Environmental Engineering

major

Environmental Engineering applies engineering and scientific principles to protect and preserve human health and the environment. It embraces broad environmental concerns, including air and water quality, solid and hazardous wastes, groundwater protection and remediation, water resources management, environmental policy, radiological health, environmental biology and chemistry, systems ecology, water and wastewater treatment, and wetlands ecology.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

The broad undergraduate environmental engineering curriculum of EES has earned the department a ranking as a leading undergraduate program. The ABET-accredited engineering bachelor's degree is comprehensively based on physical, chemical, and biological principles to solve environmental problems affecting air, land, and water resources. An advising scheme including select faculty, led by the undergraduate coordinator, guides each student through the program.
Website

CONTACT

352.392.8450 (tel) | 352.392.3076

P.O. Box 116450
1128 Center Drive
217 BLACK HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-6450
Map

 Curriculum

Department Requirements

Before graduating, all students must take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, which is the first exam leading to professional licensure as an engineer.

Qualified students are encouraged to pursue master's and doctoral studies to increase their knowledge and broaden their employment opportunities.

Educational Objectives

Environmental engineering graduates will continue to develop and apply their knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and solve environmental problems. Evidence of achievement of this objective includes one or more of the following:

  • Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination
  • Obtaining and maintaining a Professional Engineering License
  • Admission to graduate school, including medical, law or other professional schools
  • Completing educational and professional short courses

Program graduates can aspire to careers that benefit society as a result of their educational experiences in science, analysis and design, as well as in their social and cultural activities. Evidence of achievement of this objective includes the following:

  • Employment as an engineer or in a related technical capacity
  • Participating in professional organizations
  • Providing community service

Program graduates will be able to communicate and work effectively in all work settings including those that are multidisciplinary. Evidence of achievement of this objective includes one or more of the following:

  • Publication in scientific and engineering journals
  • Presenting at scientific and engineering conferences
  • Teaching
  • Contributing to scientific and engineering studies
  • Service as a task or team leader

Mission

The mission of the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences (EES) is to provide quality undergraduate and graduate educational programs in environmental engineering sciences, to conduct an internationally recognized environmental research program that benefits humanity, and to provide authoritative guidance to individuals and organizations charged with preventing and solving local, state, national and global environmental problems. EES serves as a leader in interdisciplinary programs aimed at solving environmental problems and as a major on campus crucible for identification, conceptualization and resolution of environmental issues.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

Semester 2

  • Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts, including withdrawals
  • 2.5 GPA on the best of a maximum of two attempts at each critical-tracking course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 3

  • Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts, including withdrawals
  • 2.5 GPA on the best of a maximum of two attempts at each critical-tracking course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

  • Complete the remaining critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts, including withdrawals
  • 2.5 GPA on the best of a maximum of two attempts at each critical-tracking course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

SEMESTER 6

SEMESTER 7

SEMESTER 8

Students are expected to complete the General Education International (GE-N) and Diversity (GE-D) requirements. This is often done concurrently with another General Education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S).

