Environmental Engineering MSENE

Major: Environmental Engineering
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MSENE)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 14.1401
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 17-2081

About the Program

Environmental Engineering is concerned with protecting human, animal and plant populations from the effects of adverse environmental factors, including toxic chemicals and wastes, pathogenic bacteria and global warming. Environmental Engineering MS graduates may include students with expertise in one or more of the following sub-disciplines:

  • air pollution,
  • hazardous and solid waste,
  • subsurface contaminant hydrology,
  • water resources,
  • water and wastewater, and
  • sustainability treatment

Environmental engineers also try to minimize the effect of human activities on the physical and living environment so society can live more healthy and sustainable lives. This field builds on other branches of engineering, especially civil, chemical and mechanical engineering. It also builds on information from many of the sciences, such as chemistry, physics, hydrology, geology, atmospheric science and several specializations of biology (ecology, microbiology) and public health. Students who elect to study environmental engineering will become familiar with many of these areas because maintaining and improving the environment requires that problems be evaluated and solutions found using a multidisciplinary approach.

Additional Information

For more information, visit the MS in Environmental Engineering program or the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering webpage.

Admission Requirements

MS admission is based on an academic record demonstrating adequate preparation and potential for successful graduate study. This typically includes a BS from an engineering curriculum accredited by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or the equivalent from a non-U.S. institution. Submission of results from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is optional. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is usually required. Graduates who do not have a bachelor's degree in either Civil, Architectural or Environmental Engineering may be required to take preparatory undergraduate courses.

The application package should include:

  • undergraduate and graduate transcripts as applicable
  • two letters of recommendation from faculty or professionals who can evaluate the applicant’s promise as a graduate student
  • GRE scores (optional)
  • a written statement of career and educational goals

For additional information on how to apply, visit Drexel's Admissions page for Environmental Engineering.

Degree Requirements 

The MS in Environmental Engineering program requires 45.0 credits of coursework. Both a theses and a non-thesis option are available. It is possible to finish the MS degree on either a part-time or full-basis. The degree consists of a set of core courses, a sequence in one of several areas of emphasis (treatment process, human risks, water resources, environmental modeling, and air quality) and completion of cognate and elective sequences. After the first term of study, a detailed plan of study is developed with the student's graduate advisor.

Students entering the program without an ABET accredited BS degree in engineering will be required to take additional undergraduate coursework depending on their background and their career objectives.

Core Courses (15.0 credits)
ENVE 660Chemical Kinetics in Environmental Engineering3.0
ENVS 501Chemistry of the Environment3.0
Approved Statistics course3.0-4.0
Biomedical Statistics
Data-based Engineering Modeling
Biostatistics
Approved Policy course3.0
Sustainable Water Resource Engineering
Public Finance and Cost Benefit Analysis
Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis
Methods of Policy Analysis
Approved Life Sciences course3.0
Fundamentals of Environmental Biotechnology
Evolutionary Ecology
Aquatic Ecology
Specialization Courses (select one area to complete) *9.0-12.0
Environmental Treatment Processes
Solid Waste Systems
and Env Engr Op-Chem & Phys
and Enviro Engr Unit Oper-Bio
and Hazardous Waste & Groundwater Treatment
Human Risks
Indoor Air Quality **
Environmental Exposure Science
Principles and Practice of Environmental and Occupational Health
Risk Assessment
Water Resources
Sustainable Water Resource Engineering
and Urban Ecohydraulics
and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment
Open Channel Hydraulics **
Analytical and Numerical Techniques in Hydrology
Environmental Modeling
Geographic Information Systems **
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment
Analytical and Numerical Techniques in Hydrology
and Data-based Engineering Modeling
Approved Advanced Math course:
Applied Engr Analy Methods I
Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering
Numerical Engineering Methods
Air Quality
Indoor Air Quality
and Principles and Practice of Environmental and Occupational Health
and Fundamentals of Air Pollution Control
Cognate Discipline Track ***12.0
Electives or Thesis9.0-6.0
Total Credits45.0-46.0
*

Students must take 4 courses in an approved specialization, such as environmental treatment processes, human risks, water resources, environmental modeling, or air quality.

**

 One of these is required.

***

Students must complete a course sequence of 12.0 credits aside from their specialization. This might include a second specialization course sequence or a sequence of elective courses as approved by the student’s advisor and the departmental graduate advisor in any of the following subjects: AE, CHE, CHEC, CHEM, CIVE, ENVE, ENSS, ENVP, ENVS, MATH, MEM (500-699).

Sample Plan of Study 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
ENVS 501 Chemistry of the Environment 3.0
Cognate Discipline course 3.0
Statistics course 3.0
 Credits9
Winter
ENVE 660 Chemical Kinetics in Environmental Engineering 3.0
Cognate Discipline course 3.0
Environmental Policy course 3.0
 Credits9
Spring
Cognate Discipline course 3.0
Life Science course 3.0
Specialization Track course 3.0
 Credits9
Summer
VACATION  
 Credits0
Second Year
Fall
Cognate Discipline course 3.0
Specialization Track courses 6.0
 Credits9
Winter
Elective or Thesis courses 6.0
Specialization Track course 3.0
 Credits9
 Total Credits45

Facilities

The Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering is well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities:

  • Analytical instrumentation for measuring biological and chemical contaminants in air, water and land
  • Field sampling equipment for water and air measurements
  • Molecular biology capability
  • Computational facilities including access to multi-processor clusters, and advanced simulation and data analysis software

