MEnvE 5 Year Program
The Environmental Engineering Profession
Environmental Engineering is focused on the prevention and remediation of air, water, and soil contamination problems to reduce the risks to human health, water resources, and ecosystems. Environmental Engineering is a discipline that evolved from Civil Engineering and includes aspects of the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, and Geo sciences) Professional opportunities exist in consulting engineering firms, in industries with significant environmental compliance challenges, and in governmental regulatory agencies. Environmental engineers apply physical, chemical, and biological processes in systems that remove and/or destroy pollutants in water, air, and soils and that reduce nonhazardous solid waste volumes. Specific assignments include provision for safe drinking water, treatment and disposal of municipal wastewaters, treatment and management of storm runoff, management of solid and hazardous wastes, and cleaning sites contaminated by hazardous materials.
Burgeoning national and global population growth will continue to exert demands for clean water, clean air, and environmentally sound disposal of waste materials. These demands will require the comprehensive knowledge and skills of environmental engineers to plan, design, and operate systems to achieve these goals efficiently and economically. The engineers’ role is vital in helping to both detect and identify the potential environmental problems, to implement procedures to correct these potential and existing problems, and to work to improve the quality of life in the 21st century.
The traditional route to the practice of Environmental Engineering has been by first obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering (BSCE), or one of the environmental sciences, followed by a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering (MSCE) with an emphasis on courses in the Environmental Engineering area. The MS degree often includes a research component resulting in a master’s thesis. The consulting firms that hire Environmental Engineers have traditionally looked upon the master’s degree as an entry requirement. With this requirement in mind, a 5- year curriculum was designed to provide a highly competitive professional Masters in Environmental Engineering degree (MEnvE). The MEnvE allows a more concentrated preparation in environmental science topics pertinent to the practice of Environmental Engineering and emphasizes the design of facilities and practices to rectify environmental problems. This degree program differs from the traditional approach since a BSCE provides graduates with a broad based background across several of the subdisciplines of Civil Engineering and does not allow for specialization within the discipline. For example, at Texas Tech University, BSCE graduates receive course work in structural, geotechnical, transportation, water resources, and Environmental Engineering. The MEnvE program and the BS/MSCE (with environmental emphasis) programs essentially require the same number of credit hours and require many of the same courses. However, the BS/MSCE option typically requires six academic years because of its research component.
MEnvE Degree at TTU
The MEnvE program at Texas Tech University is a unique program in the United States in which students can directly earn an ABET-accredited Master of Engineering degree in Environmental Engineering. The MEnvE degree consists of successful completion of a 5-year “freshman-to-master’s degree” program administered by the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech University. The program has been ABET-accredited at the advanced level, which qualifies the program graduates for reciprocal professional accreditation in Europe, Australia, and many foreign countries, and also qualifies them to pursue their Professional Engineering License in Environmental Engineering. The MEnvE program is referred to as a professional degree program because the program stresses engineering practice rather than research. Students in the program have numerous opportunities for internships, summer jobs, and participation in research activities while in the program. Those graduates who choose to pursue the Professional Engineer license are doing so according to the testing and experience requirements of their states’ professional engineering boards.
The curriculum, consisting of 151 hours of coursework, provides graduates with strong preparation in biology, chemistry, the engineering sciences, and in the specifics of Environmental Engineering. Students learn to apply the appropriate unit operations or unit processes to treatment systems for solving water or wastewater problem situations. These same systems are applicable to problems encountered in air, soil, and solid/hazardous waste management as demonstrated through advanced courses in these areas. The program strives to instill in each student a spirit of service and leadership and an appreciation of life long learning, as new technological advances and regulatory incentives crop up often. Development of leadership skills, an awareness of professional ethics, and participation in student organizations prepare graduates from the program for professional practice.
Students are formally admitted to the MEnvE program at the end of the second curriculum year after a review is made of the student’s progress. Transfer students can be admitted into the program. Those interested in transferring should consult with one of the MEnvE program advisors to identify courses that will directly transfer between institutions and programs. Each student meets with an assigned faculty counselor at least once a semester to review the student’s progress and academic effort. Students are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and must meet the University’s graduate school admission requirements before enrolling in graduate level courses. Those students who fail to meet the Graduate School guidelines are encouraged to complete the undergraduate curriculum through the fourth year and receive a non-accredited Bachelor of Science of Environmental Engineering degree. Students admitted to the graduate program must then adhere to the graduate school requirements to be eligible for graduation.
The mission of the department has three elements
- To provide excellent instruction and design experiences essential for graduates to enter the practice of Environmental Engineering and pursue lifelong professional development.
- To provide research opportunities for students that generate, communicate, and apply new knowledge for the betterment of society.
- To foster a spirit of service and leadership among students and faculty and assist the public in addressing issues concerning using our resources, protecting our environment, and developing our infrastructure.
MEnvE Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives for the MEnvE Program are as follows
- Graduates will meet the expectations of employers of Environmental Engineers.
- Graduates will continue their professional development through continuing education.
MEnvE Student Outcomes
General Student Outcomes
To enable the Civil and Environmental Engineering students to accomplish the educational objectives, the curriculum is designed to assure that students, at the time of graduation, would be able to
- Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering.
