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Environmental Engineering BS

(HEGIS: 09.22 ENVIRONMENT&SANITARY ENG, CIP: 14.1401 Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering)

Why study Environmental Engineering BS at UB?

Environmental engineers work at the interface of society and the natural world to protect human health and the integrity of ecosystems. Top priorities include delivering safe drinking water, improving air quality, managing materials and waste, preventing and treating all forms of pollution, mitigating climate change, and restoring the Great Lakes and other natural water systems. Environmental engineers are increasingly concerned with promoting the values, principles, and practices of green and sustainable development. With interdisciplinary training that integrates environmental science, engineering, and policy, environmental engineers are uniquely positioned to address the traditional societal concerns of water and sanitation, as well as the global issues of environmental sustainability and climate change.

The Environmental Engineering BS program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET .

The curriculum is designed to meet program education objectives (PEOs) that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates within a few years after graduation. Graduates from BS Environmental Engineering program will:

  • Serve ethically with recognition of the diverse needs of society and the profession,
  • Become leaders in their profession,
  • Understand and advance the mission of their employer, and
  • Continue their professional development, including professional licensure, continuing education and/or graduate study.

Learning Outcomes

The curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop the following knowledge, skills, and behaviors by the time of graduation:

  • 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.

The Learning Environment

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers 11 engineering programs leading to the degree of bachelor of science (BS) degree: aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, engineering science, environmental, industrial, material science, and mechanical engineering.

Seven combined BS/MBA programs are offered in conjunction with the School of Management. BA, BS, and BS/MS degrees in computer science are offered through the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. BS/MS degrees are offered through the Departments of Biomedical and Electrical Engineering. A BS degree in engineering physics is offered jointly with the Department of Physics. A BS degree in bioinformatics and computational biology is an interdisciplinary program offered jointly with the College of Arts and Sciences. Minors are offered in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing, Robotics, Human Factors and Ergonomics Engineering, Operations Research, and Quality Engineering. Additionally, a certificate is offered in Data Intensive Computing. The Department of Materials Design and Innovation (MDI) has the only joint-accelerated Chemistry BS/MDI MS program in the nation, which allows students to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in less than five years.

The curricula allow students flexibility in their programs of study and encourages interaction between students and faculty. The undergraduate educational experience prepares students for professional practice and advanced study. Special programs including our experiential learning program, undergraduate research, and internship opportunities provide professional development skills and experiences and facilitate placement of our graduates in high-quality engineering positions.

About Our Facilities

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences occupies six buildings on UB's north campus: Bell, Bonner, Davis, Furnas, Jarvis, and Ketter Hall.

Together, these buildings form an outstanding educational and research facility, comprising 275,000 square feet of laboratory and office space.

The Environmental Engineering BS program has dedicated teaching laboratories for lab experiences in pollutant analysis, environmental microbiology, fluid mechanics, hydraulics, and soil mechanics. In addition, the program has dedicated computing space with software specific to environmental engineering.

About Our Faculty

The Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering (CSEE) has 35 full-time faculty members (with PhD degrees) and two Professors of Practice, with 11 faculty specializing in environmental and water resources engineering. Our faculty members are actively engaged in teaching, research, and service, and have received national and international recognition from the most influential environmental and civil engineering organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. CSEE faculty members also have been recognized for teaching, research, and creativity across the extensive SUNY system, including three SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Teaching and three SUNY Distinguished Professorships, the highest SUNY rank.

Faculty List Directory

Please visit the Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering department website for additional information about our faculty.

Career Outlook

Environmental engineers choose from a broad spectrum of employment opportunities in private consulting firms, industry, governmental agencies, and research/development. BS graduates also have the skills and most prerequisites to pursue further education in law, management, public health or other professional fields.

Graduates of our Environmental Engineering program find employment in consulting engineering firms, government, and industry. Companies and agencies who routinely recruit our graduates include: AECOM, Arcadis, Buffalo Sewer Authority, CH2M Hill, Ecology and Environment, Erie County Water Authority, GHD, Golder Associates, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, O'Brien & Gere, Parsons Engineering Science, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Although BS graduates enjoy a substantial number of employment opportunities, some employers encourage an MS degree for environmental engineering careers.Thus, many of our students elect to continue their studies at the graduate level, including the traditional UB program in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, and the recently established program in Engineering Sustainability.

Typical starting salary: $66,000.

Academic Advising

Students obtain academic advice and guidance from the academic advisors in the SEAS Office of Undergraduate Education (410 Bonner Hall) and from faculty advisors in their program of study. The Office of Undergraduate Education advises all students throughout their first two years of study. In the junior and senior years, students seek advisement primarily from departmental faculty advisors.

Students are required to meet with their faculty advisor to register for some required courses in the fall and spring semesters of the junior and senior year. The principal role of the faculty advisor is to assist students in choosing courses to complete their degree requirements in a timely fashion with a manageable workload. Faculty advisors also provide general advice concerning career specialization, employment opportunities, graduate school, and other academic and professional issues.

Academic Advising Contact Information

SEAS Office of Undergraduate Education

410 Bonner Hall

North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-1900

Phone: 716-645-2774

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Website

Students meet with their faculty advisor to register in the fall and spring semesters of the junior and senior year, or as needed. The faculty advisor assist students in choosing courses to complete their degree requirements in a timely fashion with a manageable workload, with attention to their individual interests. Faculty advisors also provide general advice concerning career specialization, employment opportunities, graduate school, and other academic and professional issues.

Eva McGovern, Undergraduate Academic Coordinator, 212 Ketter Hall, Phone: 716-645-4352, email Eva McGovern

Alan J. Rabideau, Director of Undergraduate Studies, 228 Jarvis Hall, Phone: 716-645-4003, email Alan J. Rabideau

Departmental faculty advisor list.

Scholarships and Financial Support

There are many scholarships, fellowships and other funding opportunities available for students accepted into the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. These include recruitment scholarships and annual scholarships/awards for current students. There are both merit and need-based scholarships.

View School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Scholarships

All scholarships are currently offered through UB's scholarship portal

In addition to the SES Scholarships, the CSEE department offers several merit- and need-based scholarships. In some cases, students engaged in Undergraduate Research may receive a stipend for working in a faculty-led project.

Associated Programs

Associated Subjects

 
Published: Nov 16, 2022 15:55:38