Charting a Sustainable Future: The Environmental Engineering Curriculum at UCF

Environmental engineering plays a crucial role in safeguarding our planet by mitigating the adverse effects of both natural and human activities. At the University of Central Florida (UCF), the environmental engineering curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address pressing environmental challenges and contribute to a sustainable future. UCF prepares you for life beyond the classroom, offering a wide range of opportunities like learning diverse skills from world-renowned faculty, networking with top employers across Central Florida, and gaining first-hand experience in internships nearby.

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering: A Foundation for a Rewarding Career

The ABET-accredited, 120-credit undergraduate Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Engineering program at UCF provides a comprehensive foundation in mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles. This program prepares students to tackle a wide array of environmental issues, including air pollution control, water and wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, environmental health, and remediation. Environmental engineers work to protect society from adverse environmental factors - and to protect the environment from natural and human activities.

Through this program, students cover a wide range of mathematical, scientific and engineering processes. The capstone design project offers invaluable hands-on experience in applying acquired knowledge and skills, an element highly valued by top employers. Graduates of this program find employment in diverse industries, assuming roles such as environmental engineer, water/wastewater engineer, environmental planner, and bioenvironmental engineer. For complete information on the degree program, see the UCF Undergraduate Catalog.

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering: Specialization and Advanced Studies

UCF offers several Master of Science (M.S.) programs in Environmental Engineering, each tailored to specific interests and career goals:

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.EnvE)

This graduate degree is designed specifically for students with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a closely related discipline. It is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a closely related discipline. The curriculum focuses on pollution control and prevention, and the correction of pollution effects on natural and manmade environments. As a graduate student, you can explore coursework in wastewater treatment, potable water, atmospheric pollution control and modeling, and solid and hazardous waste management. This program provides students with a deeper understanding of ecological engineering principles, ecosystem restoration, and receiving water impacts. Students can also explore potable water regulations, standards, chemical reactors, oxidation, disinfection, disinfection by-products, and ultraviolet irradiation.

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Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.) with a Track in Environmental Engineering Science

This degree program is designed for students from diverse academic backgrounds with an interest in the environment. The curriculum focuses on the interactions between humans and their environment and the planning, design, and control of systems for environmental quality management for water, land, and air environments. Students gain a deeper understanding of pollution control, prevention, and the correction of pollution impacts on natural and human environments. Through coursework, students can explore subjects like drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, atmospheric pollution control and modeling, community noise abatement, and water resources modeling.

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.) with a Track in Environmental Systems Engineering

This program is designed for students with science, math, or a similar background, and usually requires a number of undergraduate engineering courses as articulation to become fully prepared for graduate work in environmental engineering. Alumni of this program have successful careers with government agencies, consulting firms, and industry organizations.

Doctoral Program: Pushing the Boundaries of Environmental Knowledge

For those seeking to make significant contributions to the field of environmental engineering, UCF offers a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. The program focuses on pollution control and prevention, and the correction of pollution effects on natural and manmade environments. Students can conduct research in areas like drinking water treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, atmospheric pollution control and modeling, environmental water resources and stormwater management in UCF's state-of-the-art labs. The program offers an intensive, individually tailored research program suitable for the development of an academic or research career. With this degree, graduates gain technical knowledge in critical areas of environmental engineering and are prepared for a successful career in government, academia, or industry.

Key Focus Areas and Research Opportunities

UCF's environmental engineering programs emphasize several key focus areas, reflecting the most pressing environmental challenges of our time:

Air pollution control: Addressing the sources and impacts of air pollutants and developing strategies for mitigation.
Water and wastewater treatment: Designing and implementing effective technologies for providing clean and safe water resources.
Solid and hazardous waste management: Developing sustainable approaches to waste reduction, treatment, and disposal.
Environmental health: Protecting human health from environmental hazards.
Remediation: Cleaning up contaminated sites and restoring ecosystems.
Environmental water resources and stormwater management: Developing strategies for managing water resources in a sustainable manner, including stormwater runoff.

Students have the opportunity to conduct research in these areas, utilizing state-of-the-art laboratories and working alongside renowned faculty such as:

Dr. James R. Mihelcic, BCEEMEnvironmental
Dr. Maya A. Trotz, BCEEMEnvironmental ProfessorFaculty Fellow at Kiran C. Patel College of Global Sustainability
Dr. Samuel L. and Julia M. Professor
Dr. Daniel H.
Dr. Mauricio E.
Dr. Jeffrey A.
Dr. Sarina J.
Dr. Andrés E.

Preparing for a Career in Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineers apply science and engineering principles to protect local, regional, and global environments from detrimental effects of natural and human activities. Working at the interface between the natural and built environment, environmental engineers are responsible for air pollution control, water and wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste treatment and management, environmental health, and remediation. Environmental engineers design projects to improve environmental quality; and obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

A bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering provides you with the opportunity to get started in this rewarding career. Through this program, you’ll cover a wide range of mathematical, scientific and engineering processes. Plus, the capstone design project gives you the hands-on experience in applying your knowledge and skills - an important element that top employers look for in potential candidates. Upon graduation, seek employment in a variety of industries in roles such as environmental engineer, water/wastewater engineer, environmental planner, bioenvironmental engineer and many others.

Graduates of UCF's environmental engineering programs find positions in the design industry, consulting firms, regulatory agencies, utilities, and municipal, state, and federal government agencies and academic institutions. With Florida experiencing strong job growth, particularly in the environmental sector, graduates are well-positioned for success. Florida has the third highest demand nationally for qualified environmental engineers.

Admission and Program Information

The MS in Environmental Engineering program accepts applications several times each year. If you do not have a directly related undergraduate degree, be sure to check any prerequisites that may be needed. For complete information on the degree program, see the UCF Undergraduate Catalog. More information is available by contacting the UCF Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering.

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