Explore Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers work on some of the problems people come across every day: keeping drinking water clean, reducing pollution, managing waste, and preparing communities for a changing climate.
At Penn State, you’ll learn how to use engineering to solve these problems. You’ll study the science behind environmental systems and learn how to design, test, and improve solutions through classroom, lab, and field work.
You’ll also put your skills to work on real engineering projects, including a capstone design project in your final year.
What Does an Environmental Engineer Do?
Environmental engineers solve air, water, waste, and environmental challenges. Depending on your career, you might:
- Design systems that clean drinking water or wastewater
- Help communities prepare for flooding and other climate-related disasters
- Develop better ways to manage and reuse waste
- Restore contaminated land and water
- Design infrastructure that uses resources more efficiently
What Will You Study?
You’ll start with the fundamentals of engineering, math, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. As you continue through the program, you’ll take a closer look at the systems that affect our air, water, land, and communities.
You can focus your coursework in areas such as:
- Water quality and treatment
- Air quality and pollution control
- Environmental sustainability
- Waste management and resource recovery
- Environmental chemistry
- Hydrology and water resources
- Environmental data and modeling
- Climate adaptation and resilience
Technical electives let you dive deeper into topics that interest you from environmental microbiology and stormwater design to geographic information systems, environmental policy, and aquatic systems.
Get Involved
You don’t have to wait until graduation to start using what you learn. Get involved with student organizations, work alongside other engineering students, and connect with faculty and industry professionals.
You can explore your interests through organizations such as:
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- Engineers Without Borders
- Sustainable Solutions Engineering Club
These experiences give you the chance to build leadership skills and meet people who share your interests.
Where Can Environmental Engineering Take You?
Environmental engineers work in many different industries and settings. You could work for a consulting firm, government agency, public utility, or manufacturer.
Your possible careers include:
- Environmental engineer
- Water resources engineer
- Sustainability engineer
- Environmental consultant
- Water and wastewater treatment engineer
- Remediation engineer
- Environmental compliance specialist
- Environmental project manager
