Environmental Engineering (BSEnvE)
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineers protect the natural environment and the health of people as influenced by the environment. The field began as a part of civil engineering by providing the water supply for municipalities but has grown to encompass a broad view of the interaction of humans with the environment. The environmental engineer applies principles from all of the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, geology, and biology) to understand the natural environment and to build systems that protect that environment. Areas of environmental engineering include air quality, water quality, water resources, and contaminant process engineering.
The environmental engineering student obtains a broad background in mathematics and all the sciences, along with their application to the several areas of environmental engineering. This flexible curriculum allows the student to elect 18 semester hours of approved technical coursework to emphasize the areas of environmental engineering of most interest to the student. In addition, courses in the humanities and social sciences are included.
To excel as an environmental engineer, a student should have an aptitude for mathematics and science, an abiding interest in protecting the natural environment and public health, and the motivation to study and prepare for environmental engineering practice. Environmental engineering graduates of the University may seek a wide variety of employment opportunities with private consulting firms, industry, and government agencies at the local, state, and national levels. Those who plan to pursue graduate work in engineering, or in other professions such as business, medicine, law, or journalism,have an excellent base on which to build.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the environmental engineering program should address environmental engineering problems within a greater societal context. They should:
- Exhibit character and decision-making skills embodying professionalism and ethical behavior
- Apply knowledge, strong reasoning, and quantitative skills to design and implement creative and sustainable solutions
- Engage in lifelong learning to meet evolving engineering challenges facing society
- Exhibit strong communication, critical thinking, interpersonal, and management skills as leaders and contributors in the environmental engineering profession
Portable Computing Devices
Students entering Environmental Engineering are required to have a laptop at their disposal. Laptops do not need to be brought to campus daily, but individual courses may require that a laptop be brought to class or lab sessions. For a list of minimum system requirements, see https://www.caee.utexas.edu/undergraduate/laptop-requirement.
Student Outcomes
Graduates of the environmental engineering program should attain the following outcomes:
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- An ability to 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
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- An ability to 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
- An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Total Hours Required: 125
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| EVE 103 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| CH 401 | Principles of Chemistry I | 4 |
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CH 402 | Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
| M 408D | Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| PHY 303K | Engineering Physics I | 3 |
| PHY 105M | Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | 1 |
| EVE 302 | Foundations of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| E M 306 | Statics | 3 |
| M 427J | Differential Equations with Linear Algebra | 4 |
| PHY 303L | Engineering Physics II | 3 |
| PHY 105N | Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | 1 |
| EVE 310 | Sustainable Systems Engineering | 3 |
| GOV 310L | American and Texas Government | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CH 328M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| C E 311K | Introduction to Computer Methods | 3 |
| C E 319F | Elementary Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| E S 333T | Engineering Communication | 3 |
| EVE 312 | Environmental Engineering and Science | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| M E 310T | Applied Thermodynamics | 3 |
| C E 311S | Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers | 3 |
| C E 356 | Elements of Hydraulic Engineering | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: EVE course | 3 | |
| GOV 312L | Issues and Policies in American Government | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| GEO 303 | Introduction to Geology | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: EVE course | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: EVE course | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| ARE 323K | Project Management and Economics | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: EVE course | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: EVE course | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Mathematics or Science Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Hours chosen from: EVE design course | 3 | |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 125 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| EVE 103 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| EVE 302 | Foundations of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| EVE 310 | Sustainable Systems Engineering | 3 |
| EVE 312 | Environmental Engineering and Science | 3 |
| Approved environmental engineering electives (see course lists) | 15 | |
| Approved environmental engineering design elective | 3 | |
| ARE 323K | Project Management and Economics | 3 |
| BIO 311C | Introductory Biology I | 3 |
| CH 401 | Principles of Chemistry I | 4 |
| CH 402 | Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
| CH 328M | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| C E 311K | Introduction to Computer Methods | 3 |
| C E 311S | Probability and Statistics for Civil Engineers | 3 |
| C E 319F | Elementary Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| C E 356 | Elements of Hydraulic Engineering | 3 |
| E M 306 | Statics | 3 |
| GEO 303 | Introduction to Geology | 3 |
| M 408C | Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| M 408D | Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| M 427J | Differential Equations with Linear Algebra | 4 |
| PHY 105M | Laboratory For Physics 302K, 303K, and 317K | 1 |
| PHY 105N | Laboratory For Physics 302L, 303L, and 317L | 1 |
| PHY 303K | Engineering Physics I | 3 |
| PHY 303L | Engineering Physics II | 3 |
| E S 333T | Engineering Communication | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Applied Thermodynamics | ||
| Thermodynamics | ||
| Physical Chemistry I | ||
| Approved mathematics or science elective | 3 | |
| Approved engineering electives | 6 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | ||
| Subtotal | 98 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 27 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 27 | |
| College Requirements - Engineering | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 125 | |
Additional Requirements and Policies
To ensure that courses used to fulfill the social and behavioral sciences and visual and performing arts requirements of the core curriculum also meet ABET criteria, students should follow the guidance given in ABET Criteria.
Math, science and engineering electives are chosen from a list of approved courses maintained in the undergraduate office.
Technical Electives
Technical electives in environmental engineering are listed in four areas of specialization below. Six semester credit hours must be selected from one of the technical areas along with an approved environmental engineering design elective. Approved environmental engineering design electives are chosen from a list of approved courses maintained in the undergraduate office. The remaining environmental engineering electives can be taken from any area or combination of areas. Courses not listed can be approved by the undergraduate advisor.
Area 1, Climate and Energy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARE 346N | Building Environmental Systems | 3 |
| ARE 346P | HVAC Design | 3 |
| ARE 370 | Design of Energy Efficient and Healthy Buildings | 3 |
| ARE 371 | Energy Simulation in Building Design | 3 |
| ARE 372 | Modeling of Air and Pollutant Flows in Buildings | 3 |
| ARE 377K | Topics in Architectural Engineering | 3 |
| C E 369L | Air Pollution Engineering | 3 |
| C E 369R | Indoor Air Quality | 3 |
| C E 370L | Climate Change Mitigation | 3 |
Area 2, Sustainable Water Systems
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C E 342 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering | 3 |
| C E 346 | Solid Waste Engineering and Management | 3 |
| EVE 350 | Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World | 3 |
Area 3, Water Resources and the Environment
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C E 374K | Hydrology | 3 |
| C E 357 | Geotechnical Engineering | 3 |
| C E 358 | Introductory Ocean Engineering | 3 |
| C E 374N | Topics in Natural Water Systems Engineering | 3 |
| C E 374U | Topics in Urban Water Systems Engineering | 3 |
Area 4, Contaminant Fate and Transport
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 319 | Transport Phenomena | 3 |
| C E 342 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering | 3 |
| CHE 322 | Thermodynamics | 3 |