Environmental Engineering

Objectives of the Undergraduate Curriculum

While certain objectives of an undergraduate education in engineering are common to all programs, there are subtle but important differences depending upon the student’s chosen field. In this regard, the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s baccalaureate program in Environmental Engineering will:

• Prepare students to be involved global citizens with a broad appreciation of the key environmental issues and challenges of the 21st century.
• Provide students with a broad educational base, including a foundation in math, science, and engineering and exposure to the humanities and social sciences that will prepare them for life-long learning.
• Provide students with the technical background needed for the practice of environmental  engineering and to insure their competence and literacy in both problem identification and solving, including design. 
• Prepare students for professional engineering practice, including professional licensing, with awareness of the importance of personal and professional ethics.
• Prepare students to thrive in the modern workplace and the public forums of environmental engineering practice through the development of leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.

The Rensselaer bachelor’s program in environmental engineering builds upon a broad base of studies in chemistry, life sciences, and engineering sciences culminating in a uniquely structured course sequence. This sequence of courses, as shown below, is designed around the unit operations and transport processes concepts, together with integrated laboratory theory courses. It culminates in senior design courses. This structure presents a unified educational experience in environmental engineering. A minimum of 128 credit hours is required for this curriculum.