Environmental Engineering Specialty
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
B.S. Degree Curriculum and Programs
at the
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado USA
1. The Environmental Science and Engineering Division
The Environmental Science and Engineering Division (ESE) offers graduate programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees and supports several B.S. degree programs. The programs of study are interdisciplinary in scope and designed to prepare students to investigate and analyze environmental systems as well as evaluate and design natural and engineered solutions to protect, preserve, and benefit from the earth's resources. ESE faculty and staff are diverse in their backgrounds and expertise, spanning civil and environmental engineering, environmental chemistry, soil science, hydrology, ecology, microbiology, toxicology, and environmental law. Students in ESE have varied backgrounds encompassing the physical and life sciences and most engineering disciplines, and they come to ESE from across the U.S. and abroad. ESE prides itself in the diversity of faculty, staff, and students within the Program and the strong interaction that occurs among them encompassing both intellectual and social aspects of the university educational experience. Given below are highlights of the B.S. degree curriculum and program options; additional information may be obtained from the ESE Main Office in Coolbaugh Hall 206 or by visiting ESE’s website at: http://www.mines.edu/academic/envsci).
2. Environmental Science and Engineering as a Career Path
Today, environmental science and engineering has become a recognized discipline. Environmental engineering is a recognized specialty of engineering practice. Education in ESE offers opportunities to work in many areas including water supply, wastewater treatment, storm water management, solid and hazardous waste management, air pollution control, remediation of contaminated land, toxic materials control, industrial hygiene and public health, and land management. You can be involved in investigations to analyze environmental and public health problems, studies to develop physical and mathematical models of environmental systems, projects to plan, design, construct, and operate water and air quality control infrastructure, research to advance environmental science and technology, and efforts to shape public policy and develop environmental regulations (Figure 1). Beyond having expertise in science and technology, ESE professionals must understand public policy and government regulations, and be able to make risk-based decisions and communicate the results of their work effectively. ESE professionals have a broad range of career options that includes positions with local, regional, and national government agencies, nonprofit institutions, international organizations, environmental consulting firms, private industries, national laboratories, and universities. As an ESE professional you can have a wealth of opportunities regarding the type of work you do, for whom you work, and where you work. A career in ESE can provide a good salary, challenging work, and immense personal satisfaction.
A few examples of the wide variety of activities and projects that environmental engineers can become involved in include: (a) water resource monitoring and modeling, (b) membrane technology for water treatment,
(c, d) wastewater reclamation and reuse facilities, (e) cleanup of contaminated sites,
(f) reclamation of abandoned mine sites, (g) environmental process monitoring and controls,
and (h) basic and applied research.
3. ESE Curriculum and Degree Options for B.S. Students
Undergraduate students at CSM can pursue an education in environmental science and engineering through several programs and degree options as highlighted below.
Environmental Engineering Specialty in the Engineering Division. Students pursuing a B.S. degree in the Engineering Division at CSM may elect to specialize in the area of Environmental Engineering. In this program, students take a common core of classes during their first two years at CSM and then elect coursework within the environmental specialty that is delivered by ESE faculty. Information regarding the Engineering Division at CSM and the requirements of the Environmental Engineering Specialty is available in the CSM Undergraduate Bulletin or on the Engineering Division website at: http://egweb.mines.edu/.
Combined B.S. and M.S. Program. The combined B.S./M.S. Program offers CSM undergraduate students the opportunity to begin work on an M.S. degree while completing the requirements for their B.S. degree. The program serves as a valuable option for undergraduate students on a career path where advanced education in technology and/or management provides the opportunity to be on a fast track for advancement to leadership positions. The program also can be valuable for students who want to get a head start on graduate education. In this option, undergraduate students can apply up to six credit hours of specified course credits to fulfill requirements of both B.S. and M.S. degrees. Students may apply for early admission to the Combined Graduate Program any time after completing the first semester of their sophomore year at CSM. Senior standing students must submit the standard graduate application package for the graduate portion of their combined program. Additional information regarding the B.S./M.S. Program is provided in Section 5 of the CSM Undergraduate Bulletin (2005-2006).
Area of Special Interest or Minor. Undergraduate students who are pursuing B.S. degrees in various
departments and division at CSM can elect to complete an Area of Special Interest (ASI) or Minor program of study. The general requirements for undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing an Area of Special Interest (ASI) or Minor are prescribed by CSM to include the following:
An Area of Special Interest must consist of a minimum of 12 credit hours of a logical sequence of courses, only three hours of which may be taken at the 100- or 200-level.
A Minor Program of study must consist of a minimum of 18 credit hours of a logical sequence of courses, only three hours of which may be taken at the 100- or 200- level.
To satisfy the minimum credit-hour requirements for the ASI or Minor, all students pursuing an ASI or Minor in ESE are required to take the following two core courses:
ESGN/EGGN353. Fundamentals of Environmental Science and Engineering I (3 credits)
ESGN/EGGN354. Fundamentals of Environmental Science and Engineering II (3 credits)
Additional courses for the ASI or Minor sequence to yield 12 or 18 credit hours, respectively, must be selected from the following list of ESE approved courses:
ESGN401. Fundamentals of Ecology (3 credits)
ESGN440. Environmental Pollution: Sources, Characteristics, Transport and Fate (3 credits)
ESGN/EGGN453. Wastewater Engineering (3 credits)
ESGN/EGGN454. Water Supply Engineering (3 credits)
ESGN/EGGN456. Scientific Basis of Environmental Regulations (3 credits)
ESGN/EGGN457. Site Remediation Engineering (3 credits)
ESGN462. Solid Waste Minimization and Recycling (3 credits)
ESGN463. Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practice (3 credits)
A Minor Program / Area of Special Interest declaration (available in the CSM Registrar’s Office) should be submitted for approval prior to the student’s completion of half of the hours proposed to constitute the ASI or Minor program. Approvals are required the student’s advisor and the Department Head or Division Director in the department or division in which the student is enrolled, as well as from the Director of the Environmental Science and Engineering Division.
Bioengineering and Life Sciences Program. The Bioengineering and Life Sciences Program (BELS) is administered jointly by the Divisions of Environmental Science and Engineering, Engineering, and Liberal Arts and International Studies, and by the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Geochemistry, Geology and Geological Engineering, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and Physics. The mission of the BELS program is to offer Minors and Areas of Special Interest (ASI) at the undergraduate level, and support areas of specialization at the graduate level, as well as to enable research opportunities for CSM students in bioengineering and the life sciences. Further information regarding the BELS Program may be obtained by visiting: http://www.mines.edu/Academic/bels/.