Environmental Engineering Master's Degree Requirements

Program | Faculty | Master's | Doctoral | Courses

The Master of Science in Environmental Engineering is offered by the Environmental Engineering Program. This degree is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET). In addition to the general Graduate School requirements for the M.S. degree, a minimum of 31 graduate credits must be earned by all degree candidates. The number of courses that each student takes depends on his/her background, as explained below.

Students with Engineering Baccalaureate

Two options are available for students entering with an ABET accredited engineering baccalaureate: the Research option and the Professional Practice option. Students receiving financial aid must pursue the Research option. The Professional Practice option is designed to allow students to complete their degree in nine months, following a September admission. Core course requirements differ for the two options.

Core Courses

The core courses are intended to provide students with a basic technical foundation for selection of electives. For the Research option, the required courses are: CEE 671, CEE 672, CEE 770, and CEE 691 or CEE 692. For the Professional Practice option, the required courses are: CEE 671, CEE 672, CEE 679, CEE 680, and CEE 770. In addition, students choose electives from specified topical areas.

Engineering Design Courses

As a minimum, 10 graduate credits in engineering design must be earned. Design credits are obtained from the core courses (eight design credits) and from selecting elective courses containing two additional design credits.

Electives

Electives from the four specialty areas in the program can be taken according to the student's professional objectives. Students may also take electives from other departments; however, no more than nine graduate credits can be taken outside the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

Thesis/Project

For the Research option students must complete a Thesis (CEE 699, 6 credits) or a Master's Project (CEE 689, 6 credits).

Students with Non-Engineering Baccalaureate

The master's degree graduate credit requirements are the same as those spelled out above for students with Engineering Baccalaureate. In addition, to be awarded the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, the student must satisfy, through previous or present undergraduate and graduate work, the following requirements:

Mathematics (at least 16 credits beyond trigonometry)

The sequence of courses normally taken by students in the Program includes Math 131, Calculus I (4 credits); Math 132, Calculus II (4 credits); Math 133, Multivariable Calculus (3 credits); Math 431, Differential Equations (3 credits), and one additional mathematics or statistics course.

Basic Sciences (at least 16 credits)

Basic sciences are considered to include physics, chemistry, and selected subjects from the life sciences and earth sciences.

Engineering Science (at least 32 credits)

This requirement is satisfied by taking courses in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering or other departments of the College of Engineering. A list of courses containing Engineering Science credit are available from the student's adviser or Program Coordinator.

Engineering Design (at least 16 credits)

This requirement is satisfied in part by taking undergraduate courses in the environmental engineering area. However, the student may select undergraduate engineering design courses in other areas depending on his/her professional objectives.

A list of courses is available from the student's adviser or Program Coordinator. A Civil and Environmental Engineering Capstone Design course (CEE 469) is required as part of this 16 design credit requirement.

Humanities and Social Science (at least 16 credits)

This is usually satisfied from previous undergraduate work.