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) 3
Select one: 3
General Chemistry 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Chemistry for Engineers 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
EGN 2020C Engineering Design & Society 2
MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
 Credits13
Semester Two
Select one: 3
General Chemistry 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Chemistry for Engineers 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
Select one: 3
Expository and Argumentative Writing (Gen Ed Composition)
Argument and Persuasion (Gen Ed Composition)
MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
 Credits14
Semester Three
Quest 2 (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) 3
ENC 3246 Professional Communication for Engineers (State Core Gen Ed Composition; minimum grade of C required) 3
ENV 2003 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 1
MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 4
PHY 2048 Physics with Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 3
PHY 2048L Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1 (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
 Credits15
Semester Four
COP 2271 Computer Programming for Engineers 2
ENV 3001 Core 1: Introduction to Environmental Systems 4
EGM 2511 Engineering Mechanics: Statics 3
MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations (Critical Tracking) 3
PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 (Critical Tracking) 3
PHY 2049L Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2 1
 Credits16
Summer After Semester Four
CGN 3501C
Civil Engineering Materials
or Materials
3-4
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Engineering graphics or geographic information systems elective 3
 Credits9-10
Semester Five
CWR 3201 Hydrodynamics 4
EES 3206 Environmental Chemistry 4
ENV 3000 Core 2: Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering 4
ENV 3040C
Computational Methods in Environmental Engineering
or Computer Methods in Civil Engineering
3
 Credits15
Semester Six
ENV 3930 Engineering Ethics and Environmental Justice 2
ENV 4041C Environmental Analysis 4
ENV 4545 Environmental Hydrology 4
ENV 4453 Core 3: Processes in Environmental Engineering 4
 Credits14
Semester Seven
CWR 4202 Hydraulics 3
ENV 4454 Core 4: Environmental Engineering Applications (Critical Tracking) 4
ENV 4601 Environmental Resources Management 3
ENV 4892
Environmental Engineering Design 1
or Integrated Product and Process Design 1: Environmental Engineering Sciences
3
Technical elective (in dept.) 1 3
 Credits16
Semester Eight
ENV 4009 Core 5: Environmental Engineering Practice (Critical Tracking) 4
ENV 4893
Environmental Engineering Design 2
or Integrated Product and Process Design 2: Environmental Engineering Sciences
3
Technical electives 1 9
 Credits16
 Total Credits128

The EGN 4951/EGN 4952 sequence is by application only. 

1

All technical electives must be approved by an advisor.

In Dept Technical Elective: 3 credits of in department coursework, 3000- level or above, that are not one of the required courses for the major.

The remaining technical electives can be any 3000-level or above course(s) in one of the following departments, with permission of the student’s advisor: 

  • Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • Department of Chemical Engineering
  • Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering
  • Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering
  • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Department of Industrial Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
  • Engineering - General
  • Engineering Innovation Institute
  • Engineering Leadership Institute
  • Department of Chemistry
  • Department of Geography
  • Department of Geological Sciences
  • Department of Microbiology and Cell Science
  • College of Public Health and Health Professions
  • School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
  • Department of Soil and Water Science
  • Department of Urban and Regional Planning
  • Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Approved Electives

Engineering Graphics or Geographic Information Systems Elective

CGN 2328Technical Drawing and Visualization3
EML 2023Computer Aided Graphics and Design3
GIS 3001CGeovisualization and Map Design4
GIS 3072CGeographic Information Systems3
SWS 4720CGIS in Soil and Water Science3
URP 4273Survey of Planning Information Systems3

Environmental Engineering applies engineering and scientific principles to protect and preserve human health and the environment. It embraces broad environmental concerns, including air and water quality, solid and hazardous wastes, groundwater protection and remediation, water resources and management, environmental policy, radiological health, environmental biology and chemistry, systems ecology, water and wastewater treatment, and wetlands ecology.

The Environmental Engineering BS Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Environmental Engineering and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Pass assessment by two or more faculty and/or industrial practitioners of student performance on a major design experience.
  • Pass assessment in two courses of individual assignments targeted to each particular learning outcome. Assessment will be provided by the instructor of the course according to department standards.
  • Complete an exit interview in your final semester.
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1. Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering principles to environmental engineering problems.
  2. Design and conduct environmental engineering experiments and analyze and interpret the data collected.

Critical Thinking

  1. Design an environmental engineering system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability constraints.

Communication

  1. Communicate technical data and design information effectively in writing and in speech to project stakeholders.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Courses SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3 SLO 4
CHM 2046 I
CHM 2046L I
EES 3206 A
EGM 2511 R
ENC 3254 I
ENV 3001 A
ENV 3040C A
ENV 4041C A R
ENV 4453 I
ENV 4454 A
ENV 4892 R A
ENV 4893 A A
MAP 2302 I
PHY 2049L R
FE Exam A A
Exit Interview A A A A

Assessment Types

  • Assignments
  • Reports
  • The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • Exit survey