The qualification path for every environmental engineer's career begins with a bachelor's degree and ends with a license granting the designation of professional engineer. According to the Association of Environmental Engineers & Science Professors, this baccalaureate in environmental engineering, or in a related engineering discipline such as civil engineering or a science, often precedes a master's degree in the environmental engineering specialty. The 70 programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering (ABE) expect graduates to gain proficiency in mathematics, science, engineering principles, technology and communication, plus a foundation in humanities, social sciences and their chosen specialty discipline.
Mathematics Credits
Environmental engineering students must master advanced mathematics, such as calculus, statistics, analytical geometry and differential equations. Louisiana State University (LSU) requires placement tests, noting that freshmen not qualified for advanced math courses will not be able to complete their degrees in an eight-semester sequence. LSU environmental engineering program demands 16 math credits, as do those at Stanford University and University of Illinois; Florida State University requires its environment engineering majors to take 19 math credits.
Science and Lab Requirements
Students hoping to become environmental engineers can expect to take chemistry and physics science courses with lab time, which all ABE-accredited degree programs must require. Students at programs similar to LSU's also need four credits in biology whereas those enrolled at other schools have to choose a biological science elective, such as geology, ecology oceanography.
Engineering Courses
Fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, hydraulics, engineering design and graphics, engineering mechanics and structural engineering count among the engineering science classes needed for a degree in environmental engineering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, students usually take these courses, along with math and science classes, during their first two years in order to fulfill degree requirements. Electives enable students to specialize in the environmental engineering field. Choices include wastewater treatment, transportation, solid and hazardous waste management, soil mechanics, environmental engineering processes, ground water and operations and pollution control.
General Education Classes
A "focus on humanities" provides the understanding needed to solve and address environmental problems through engineering, according to the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. Classes in English composition, social sciences, history, art and culture can be taken to satisfy general education requirements. The career website State University.com says technology classes give students an opportunity to gain much-needed familiarity with scientific software and computer-aided drawing.
Tags: environmental engineering, State University, degree environmental, degree environmental engineering, engineering science, math credits
