Program Overview
Environmental Engineering is one of the most consequential and interdisciplinary fields of the 21st century, sitting at the nexus of engineering science, ecological systems, public policy, and human health. It draws upon a broad and rigorous scientific foundation including biology, microbiology, hydrology, hydraulics, geology, chemistry, mathematics, ecology, and systems science to produce evidence-based engineering solutions that protect, restore, and sustain the health of natural and built environments alike.
New career paths require graduates who understand the science of climate change and who also possess the engineering and analytic tools to translate that understanding into scalable, high-impact solutions. The field’s mission centers on what leading institutions call “big engineering” innovations that begin at the local level but scale broadly to impact communities and ecosystems worldwide.
At its core, Environmental Engineering encompasses the principles of chemical engineering and civil engineering, while expanding into dedicated domains of practice including water and wastewater treatment, air quality management, solid and hazardous waste engineering, contaminated site remediation, and environmental impact assessment.
Mission and Educational Philosophy
The Environmental Engineering program emphasizes the application of fundamental principles to analyze complex environmental problems and devise effective solutions. With this education, graduates are able to deal effectively with new environmental issues as they emerge and meet the challenges created globally by increasing urbanization, population growth, and ecological degradation.
The program’s mission is to educate and equip current and future leaders in the field with the capabilities required to contribute meaningfully to solutions to the world’s pressing engineering and sustainability challenges.
The governing philosophy of the Environmental Engineering program is to ensure proficiency in core areas while also permitting each student to design a program of interest in close consultation with an academic advisor. The degree is kept flexible to foster interaction among students with different interests and to encourage the development of individual programs suitable for a broad range of engineering and science backgrounds and career goals.
What You Will Learn
The Master of Environmental Engineering equips graduates with the advanced competencies to tackle the most pressing environmental engineering challenges of our era. The program integrates rigorous coursework with applied research, laboratory investigation, and real-world project engagement.
Students will develop expertise in the following core areas:
Water Science and Engineering Treatment, recycling, and reuse of water and wastewater; groundwater hydrology; contaminant transport; aquatic chemistry and ecology.
Air Quality and Atmospheric Systems — Assessment and mitigation of air pollution at local, regional, and global scales; atmospheric modeling; regulatory compliance frameworks.
Waste Management and Site Remediation — Design of waste treatment systems; hazardous materials engineering; contaminated land assessment and clean-up technologies.
Environmental Policy and Governance — Public policy, decision analysis, and economics of infrastructure systems; ethics, equity, and environmental justice in the built and natural environments.
Sustainability and Systems Design — Sustainable and resilient design of energy systems, materials and structures, supply chains, and urban systems, with expertise in data science and computational modeling tools for improving the sustainability and resilience of next-generation societal-scale infrastructure systems.
Environmental Impact Assessment — Conducting regulatory, sustainability, environmental, social, and risk assessments to inform engineering design and public policy.
Learning Modality and Experiential Education
The program combines rigorous academic coursework with collaborative group work, laboratory investigation, and field-based learning. Students receive a deep understanding of environmental engineering fundamentals, coupled with hands-on research to engineer innovative ways to protect air, water, food security, and society’s resilience to climate change.
Annual design courses are integrated throughout the curriculum to ensure that students continuously apply their knowledge to engineering problems of increasing complexity — preparing them for professional practice from the earliest stages of their formation.
In advanced stages of the program, students collaborate with communities, municipalities, and institutional partners on essential projects, bridging theory and practice in ways that generate measurable environmental benefit. Students may additionally pursue internship placements, gaining full-time, compensated professional experience in diverse work environments and building a professional network prior to graduation.
Graduate Profile and Career Outcomes
Graduates enter some of the most influential positions in engineering, technology, consulting, and public service. The program’s emphasis on fundamental engineering skills, computational thinking, and systems-level problem-solving produces graduates who are highly valued across industries.
Graduates of the Master of Environmental Engineering are prepared for advanced professional practice and leadership roles across the following sectors:
Government and Regulatory Bodies — Environmental engineering practice at all levels of government; regulatory compliance; environmental agency leadership at local, national, and international levels.
Consulting and Private Sector — Environmental, engineering, and sustainability consulting; extractive industries; manufacturing; infrastructure development.
Sustainability Planning and Design — Climate adaptation and mitigation strategy; sustainable infrastructure design; green building systems; life-cycle assessment.
Environmental Policy and Advocacy — Evidence-based policy development and implementation; NGO and civil society leadership; international environmental governance.
Infrastructure and Information Systems — Design and management of water, waste, and energy infrastructure; environmental monitoring systems; smart city technologies.
Impact Assessment — Conducting and directing comprehensive impact assessments across regulatory, sustainability, environmental, social, and risk domains.
Career paths include biotechnology and sustainability firms, clean energy companies, environmental consulting, water resources engineering, policy institutions, agri-tech and climate-tech startups.