Environmental engineers develop creative solutions to globally relevant challenges like safe drinking water, hazardous waste treatment, the fate and transport of environmental pollutants, and climate change. Traditionally taught as a branch of civil engineering, the field has recently expanded to include many new areas such the design of systems for remediation of sites contaminated with hazardous wastes. The field continues to grow into new directions such as sustainability and green engineering.

The Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Engineering degree begins by introducing students to the scientific foundations that are the basis of all engineering disciplines. Specialized environmental-focused courses follow, providing depth in many related issues, including microbiology, ecology, toxicology, physiochemistry, and more. In addition to environmental engineering courses, students can draw upon technical elective courses in other disciplines to develop the skills appropriate for their career objectives. In the senior year, students participate in an engineering design project, often working directly with industry partners to contribute to a current commercial application.

The Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Concentrations

Currently, no concentrations are offered for the Environmental Engineering undergraduate program.

Minors

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The environmental engineering program introduces students to cutting-edge research in state-of-the-art facilities and offers opportunities to work with several local government agencies. In doing so, it provides a broad-based education that prepares students in the technical and social fundamentals that will enable them to have a wide impact in the improvement of interactions between humans and their environment.

To achieve its mission, the environmental engineering program has established the following program educational objectives:

• Graduates of our program will be recognized as being among “the best in the business” by their peers by leveraging their strong technical basis to continuously increase their skills and knowledge in their area of expertise and will develop the qualifications for licensure

• Graduates of the program will have a positive impact on their workplace through multidisciplinary collaboration, teamwork, communication skills, and leadership

• Graduates of our program effectively navigate important contextual factors in their careers, including the historical, regulatory, political, policy, economic, ethical, and public relations aspects of sustainability and environmental issues.

Many graduates pursue advanced study in civil engineering, systems engineering, consulting, business, law, and other fields.

Student Outcomes

By the time of graduation, students majoring in environmental engineering will have the ability to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences

4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.