At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
This minor is designed to provide students in engineering, science, and other majors with a comprehensive study of environmental issues and the skills necessary to solve problems associated with environmental pollution.
What is Environmental Engineering?
The challenges in our modern society are complex and multi-faceted, demanding solutions across a wide range of disciplines. Environmental engineers have long recognized the need for convergence across disciplines to find sustainable solutions to water and climate issues that have broad societal importance. Penn State's Environmental Engineering Minor is an interdisciplinary program administered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This minor is designed to provide students in engineering, science, and other majors with a comprehensive study of environmental issues and the skills necessary to solve problems associated with environmental pollution and climate change. A certificate is awarded to students who complete the requirements of the minor.
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Environmental engineers use principles from engineering, chemistry, biology, and geology to solve environmental problems. Relevant issues include water treatment and remediation, waste disposal, air pollution, and energy production. Students enrolled in the minor may select from a suite of classes that develop the fundamental skills needed to address these problems. Multiple courses not listed in the requirements section can be approved to count towards the minor through the course substitution request system.
Entrance to Minor
For entrance into the minor, students must be at least fifth-semester standing and have completed:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 110 | Chemical Principles I  | 3 |
| MATH 141 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| PHYS 211 | General Physics: Mechanics | 4 |
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
The minor consists of 18 credits, at least 6 of which must be at the 400 level.
Requirements for the Minor
2 credits of engineering design are included.
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CE 370 | Introduction to Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Chemistry and Biological Sciences | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Engineering Elements of Biochemistry and Microbiology | ||
| Environmental Microbiology for Engineers | ||
| Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Process Engineering | ||
| Select 0-3 credits of the following: | 0-3 | |
| Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems | ||
| Introduction to Material Balances | ||
| Principles of Energy Engineering | ||
| Elements of Mineral Processing | ||
| Design Principles of Reactor Systems | ||
| Applied Fluid Mechanics | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Mechanics of Fluids | ||
| Design of Stormwater and Erosion Control Facilities | ||
| Water and Wastewater Treatment | ||
| Open Channel Hydraulics | ||
| Process Fluid Mechanics | ||
| Fluid Mechanics in Energy and Mineral Engineering | ||
| Fluid Flow | ||
| Introduction to Micrometeorology | ||
| Nuclear Reactor Core Design Synthesis | ||
| Environmental Sciences and Design | ||
| Select 6-9 credits of the following: | 6-9 | |
| Microbiological Engineering | ||
| Land-Based Waste Disposal | ||
| Environmental Engineering Capstone Design | ||
| Water Quality Chemistry | ||
| Solid and Hazardous Wastes | ||
| Environment Chemistry: Atmosphere | ||
| Introduction to Combustion | ||
| Air Pollutants from Combustion Sources | ||
| Contaminant Hydrology | ||
| Pollution Control in the Process Industries | ||
| Legal Aspects of Resource Management | ||
| Resource Systems Analysis | ||
| Case Studies in Ecosystem Management | ||
| Stream Restoration | ||
| Wetland Science and Sustainability | ||
| The Chemistry of Fuels | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Indoor Air Quality Engineering | ||
| Fundamentals of Air Pollution | ||
| Nuclear and Radiochemistry | ||
| Radiological Safety | ||
| Radioactive Waste Control | ||
| Remediation of Contaminated Soils | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Nathaniel Warner
Associate Professor
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-9423
nrw6@psu.edu
Career Paths
If your goals are to enter industry or academia students who complete a minor can apply for a wide range of graduate school programs and jobs focused on engineering and sustainability to solve the world’s problems. Environmental engineers often work in interdisciplinary collaborative groups with other fields such as chemists, biologists or geoscientists- increasing the importance of course work preparation.
Careers
Environmental engineers help create sustainable solutions to problems faced in society. Examples include the renovation of the current aging and energy-intensive water infrastructure as well as solutions and adaption to changes in climate. Careers can include environmental consulting, sustainability officers, water resource and air quality engineers, and environmental compliance officers.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Students will take courses from multiple disciplines to provide the adequate depth and breadth so that they can pursue graduate studies. Here at Penn State we offer multiple advanced degrees, including a MEng (no thesis, typically 1 to 1.5 years to complete), MS (~ 2 years to complete), and PhD (~ 5 years to complete) in Environmental Engineering.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-9423
nrw6@psu.edu