Faculty / Courses availible / Degree requirements / Course Descriptions / Sample curricula
Transportation engineers are involved with the planning, design, construction and operation of transportation systems, and deal with the relationships between a transportation system and its physical, social, and economic environment. UWM offers three graduate programs to individuals wishing to further specialize in transportation engineering or transportation planning. Those individuals concentrating on traffic engineering, transportation system design, and transportation planning should consider either an MS or PhD program in Engineering with specialization in Civil Engineering. Those individuals wanting a general urban planning program with a strong emphasis in transportation planning should consider the joint MUP/MS program.
The graduate programs in transportation engineering at UWM emphasize broad approaches to the solution of transportation problems. Graduate students are encouraged to expand their backgrounds with courses from other fields of Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Geography, Public Administration, and Economics. Each program is tailored to meet the needs of the student, accounting for career interests, previous experience, and education. Special efforts are made to meet the needs of students who are employed full time in the Milwaukee area by offering many courses in the late afternoon and evening hours.
Qualified students may be given financial aid in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantship, or fellowships. Many of the teaching and research assistantships provide health insurance and out-of-state tuition remission.
Recent graduate student projects and theses at UWM have spanned the breadth of transportation engineering, for example:
Many students perform their thesis work through the Center for Urban Transportation Studies (CUTS). The Center provides office space for students and serves as a focal point for much of the interdisciplinary transportation research done at UWM. The Center works closely with local, state and federal governmental agencies and private firms.
The following faculty and staff are directly involved in transportation programs at UWM.
Civil Engineering and Mechanics
Dr. Edward Beimborn, PE, Professor and Director, Center for Urban Transportation Studies. Transportation Engineering, Transportation Planning, Transit System Design, Transportation Facilities Design, e-mail: beimborn@csd.uwm.edu
Dr. Alan Horowitz, PE, AICP, Professor and Chair, Civil Engineering and Mechanics. Transportation Engineering, Transportation Planning, Travel Forecasting, Traffic Systems Optimization, Social and Environmental Impacts of Transportation, e-mail: horowitz@csd.uwm.edu
Dr. Hani Titi, PE, Assistant Professor, Pavement Design, Soil Mechanics, Engineering Materials e-mail: hanititi@csd.uwm.edu
Architecture and Urban Planning
Prof. Harvey Rabinowitz, Professor. Urban Land Development, Real Estate, Impacts of Transit e-mail: hzr@csd.uwm.edu
Dr. Zhong-ren Peng, Assocaite Professor. Intelligent Transportation Systems, Land Use, Geographic Information Systems, e-mail: zpeng@csd.uwm.edu
Dr. Micahel Greenwald Assistant Professor. Trasnportation and Land Use, Data Systems, Geographic Informations Systems, e-mail: mgreenwa@csd.uwm.edu
Prof. William Huxhold, Professor, Urban Planning. Geographic Information Systems, e-mail: hux@csd.uwm.edu
Prof Nancy Frank, Associate Professor and Chair Urban Planning. Policy analysis in environmental, health, and safety regulations. e-mail: frankn@csd.uwm.edu
Political Science Prof Rober Eger, Assistant Professor, Public Administration. Transportation finance, budget analysis, intermodal transporation. e-mail: reger@uwm.edu
A large number of courses are available at UWM with relevance to a study program in transportation engineering. Student may take selected courses outside the Civil Engineering and Mechanics Department with permission of their advisor/mentor and are encouraged to do so. The graduate level courses within the CE&M Department with content in transportation engineering are listed below. Descriptions of courses with constant content are given on page 4.
Here is a list the most important degree requirements for the three graduate programs for students specializing in transportation engineering. Consult the UWM graduate school bulletin information on graduate programs in engineering or for information on graduate programs in urban planning
MS in Engineering. There are two options: thesis and nonthesis. Most students specializing in transportation engineering choose the thesis option. The thesis option requires 24 credits, of which up to 3 credits may be granted for thesis work. At least twelve credits, excluding the thesis, must be earned in courses 700 level or higher. The nonthesis option requires 30 credits.
MUP/MS Program. The MUP/MS program requires a total of 54 credits, including credits for thesis work. Students must meet all requirements for the MUP degree (normally 48 credits) and the MS in Engineering degree (normally 24 credits with the the sis option).
PhD in Engineering. The PhD program requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's degree, of which up to 12 credits may be granted for dissertation work. A minimum of 32 credits, excluding dissertation and internship work, must be at th e 700 level or higher. A student must attain proficiency in a computer language, perform the research for and write a dissertation, and pass a qualifying examination, a comprehensive preliminary examination, and a final oral examination.
Students admitted to the MS program must meet Graduate School Requirements for admission and must have completed a bachelor degree in engineering, mathematics, or a physical science. Well-qualified students with degrees in the social sciences can be cons idered for admission to the MUP/MS program. Students should have an undergraduate grade average of 3.0 or higher, although a student may be admitted with a lower grade average when sufficient evidence is provided to demonstrate an ability to successfully complete the degree program.
Students admitted to the MUP/MS program must also meet admission requirements of the MUP program.
Admission to the PhD program requires a bachelor degree in engineering or computer science. Consult the Graduate School Bulletin for additional admission requirements.
Additional information about transportation engineering at UWM may be obtained by calling the Center for Urban Transportation Studies at 414-229-5787 or the Civil Engineering and Mechanics Department at 414-229-5422. The fax number for both offices is 41 4-229-6958. For further information about the MUP program, the Urban Planning Department may be reached at 414-229-5563.
Transportation Engineering (Civil Engineering 490) Technological and common elements of all modes of transportation; their effect on performance, demand, and outputs of a transportation system. Development of new transportation systems.
Environmental Impact Assessment (Civil Engineering 492) Study and evaluation of the impacts of large scale projects on the quality of the environment with emphasis on the assessment of physical and community impacts. Impact statement preparation.< p> Urban Transportation Planning (Civil Engineering 590) Techniques used to plan urban transportation systems; data collection, trip generation, trip distribution, factors underlying the choice of mode, traffic assignment, modeling and evaluation techniques.
Traffic Control (Civil Engineering 592) Control of transportation systems with emphasis on traffic engineering principles. Data collection, capacity analysis, traffic improvements, signalization, signs and markings, channelization, intersection, speeds and safety considerations.
Physical Planning and Municipal Engineering (Civil Engineering 594) Organization and structure of local government, zoning and planning, subdivision layout, street design, transit service, urban drainage, storm and sanitary sewer, water supply and other public works activities.
Transportation Facilities Design (Civil Engineering 596) Physical design of transportation facilities including geometric design, pavements, and terminals for highway, air and water transportation.
Transportation Systems Design (Civil Engineering 790) Principles of systems analysis as they relate to the planning, design and operation of transportation systems. Model building, evaluation, systems management.
Methods of Transportation Analysis (Civil Engineering 792) Mathematical tools useful in analysis of transportation systems. Process of modeling and simulation, matrix techniques, network analysis, statistical analysis, etc., as related to transportation. Use of standard packaged computer programs. Class projec t may be utilized to develop these skills.
Traffic Planning and Operations (Civil Engineering 794) Planning and design of traffic systems, delay and capacity of signalized intersections, freeway controls, traffic system management and optimization, queues, traffic assignment and simulation.
MS program for a student interested in a career as a municipal traffic engineer
MS program for a student interested in a career as a transportation planner