- Design and conduct experiments and analyze and interpret data.
- Design a system, component or process to meet the constituencies needs within realistic constraints.
- Function on multidisciplinary teams.
- Identify, formulate and solve engineering problems.
- Understand professional and ethical responsibility.
- Communicate effectively.
- Understand the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal context.
- Engage in life-long learning.
- Possess knowledge of contemporary issues.
- Use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools.
MEnvE Specific Student Outcomes
By the time of graduation, Environmental Engineering students have
- Proficiency in mathematics, probability and statistics, calculus-based physics, general chemistry, earth science, biological science and fluid mechanics.
- Knowledge of environmental issues associated with air, land, and water systems and associated environmental health impacts.
- An ability to conduct laboratory experiments and critically analyze and interpret data.
- Performed engineering design by means of integrated design experiences.
- Proficiency in advanced principles and practice relevant to the program objectives.
- Understanding of professional practice concepts.
The following section shows how these outcomes are distributed across the MEnvE curriculum. Outcome Mapping Table
Curriculum for Five-Year Environmental Engineering Program- BS/MSEnvE
The MEnvE 5 Year Program Curriculum Table is given below:
First Year
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
| Math 1451, Calculus I | 4 | Math 1452, Calculus II | 4 |
| Chem 1307, Principles of Chemistry I | 3 | English 1302, Adv. Coll. Rhetoric | 3 |
| Chem 1107, Principles of Chemistry I Lab | 1 | CE 1305, Engineering Analysis | 3 |
| English 1301, Ess. Of Coll. Rhetoric | 3 | Hist 2300, History of US to 1877 | 3 |
| Pols 1301, Amer. Govt. Org. | 3 | Chem 1308, Principles of Chem II | 3 |
| EGR 1207, Engr. Graphics | 2 | Chem 1108, Principles of Chem II Lab | 1 |
| ENVE 1100, Env. Engr. Seminar | 1 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | TOTAL | 18 |
Second Year
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
| Math 2450, Calculus III | 4 | Pols 2302, American Public Policy | 3 |
| Physics 1408, Principles of Physics I | 4 | Environmental Science Elective ** | 3 |
| CE 2301, Statics | 3 | Biology 1404, Biology II | 4 |
| Chem 3305, Organic Chemistry I | 3 | CE 3305, Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| Biology 1403, Biology I | 4 | Hist 2302, History of US Since 1877 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 18 | TOTAL | 16 |
Third Year
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
| Statistics * | 3 | Math 3350, High Math for Engrs. | 3 |
| CE 3309, Environmental Engr. I | 3 | IE 2311, Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 |
| CE 3303, Mechanics of Solids | 3 | CE 3372, Water Systems Design | 3 |
| CE 3354, Intro to Hydrology | 3 | Elective, Vis/Performing Arts † | 3 |
| Oral Comm ˆ | 3 | CE 3321, Intro to Geotech Engr. | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 15 |
Fourth Year
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
| CE 4353, Design of Hydraulic Systems | 3 | ENVE 4399, Bio Mun. Waterwater Trt | 3 |
| CE 3105, Mechanics of Fluids Lab | 1 | Elective, Humanities # | 3 |
| ENVE 4107, Adv Phys & Chem Water Lab | 1 | ENVE 4391, Adv Water Treatment | 3 |
| ENVE 4307, Phy/Chem Mun. Wastewater | 3 | ENVE 5303, Design of Air Pol Control Sys | 3 |
| ENVE 4385, Microbial Appl in Env. Engr | 3 | CE 5363, Groundwater Hydrology | 3 |
| ENGR 4392, Engr. Ethics & Impact on Soc. | 3 | ENVE 4191, Adv Water Treatment Lab | 1 |
| ENVE 4185, Microb. App. In Env. Engr. Lab | 1 | ||
| TOTAL | 15 | TOTAL | 16 |
Graduate/Fifth Year
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Hours | Course | Hours |
| CE 5364, Groundwater Transp. | 3 | ENVE 5306, Env. Systems Design II | 3 |
| ENVE 5305, Env. Systems Design I | 3 | CE 4101, Fund of Engr. Exam Review | 1 |
| ENVE 5315, Env. Chem for Pol Mgmt | 3 | CE 5395, Solid and Hazardous Waste | 3 |
| CE 5393, Unit Processes Lab | 3 | Elective, Technical (6 hrs) ˆˆ? | 6 |
| TOTAL | 12 | TOTAL | 13 |
TOTAL HOURS: 151
* Select IE 3341 or MATH 3342.
** Select environmental science elective such as GEOL 1301/1101 or ATMO 1300/1100 or others with advisor approval.
ˆ Core Curriculum A.
ˆˆ Choose at least one from IE 5302, 5306, 5307; or ENTX 6445.
† Core Curriculum F could be used to meet the multicultural requirement.
# Core Curriculum E should be used to meet multicultural requirement if F was not.
? Choose graduate technical electives from CE 5331, 5361, 5366, 5383; GEOG 5300; IE 5329; or approval from advisor.
MEnvE Degree Flow Chart
To download a flow chart of the curriculum for the master of science in environmental engineering, click here.
Accreditation
The master of environmental engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org
