Environmental Engineering, BS

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineers apply basic principles of science, supported by mathematical and computational tools, to address an important issue facing society: ensuring clean air, safe drinking water, and sanitation; evaluating opportunities and designing systems for sustainable environmental resource management; designing infrastructure and developing technologies to enable climate change mitigation and adaptation; protecting people from natural and man-made hazards; and designing sustainable infrastructure that benefits society.

The environmental engineering program comprises five focus areas (Public Health Engineering; One Water; Energy and Environmental Sustainability; Climate and Environmental Sustainability; and Water Systems and Sustainability). Although each area and program has its own special body of knowledge and engineering tools, environmental engineering projects often use knowledge and data from many of these topical areas together in order to address societal challenges. Brief descriptions of each focus area are provided below:

Public Health Engineering (PHE). Students in the PHE primary will gain skills in monitoring and modeling air pollution, air quality management, air, and water pollution control technologies, and physicochemical and toxicological analysis of environmental contaminants. Students will also learn the skills to analyze and evaluate the interconnections between environmental factors and the progression of human diseases through various designs of epidemiological studies and apply the principles of engineering control for the protection of public health.

One Water (OneW). The OneW primary centers on the safe and reliable provision of drinking water, sanitation, and stormwater management for communities and households. Students in this primary will learn physical, chemical, and biological principles and how to apply them to design and develop innovative water quality control processes and systems. Students will also learn how to design resource (water, nutrient, energy) recovery systems to support circular economies. The term “One Water” stems from an international trend toward holistic water planning by municipalities (e.g., “One Water LA” for the City of Los Angeles).

Energy and Environmental Sustainability (E2S). The E2S primary focuses on understanding, quantifying, and modeling the interdependencies between energy, water, and the environment. Students will gain fundamental and applied knowledge in thermodynamics and chemical principles, and expertise in water policy, renewable energy systems, and sustainable design.

Climate and Environmental Sustainability (CES). CES students will develop skills to quantify and manage the dynamic interactions among society and the built and natural environments, with an emphasis on environmental and water resources engineering to adapt to a changing global climate. Coursework will focus on atmospheric sciences (including physical climate and physical meteorology), natural resource economics, environmental systems analyses, decision and risk analysis, and data science to generate insight from large and complex datasets.

Water Systems and Sustainability (WS2). The WS2 primary focuses on understanding, designing, and managing natural and engineered water systems. Students learn foundational knowledge of environmental hydrology and hydraulic engineering, and gain skills to develop sustainable solutions to urban water challenges such as flooding, to manage surface water and groundwater transport and pollution, and to design novel nature-based solutions and green and hybrid infrastructure to overcome the challenges imposed by a changing environment.

Across all focus areas, CEE’s Program Education Objectives are to educate EnvE students to:

  1. a wide range of careers as engineers, consultants, and entrepreneurs in both traditional and emerging fields of civil and environmental engineering, science, and technology;
  2. placement in leading graduate programs in engineering and interdisciplinary areas so they are able to develop as researchers, experts, educators, and leaders;
  3.  professional licensure and continuous professional skills development;
  4. the ability to learn and create new knowledge in ever-changing environments of the 21st century and to communicate their work and ideas to colleagues, professional societies, and the public at large; and
  5. high ethical and technical standards that enable them to lead their professional disciplines, organizations, and communities globally.

Program Review and Approval

To qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering, each student's academic program plan must be reviewed by a standing committee of the faculty (the Program Review Committee) and approved by the Associate Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering in charge of undergraduate programs. This review and approval process ensures that individual programs satisfy the educational objectives and all of the requirements of the environmental engineering program, that those programs do not abuse the substantial degree of flexibility that is present in the curriculum, and that the career interests of each student are cultivated and served.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Overall GPA: 2.0
Minimum hours required for graduation: 128 hours

General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements including the campus general education language requirement. ECE 316 will satisfy an an Orientation and Professional Development requirement, a Campus General Education Humanities requirement, and the Campus General Education Advanced Composition requirement.

Orientation and Professional Development

CEE 190Project-Based Introduction to CEE4
CEE 495Professional Practice0
ECE 316Ethics and Engineering3
ENG 100Grainger Engineering Orientation Seminar (External transfer students take ENG 300.)1
Total Hours8

Foundational Mathematics and Science

ATMS 202General Physical Climate3
CHEM 102General Chemistry I3
CHEM 103General Chemistry Lab I1
CHEM 104General Chemistry II3
CHEM 105General Chemistry Lab II1
MATH 221Calculus I (MATH 220 may be substituted. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus. 4 of 5 credit hours count towards degree.)4
MATH 231Calculus II3
MATH 241Calculus III4
MATH 257Linear Algebra with Computational Applications3
MATH 285Intro Differential Equations3
PHYS 211University Physics: Mechanics4
Total Hours32

Environmental Engineering Technical Core

CEE 201Systems Engrg & Economics3
CEE 202Engineering Risk & Uncertainty3
CEE 330Environmental Engineering3
CEE 331Fluid Dynamics in the Natural and Built Environment (Fluid Dynamics in the Environment)4
CEE 350Water Resources Engineering3
CEE 449Environmental Engineering Lab3
CEE 453Urban Hydrology and Hydraulics4
CS 101Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci3
SE 101Engineering Graphics & Design3
TAM 211Statics3
TAM 212Introductory Dynamics3
Total Hours35

