Online Education for Working Professionals
Gain comprehensive knowledge of timber structures from experts.

Structural Engineering: Timber Building Design—Graduate Certificate

Structural Engineering: Timber Building Design

Learn advanced design of timber structures.

The advent of mass timber and tall wood buildings has brought timber design back into the forefront of structural engineering and architecture. This comprehensive certificate allows you to consider how timber buildings are different from buildings constructed using other common civil structural materials. Study dimension lumber and mass timber. Design at the component and system levels. Analyze axially and flexurally loaded members, shear, bearing, and combined loading on members. Study connection design, shear walls and diaphragms, arches and tapered beams, modeling, and loading. Timber structural design is a historical strength of the department. Take advantage of this unique opportunity.

3 courses in 3 semesters.

Department Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
Admissions requirement Civil engineering, structural engineering, or related degree.
Contact Angela Keranen
Length 3 courses in 2-3 semesters
Effort 3 hours per credit per week
Each course 3 credits
Total credits 9
Course type Online or on-campus
Modality Watch class recordings on demand
Cost Based on credits and course type
Already enrolled? Speak with your advisor.

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Progress quickly with a compact curriculum.

Work with the program advisor to select courses that fit your interests and prerequisite skills.

Check your preparation.

Here are some of the pre-requisite courses for this certificate, depending on electives chosen. CEE 3710 or MA 3710 or equivalent may be required. Review the course descriptions for details.

Take 6 credits of required courses.

Take a 3 credit elective course.

The minimum completion time is three semesters.

Here is a typical schedule.

  Spring
  CEE 4233
Summer Fall
CEE 5241 CEE 5233

Interested in taking a single, online course? Enroll as a non-degree seeking student.

Upon completion of the certificate, students will be able to:

Design a range of wood structures subjected to gravity and lateral loads, including glulam and light-frame wood structures.

Michigan Tech was founded in 1885.

The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and widely respected by fast-paced industries, including automotive development, infrastructure, manufacturing, and aerospace. Michigan Tech graduates deliver on rapid innovation and front-line research, leaning into any challenge with confidence.

The College of Engineering fosters excellence in education and research.

We set out as the Michigan Mining School in 1885 to train mining engineers to better operate copper mines. Today, more than 60 percent of Michigan Tech students are enrolled in our 17 undergraduate and 29 graduate engineering programs across nine departments. Our students and curriculum embrace the spirit of hard work and fortitude our founders once had. Our online graduate courses are the same, robust classes taken by our doctorate and masters candidates, taught directly by highly regarded faculty, with outstanding support from staff. We invite working professionals to join these courses, bring their own experience and challenges as part of the discussion. Leverage the national reputation of Michigan Tech to advance your career in tech leadership.

Meet the online certified instructors.

Students have the flexibility to review class recordings later.

Qingli Dai

Qingli Dai

Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Teaching Statement

Dr. Dai teaches matrix structural analysis, advanced concrete materials, and finite element analysis.

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Yousef Darestani

Yousef Darestani

Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Teaching Statement

Dr. Darestani teaches courses in structural analysis and structural reliability.

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Daniel Dowden, PE, SE

Daniel Dowden, PE, SE

Assistant Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Teaching Statement

Dr. Dowden teaches courses in structural concrete design, prestressed concrete design, and advanced structural dynamics.

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Stephen Morse, PE

Stephen Morse, PE

Associate Teaching Professor, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

Teaching Statement

Dr. Morse teaches sustainability and civil engineering practice, loads for civil structures, and structural dynamics.

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R. Swartz, PE

R. Swartz, PE

Associate Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Teaching Statement

Dr. Swartz teaches on topics of steel design, structural timber design, continuous-system modeling, and advanced structural analysis.

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“Currently, mass timber expertise at MTU comprises a diverse team of 7 faculty members and 6 research staff.”Michigan Tech Global Campus
“Along with their durability, buildings created from mass timber materials are more sustainable and climate-friendly in several ways.”Michigan Tech Global Campus
“An ancient building material could be the wave of the future.”Cameryn Cass, Great Lakes Echo