Master of Science in Transportation Planning and Engineering
The MS program has a strong foundation in traffic engineering, transportation planning, transportation economics, public transportation systems and intelligent transportation systems. Students are exposed to a learning atmosphere that provides a meaningful combination of theoretical and practical approaches. Courses include a mix of presentations, workshop and project exercises, and practical problem solutions.
The program focuses on (1) material suited to the issues and projects students will face on the job, so that they are immediately productive; (2) material packaged by the course so that each course provides specific skills and knowledge, enabling the student to be immediately productive; (3) project-based learning in multiple courses, as an underlying approach to teaching the courses and the program; (4) modern tools integrated into the courses, including, but not limited to: Synchro and SIM-Traffic and other simulation programs, HCS+, AutoCAD templates for intersection design, and data collection and processing software; (5) design problems taught through a project/case studies approach; (6) statistics integrated into courses, with moderately advanced skills in Excel and Word expected in all courses (but not explicitly taught).
The program includes a strong focus on the rapidly emerging field of intelligent transportation systems. This field applies telecommunications and information technology to solving a variety of transportation functions, from route guidance systems to automated toll collection systems to the automated highway.
Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the MS in Transportation Planning and Engineering is to prepare transportation professionals to plan, functionally design, control and operate facilities, systems and services that satisfy the demand for passenger and freight transportation. Specific objectives of the program are to provide the skills necessary to:
- Fundamentally understand the nature and generation of transportation demands;
- Understand the political, policy and economic forces that affect transportation demands and the public framework in which they are addressed;
- Functionally design transportation systems and components;
- Control and operate traffic and other transportation facilities; and
- Apply information technologies to intelligent transportation systems.
Note:
MS students in the Transportation Planning and Engineering program may take 3 credits of free electives from any graduate course offering at Polytechnic, assuming that the student has the necessary prerequisites. Adviser approval is required for all elective selections.
