Program Introduction
Transportation is a dynamic field: technological, economic, social, political and regulatory changes continually alter the environment in which transportation services are demanded and provided. The design, operation and effectiveness of transportation services are closely connected to other social and economic systems. Rapid changes in the transportation environment and the inter-relationships between transportation, urban systems, information services and production planning require transportation professionals to be well-trained in fundamental disciplines, to be able to adapt to change, and to have the vision and insight needed to implement creative options in a dynamic world.
The graduate programs in Transportation Systems Analysis and Planning in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department stress conceptual and quantitative approaches to the analysis of transportation and related systems. Our goal is to develop our students' analytic, quantitative and communication skills so that graduates are well prepared to face the exciting and challenging transportation environment of today and tomorrow. Our courses and research integrate theory, methods and applications. The strong quantitative focus of our program provides students with skills for analyzing all modes of transportation used for the movement of people and goods, within and between cities, under both public and private operation.
While our approach is rigorous and quantitative, it is not oriented exclusively toward students with engineering backgrounds. Transportation affects and is affected by major social and economic trends, and its problems are best addressed by professionals with broad backgrounds. Thus, we invite applications from quantitatively-oriented students with backgrounds in economics, management, industrial engineering, mathematics, political science, and related fields in addition to students in Civil Engineering.