Primary Fields (Students choose one of five (5) Primary Fields)

Energy & Environmental Sustainability Primary Field30
ABE 436Renewable Energy Systems4
CEE 340Energy and Global Environment3
CEE 433Water Technology and Policy3
CEE 493Sustainable Design Eng Tech4
CHEM 232Elementary Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 360Chemistry of the Environment3
ENSU 301Soc Impacts Weather & Climate3
ME 200Thermodynamics3
PHYS 212University Physics: Elec & Mag4
Climate & Environmental Sustainability Primary Field31
ACE 310Natural Resource Economics3
ATMS 201General Physical Meteorology3
CEE 340Energy and Global Environment3
CEE 434Environmental Systems I3
CEE 458Water Resources Field Methods4
CEE 491Decision and Risk Analysis3
CEE 492Data Science for Civil and Environmental Engineering3
ECON 102Microeconomic Principles3
or ACE 100 Introduction to Applied Microeconomics
GGIS 379Introduction to Geographic Information Systems4
PHYS 213Univ Physics: Thermal Physics2
Water Systems & Sustainability Primary Field32
ACE 310Natural Resource Economics3
ATMS 201General Physical Meteorology3
CEE 433Water Technology and Policy3
CEE 434Environmental Systems I3
CEE 450Surface Hydrology3
or CEE 457 Groundwater
CEE 451Environmental Fluid Mechanics3
CHEM 232Elementary Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 360Chemistry of the Environment3
ECON 102Microeconomic Principles3
or ACE 100 Introduction to Applied Microeconomics
ENSU 301Soc Impacts Weather & Climate3
PHYS 213Univ Physics: Thermal Physics2
Public Health Engineering Primary Field30
ATMS 305Computing and Data Analysis3
CEE 435Public Health Engineering3
CEE 437Water Quality Engineering3
CEE 438Science & Environmental Policy3
CEE 441Air Pollution Sources, Transport and Control4
CHLH 201
CHLH 2743
CHLH 4693
MCB 300Microbiology3
PHYS 213Univ Physics: Thermal Physics2
One Water Primary Field29-30
CEE 437Water Quality Engineering3
CEE 440Fate Cleanup Environ Pollutant3 or 4
or CEE 452 Hydraulic Analysis and Design
CEE 442Environmental Engineering Principles, Physical4
CEE 444Env Eng Principles, Biological4
CHBE 221Principles of CHE3
CHBE 321Thermodynamics4
CHEM 232Elementary Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 360Chemistry of the Environment3
PHYS 213Univ Physics: Thermal Physics2

Free Electives

Additional course work, subject to the Grainger College of Engineering restrictions to Free Electives, so that there are at least 128 credit hours earned toward the degree.10-14
Total Hours of Curriculum to Graduate128

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements. 

Free Electives: Additional course work, subject to the Grainger College of Engineering restrictions to Free Electives, so that there are at least 128 credit hours earned toward the degree.

First Year
First SemesterHours
CEE 1904
ENG 1001
MATH 221 (MATH 220 may be substituted)4
CHEM 1023
CHEM 1031
Composition I or SE 1014
 17
Total Hours 17
First Year
Second SemesterHours
MATH 2313
CHEM 1043
CHEM 1051
PHYS 2114
CS 1013
SE 101 (or Composition I)3
 17
Total Hours 17
Second Year
First SemesterHours
CEE 2013
MATH 2414
MATH 2573
ATMS 2023
General Education course (choose a Humanities or Social/ Behavioral Science course with Cultural Studies designation)3
 16
Total Hours 16
Second Year
Second SemesterHours
CEE 2023
TAM 2113
Primary Field course3
Primary Field course2
Language Other Than English (3rd level)4
 15
Total Hours 15
Third Year
First SemesterHours
CEE 3314
TAM 2123
CEE 3303
Primary Field course3
Primary Field course3
 16
Total Hours 16
Third Year
Second SemesterHours
MATH 2853
ECE 3163
CEE 3503
Primary Field course3
General Education course (Choose a Humanities or Social/ Behavioral Science course with Cultural Studies designation)3
 15
Total Hours 15
Fourth Year
First SemesterHours
CEE 4950
Primary Field course3
Primary Field course3
Primary Field course3
Primary Field course4
General Education course (choose a Humanities or Social/ Behavioral Science course with Cultural Studies designation)3
 16
Total Hours 16
Fourth Year
Second SemesterHours
CEE 4493
CEE 4534
Primary Field course3
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3
 16
Total Hours 16

Total Hours: 128

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

Educational objectives for the environmental engineering program reflect the mission of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the importance placed on successful professional practice, the ability to pursue advanced degrees, the assumption of professional and societal leadership roles, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Illinois B.S. in Environmental Engineering graduates will:

  1. Successfully enter the environmental engineering profession as practicing engineers and consultants with prominent companies and organizations in diverse areas that include public health engineering, one water, energy and environmental sustainability, climate and environmental sustainability, and water systems and sustainability.
  2. Pursue graduate education and research at major research universities in environmental engineering and related fields.
  3. Pursue professional licensure.
  4. Advance to leadership positions in their profession.
  5. Engage in continued learning through professional development.
  6. Participate in and contribute to professional societies and community service.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

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