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty

Abieyuwa Aghayere, PhD (University of Alberta). Professor. Structural design - concrete, steel and wood; structural failure analysis; retrofitting of existing structures; new structural systems and materials; engineering education.
A. Emin Aktan, PhD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) John Roebling Professor of Infrastructure Studies. Professor. Structural engineering; health monitoring of large infrastructure systems; infrastructure evaluation; intelligent systems.
Ivan Bartoli, PhD (University of California, San Diego). Associate Professor. Non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring; dynamic identification, stress wave propagation modeling.
Robert Brehm, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Teaching Professor. International infrastructure delivery; response to natural catastrophes; risk assessment and mitigation strategies; project management techniques.
S.C. Jonathan Cheng, PhD (West Virginia University). Associate Professor. Soil mechanics; geosynthetics; probabilistic design; landfill containments; engineering education.
Peter DeCarlo, PhD (University of Colorado). Assistant Professor. Outdoor air quality, particulate matter size and composition instrumentation and measurements, source apportionment of ambient particulate matter, climate impacts of particulate matter.
Eugenia Ellis, RA, PhD (Virginia Polytechnic State University). Associate Professor. Extended-care facilities design, research on spatial visualization, perception and imagination.
Patricia Gallagher, PhD (Virginia Polytechnic Institute). Associate Professor. Soil mechanics; geoenvironmental; ground improvement; sustainability.
Patrick Gurian, PhD (Carnegie-Mellon University). Associate Professor. Risk analysis of environmental and infrastructure systems; novel adsorbent materials; environmental standard setting; Bayesian statistical modeling; community outreach and environmental health.
Charles N. Haas, PhD (University of Illinois-Urbana) L. D. Betz Professor and Department Head, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. Professor. Control of human exposures to and risk assessment of pathogenic organisms; water and waste treatment; homeland security.
Ahmad Hamid, PhD (McMaster University). Professor. Engineered masonry; seismic behavior, design and retrofit of masonry structures; development of new materials and building systems.
Y. Grace Hsuan, PhD (Imperial College). Professor. Durability of polymeric construction materials; advanced construction materials; and performance of geosynthetics.
Joseph B. Hughes, PhD (University of Iowa) Dean of the College of Engineering and Distinguished Professor. Biological processes and applications of nanotechnology in environmental systems.
L. James Lo, PhD (University of Texas at Austin). Assistant Professor. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and airflow simulation; Indoor Environmental Quality; Building control integration with building information management systems.
Roger Marino, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Teaching Professor. Fluid mechanics; water resources; engineering education; land development.
Joseph P. Martin, PhD (Colorado State University). Professor. Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering; hydrology; transportation; waste management.
James E. Mitchell, MArch (University of Pennsylvania) Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs. Professor. Architectural engineering design; building systems; engineering education.
Franco Montalto, PhD (Cornell University). Associate Professor. Effects of built infrastructure on societal water needs, ecohydrologic patterns and processes, ecological restoration, green design, water interventions.
Joseph V. Mullin, PhD (Pennsylvania State University) Associate Department Head. Teaching Professor. Structural engineering; failure analysis; experimental stress analysis; construction materials; marine structures.
Mira S. Olson, PhD (University of Virginia) Graduate Studies Advisor. Associate Professor. Environmental remediation; contaminant and bacterial transport in porous media and bacterial response to dynamic environments.
Michael Ryan, PhD (Drexel University). Assistant Teaching Professor. Microbial Source Tracking (MST); Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA); Dynamic Engineering Systems Modeling; Molecular Microbial Biology; Environmental Statistics; Engineering Economics; Microbiology
Christopher Sales, PhD (University of California, Berkeley). Assistant Professor. Environmental microbiology and biotechnology; biodegradation of environmental contaminants; microbial processes for energy and resource recovery from waste.
Yared Shifferaw, PhD (Johns Hopkins University). Assistant Professor. Computational and experimental mechanics; structural stability; optimization; health monitoring and hazard mitigation; sustainable structures; emerging materials; thin-walled structures and metallic structures.
Kurt Sjoblom, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Assistant Professor. Laboratory testing of geomaterials, geotechnical engineering, foundation engineering.
Sabrina Spatari, PhD (University of Toronto). Associate Professor. Research in industrial ecology; development and application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA) methods for guiding engineering and policy decisions; specific interest in biomass and bioenergy, biofuels, and urban infrastructure.
Robert Swan Associate Teaching Professor. Geotechnical and Geosynthetic Engineering; soil/geosynthetic interaction and performance; laboratory and field geotechnical/geosynthetic testing.
Michael Waring, PhD (University of Texas-Austin) Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Programs; Director of Architectural Engineering Program. Associate Professor. Indoor air quality and building sustainability; indoor particulate matter fate and transport; indoor chemistry and particle formation; secondary impacts of control technologies and strategies.
Jin Wen, PhD (University of Iowa). Associate Professor. Architectural engineering; Building Energy Efficiency; Intelligent Building; Net-zero Building; and Indoor Air Quality.
Aspasia Zerva, PhD (University of Illinois). Professor. Earthquake engineering; mechanics; seismology; structural reliability; system identification; advanced computational computational methods in structural analysis.

Emeritus Faculty

Harry G. Harris, PhD (Cornell University). Professor Emeritus. Structural models; dynamics of structures, plates and shells; industrialized building construction.
Richard Weggel, PhD (University of Illinois) Samuel S. Baxter Professor Emeritus; Civil and Environmental Engineering. Professor Emeritus. Coastal engineering; hydraulics engineering; hydrology.
Richard Woodring, PhD (University of Illinois) Dean of Engineering Emeritus. Professor Emeritus. Structural engineering, reinforced concrete.