Environmental Engineering, B.S.Env.E.
Environmental engineers clean up contaminated industrial sites, restore degraded streams and natural areas, minimize pollution from manufacturing, agricultural, and urban areas, and protect human health. Environmental engineers are focused on designing systems that solve environmental problems and protect natural resources and public health, such as drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, natural stormwater treatment systems, and more.
The program begins with mathematics and science topics in the first year and engineering science courses in the sophomore year. Junior and senior year courses are devoted to analysis and design topics. Electives apply design and modeling techniques commonly used in the profession to various environmental engineering topics. Throughout the four-year curriculum, emphasis is placed on teamwork and cooperation, good oral and written communication skills, and hands-on laboratory and project work to graduate well-rounded engineers from the program.
The environmental engineering program leads to a bachelor of science in environmental engineering (B.S.Env.E.) degree that is accredited by the NWCCU and is currently undergoing the accreditation process by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Program Educational Objectives:
The environmental engineering program prepares graduates who will:
- Be successful as practicing professionals in diverse career paths or in graduate school.
- Distinguish themselves in breadth of perspective and the ability to solve complex problems.
- Be effective communicators and team members, with many assuming leadership roles.
- Be active in their profession and participate in continuing education opportunities to foster personal and organizational growth.
- Be able to advance, engage, and respond to issues of justice, ethics, diversity, equity, and inclusion in professional and civic settings.
Student Outcomes:
The Shiley School of Engineering prepares engineering majors with the following outcomes so that as graduates, they can attain the Program Educational Objectives listed above.
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Curriculum:
The Environmental Engineering curriculum is 121-122 credit hours distributed into three categories:
- UP Core Requirements – 40 credit hours
- General Engineering Requirements – 34 credit hours (includes 6 credit hours shared with the UP Core Requirements)
- Environmental Engineering Requirements – 53-54 credit hours
UP Core Requirements — 40 credit hours
All University of Portland students progress through a set of shared course options as part of the University’s liberal arts Core Curriculum. This curriculum offers a foundation of multiple lenses to address enduring questions of human concern, integrating the liberal arts, the University mission, and the knowledge, skills, and values needed in a diverse society and in the workplace.
See UP Core Requirements
Two of the three core requirements in the Science & Problem Solving Habit are satisfied by the mathematics and science requirements within the major.
CE 376 and CE 371 are the designated Writing in the Discipline courses for Environmental Engineering.
General Engineering Requirements — 34 credit hours
EGR 110: For transfer students into the Shiley School who have declared a major and have not had an Introduction to Engineering course, the dean or designee may approve the substitution of an engineering or computer science elective depending on the student’s educational background.
Environmental Engineering Requirements — 53-54 credit hours
Required Courses — 41-42 credit hours
| CE 201 | Introduction to Civil Engineering Design Graphics | 2 |
| CE 321 | Geotechnical Engineering | 3 |
| CE 362 | Water Resources Engineering | 3 |
| CE 367 | Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE 371 | Geotechnical Laboratory | 1 |
| CE 373 | Water Resources Engineering Laboratory | 1 |
| CE 376 | Environmental Engineering Laboratory | 1 |
| CE 462/CE 562 | Sustainable Design | 3 |
| CE 466 | Water and Wastewater Design | 3 |
| CHM 386/ENV 386 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| EGR 211 | Engineering Mechanics-Statics | 3 |
| EGR 212 | Engineering Mechanics-Dynamics | 3 |
| Or | |
| EGR 214 | Principles of Dynamics | 2 |
| EGR 311 | Mechanics of Fluids I | 3 |
| EGR 322 | Strength of Materials | 3 |
| ME 331 | Fundamental Thermodynamics | 3 |
| Environmental Engineering Requirements | 4 |
Please consult with the program chair to select the eligible courses to fulfill the four credits of Environmental Engineering requirements.
Capstone Project I - 3 credit hours
Select one course from the following:
| | Environmental Engineering Capstone Project I | 3 |
| EGR 483 | Multi-disciplinary Capstone Project I | 3 |
Capstone Project II - 3 credit hours
Select one course from the following:
| | Environmental Engineering Capstone Project II | 3 |
| EGR 484 | Multi-disciplinary Capstone Project II | 3 |
Dual degrees within engineering: Students completing dual degrees within the Shiley School have two options for completing the Capstone requirements: 1) The student takes EGR 483 and EGR 484 and the student’s contributions to the capstone project include both disciplines, or 2) The student takes both discipline-specific 483 and 484 courses.
Environmental Engineering Electives - 6 credit hours
Select two courses from the following:
Does not include CE 48x courses. Must be taken for a grade A - F.
A one-time course offering may fulfill the Environmental Engineering elective requirements. Please confirm eligible yearly course offerings with the program chair.
ABET Credit minima: 30 credit hours of math and science and 45 credit hours of engineering.
Total Credit Hours: 121-122