In-depth knowledge in environmental engineering is essential for professional practice as well as for research. Full-time faculty members with a range of academic and professional practice experience as well as by adjunct instructors who are experts in their field teach the courses. Those students interested in research at the master's level or continuing their education at the doctoral level should consider working with faculty involved in one of the university's related major research centers.

Admission Requirements:
Applicants are expected to have an undergraduate degree in engineering or its equivalent. Students who lack an appropriate undergraduate background may be granted conditional admission in order to complete a bridge program or its equivalent. These courses are taken in addition to regular degree requirements; descriptions may be found in the undergraduate catalog.

Bridge Program: Students who lack appropriate background are asked to make up deficiencies by taking a program of courses, including any prerequisites, that is designed in consultation with graduate advisors. See the undergraduate catalog for description of bridge courses. These courses are taken in addition to the degree requirements:

Seminar: In addition to the minimum 30 degree credits required, all students who receive departmental or research-based awards must enroll each semester in EnE 791 Graduate Seminar.

Required:
12 credits as follows:

Thesis:
Required of those receiving departmental awards; elective for all others.

Admission Requirements:
A minimum master's GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent, is normally required for admission. The GRE (general section) is required of all applicants. All international students must also achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (pencil and paper) and 213 (computer-based).

Degree Requirements:
The department approves specific degree requirements and dissertation topics on an individual basis. Students must attain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. Students must conduct independent original research in a specific area of environmental engineering. Students must select an advisor willing to supervise dissertation work.

36 credits minimum of EnE 790 Doctoral Dissertation is generally required. These 36 credits should be completed before submission of the final dissertation document. Students must register for a minimum of 3 credits of EnE 790 until the dissertation has been submitted and accepted.

24 credits minimum of course work beyond the master's degree is required, of which at least 12 credits must be at the 700 level; the remaining credits may be at the 600 level.

Seminar: EnE 791 Graduate Seminar is required for all doctoral students every semester.

Preliminary Qualifying Examination: Full-time students must take the preliminary qualifying examination for the first time within one year of beginning active study and must pass it completely by the next time the examination is offered. Part-time students must take the preliminary qualifying examination for the first time within three years of the beginning of active study and must pass it completely by the next time it is offered. Exceptional students having only bachelor's degrees who are admitted directly into the doctoral program must take the preliminary qualifying examination within one and one-half years of admission and must pass it within two years. All students are permitted to take the examination only twice.

Dissertation Committee: After passing the preliminary qualifying examination, each student in consultation with the major faculty member develops a list of five faculty members who have agreed to serve on an advisory committee as follows: two or three members of the graduate faculty in the student's major area of interest; a member of the graduate faculty in the student's major area appointed by the department chairperson; a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from another field of interest; a member of the graduate faculty from the area of the student's minor field of interest.

Research Proposal: Doctoral students must prepare a written research proposal and make an oral presentation for approval by their dissertation committee. The proposal must be presented after formation of the committee but within six months after passing the qualifying examination. Research is expected to investigate or develop a unique contribution to science and technology.

Dissertation Defense: An oral defense of the dissertation is required after submission of the final document to the department for approval. Signatures of all members of the dissertation committee must be received for final approval to be granted.