Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineering focuses on developing sustainable solutions to protect human health and the natural environment. It combines science, mathematics, and engineering to design and operate systems that address water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment and management, air pollution control, pollutant transport in the environment, solid and hazardous wastes, renewable energy, and climate change. Through innovative design and responsible resource management, environmental engineers play a vital role in promoting a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable world.

Environmental Engineering at Penn State

Undergraduate students enrolled in the Civil Engineering major at Penn State can develop an area of specialization in Environmental Engineering by choosing relevant elective courses (a list is provided below) along with CE 472: Environmental Engineering Capstone Design. Additionally, students can pursue a minor in Environmental Engineering. This specialization in Environmental Engineering prepares students to address complex environmental challenges by integrating scientific knowledge with innovative engineering solutions. Students develop a strong foundation in areas such as water and wastewater treatment, environmental sustainability, hydrology, and pollution prevention. Emphasis is placed on designing and managing systems that protect public health and the environment, while meeting regulatory standards.

The Environmental Engineering program within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State opens pathways to impactful and rewarding careers in one of the most vital and rapidly growing sectors globally. Students gain fundamental knowledge and insights about advanced environmental technologies used by professionals in the field. The program offers numerous opportunities to engage with environmental agencies, consulting firms, and industry stakeholders through internships, research projects, and community outreach initiatives. Students acquire knowledge and skills to address real-world environmental challenges such as water quality, air pollution, and sustainable resource management, while contributing to the health of ecosystems and communities. In addition to traditional environmental engineering competencies, students also gain experience with modern tools such as data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, which are becoming increasingly crucial for modeling complex systems, optimizing treatment processes, and informing environmental decision-making. Hands-on coursework and research further introduce students to advanced instrumentation, remote sensing technologies, and computational modeling platforms used across the profession. 

Credit: Nat Warner

The undergraduate curriculum includes a selection of technical electives tailored to environmental focus, along with other courses that synthesize theoretical and practical knowledge. Examples of coursework in the Environmental Engineering program are listed below

Coursework

• CE 370: Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Prereq: CHEM 110 and (MATH 111 or MATH 141). Offering Fall and Spring
• CE 402: Computing Methods for Civil and Environ. Engr. Prereq: CMPSC 121 or 131 or 200 or 201; Co- or Prereq: MATH 251 Reg. Offering: Fall
• CE 403: Energy Use, Climate Change, and Our Engineered Infrastructure. Prereq: None, Offering: Fall and Spring
• CE 461: Water Resources Engineering, Prereq: CE 360. Offering: Fall and Spring
• CE 475: Water Quality Chemistry Prereq: CE 370 Reg. Offering: Spring
• CE 476: Solid and Hazardous Wastes Prereq: CE 370 Reg. Offering: Spring
• CE 479: Environmental Microbiology for Engineers Prereq: CE 370 Reg. Offering: Fall
• CE 497: Introduction to AI/ML for Civil & Environmental Prereq: CMPSC 121 or 131 or 200 or 201 Engineering and Geosciences (3 credits) Reg. Offering: Spring
• ERM 448: Rural Road Ecology and Maintenance Prerequisites: MATH 22 and MATH 26; or MATH 41; or MATH 110 or MATH 140 Co- or Prereq: ASM 327 or BE 307 or CE 335 or CE 370 or FOR 308 or FOR 470
• BE 467: Design of Stormwater and Erosion Control Facilities Prereq: BE 307 or CE 461 Reg. Offering: Fall
• BE 477: Land-Based Waste Disposal Prereq: BE 307 or CE 370
• STAT 484: The R Statistical Programing Language Prereq: 3 credits of statistics
• STAT 485: Intermediate R Statistical Programming Language Co- or prereq: STAT 484

Graduate Programs in Environmental Engineering at Penn State

The Environmental Engineering graduate program at Penn State offers a cutting edge, and driven research ecosystem where students tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing society. Students can choose among three graduate degree programs in Environmental Engineering, including a professional Master’s degree (non-thesis), a research-based Master’s degree (with thesis), and a research-based doctoral degree. With nationally recognized faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, the program supports a broad and dynamic research portfolio that spans water quality engineering, electrochemistry, management of PFAS and emerging contaminants, air pollution control, environmental microbiology, climate resilience, sustainable materials, and data- and AI-enabled environmental systems analysis. Graduate students engage in interdisciplinary projects that integrate fundamental science with innovative technologies, working closely with industry, government agencies, and research institutes across Penn State. Through this collaborative and forward-looking environment, the program prepares graduate students to become leaders in advancing sustainable solutions that protect public health and the environment.