense. Ideally, these would both
occur by May 15 of your 5th year, but many students require several additional
summer months after their 5th year. Do NOT make the mistake of accepting a job
and committing to start work before August 1 without first checking with Prof.
Toole.
How important is it that I have an internship in civil and environmental engineering?
Both to strengthen your resume and to help you choose a career, you should have
one summer internship each in design (i.e., a consulting engineering or an
engineering department in a government organization) and in construction (i.e., a
CM firm or a field position in a governmental organization). Doing research or
ILTM over the summer may be acceptable substitutes for one of these. Being a
lifeguard, waitress or working for your parent’s company is OK immediately after
your freshman year but not in subsequent summers.
What special experiences should I pursue at Bucknell?
Study abroad, participate in the Bucknell Brigade or a similar intense service
learning experience, consider applying to ILTM, consider performing research with
a faculty member.
How can I line up research with a professor?
All CEE faculty have active research projects (both during the academic year and
the summer) and generally need 1-3 students at a time to assist in the research.
Sometimes this research is part of an unpaid independent study for academic
credit. Other times the work is paid for by a grant and carries no credit. If you
are interested in such research, ask a professor who specializes in the area of CEE
you are interested in and who regards you as a disciplined student.
How do I know if construction management is for me?
People who do well in construction tend to be:
 People-oriented more than number crunching-oriented
 Serious multi-taskers
 Able to think on their feet
 Able to handle stress and conflict
 Willing to start working early and end late (i.e., don’t mind long days)
 Willing to relocate temporarily or to drive significant distances to jobsites
 Aware of the value of having people with different backgrounds and
technical specialties part of their team.
What should I do if I am interested in architecture?
Although CEE and architecture are related, your BSCE degree will not allow you to
become a registered architect simply by completing a one-or two year Masters of
Science in Architecture. To become a registered architect, you must receive a
Masters of Architecture, which typically requires three years due to its extensive
studio experience.
Students interested in a career in architecture should consider participating in the
study abroad program in Florence (Italy) during one semester of their junior year,
take several art history and art studios here at Bucknell, participate in a summer
internship with a firm that provides both architectural and engineering services
and take CENG 472. This will allow you to put together a solid application for a
graduate architectural program that includes a decent portfolio.
Architecturally-oriented CEE students should also consider a career in
architectural engineering, which overlaps much more with architecture than does
CEE. This career path would require a M.S. in Architectural Engineering from Penn
State or other schools that offer a AE program.