The Graduate Program in Civil Engineering (Structures) started in 1970. The Program offers Master´s and Doctoral courses aiming the formation of academics, researchers, and high level professionals. The Graduate Program includes a vast field of studies, in basic areas as well as in more applied disciplines.

Among the Research Projects are: Concrete and Masonry Structures, Timber Structures, Steel Structures, Materials and Mechanics of Materials, Structural Mechanics and Numerical Methods. The Department has highly qualified professors, all with doctorates and a significant number of full professors.

The Department has the Structural Laboratory, Computational Mechanics Laboratory, Wood and Timber Structures Laboratory and Material Civil Construction Laboratory that are recognized nationally and internationally.  They have facilities, equipments, and human resources which allow the execution of research projects in the various fields. The Graduate Program in Civil Engineering (Structures) presents a level of excellence recognized by CAPES, having received this institution´s highest evaluation. It is worth mentioning that CAPES is the most important Federal research Agency in the country.