As one of the most beautiful places anywhere, British Columbia is an ideal location to pursue an Environmental Engineering degree.
UBC offers two Environmental Engineering Programs, one is entirely at UBC's Vancouver campus and the other is jointly offered by the University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George) and UBC's Vancouver campus.
Environmental Engineering at UBC's Vancouver campus (4 years)
You'll study engineering problems from the perspective of maintaining and improving ecosystem health, addressing climate change and improving biodiversity. In practice, Environmental Engineers solve problems that the world faces related to waste treatment, reuse and recycling, the mitigation of air and water pollution, and remediation of contaminated sites. The program focuses on issues of the environment; from small scales, such as addressing site-specific concerns, to regional regulations, to global scales, such as by modelling future environmental impacts that inform government policies.
You can expect combined classroom interactions with professors and peers, team-based projects, and hands-on learning in laboratories. Students gain valuable field work experiences within local municipalities and also with UBC’s world-class sustainable infrastructure features, via the “campus as a living lab” program.
Vancouver Campus
Learn more at You UBC's program page or visit us at environmental.engineering.ubc.ca
Learn more about Environmental Engineering at UBC
Environmental Engineering offered jointly at UNBC and UBC's Vancouver campus (4.5 years)
You’ll learn how to make a difference to air, land, water and living systems in this high-demand profession. Industries like pulp and paper, agriculture, fisheries, oil and gas, forestry and mining all rely on the skills of environmental engineers to lower their footprint, develop clean-energy technologies and minimize pollution. Our curriculum features green engineering, waste-water and air pollution control technologies, geo- and mining environmental engineering, fluid dynamics and industrial process design.
This program is jointly offered between the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and UBC, in a four-and-a-half-year format. Students spend years 1 and 2 at UNBC's Prince George campus, complete years 3 and 4 at UBC's Vancouver campus, and then spend one final semester at UNBC.
Learn more at You UBC's program page or visit us at enve.ubc.ca
Why study this program
Environmental Engineering graduates are able to work in a variety of different fields. Common areas of focus include wastewater management, air and water pollution control, contaminated soil remediation and contaminant transport, recycling and resource recovery, environmental assessment and environmental law.
Courses & specializations
Students will first complete a foundational first year of engineering and then take specialized courses beginning in the second year, once they are placed into their engineering discipline. Here is a sample of the courses Environmental Engineering students can take in each year of study:
Sample courses
| Year 2 | |
|---|---|
| CHBE 241_V | Material and Energy Balances |
| CIVL 204_V | Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering |
| ENVE 200_V | Environmental Engineering Design and Decision Making |
| ENVE 203_V | Environmental Engineering and Sustainability |
| Year 3 | |
|---|---|
| CHBE 373_V | Water and Wastewater Technology and Engineering |
| CIVL 315_V | Fluid Mechanics II |
| CHBE 485_V | Air Pollution Prevention and Control |
| ENVE 301_V | Environmental Engineering Intermediate Design Project |
| Year 4 | |
|---|---|
| CHBE 483_V | Energy Engineering |
| CIVL 402_V | Professionalism and Law in Civil Engineering |
| CIVL 416_V | Environmental Hydraulics |
| EOSC 329_V | Quantitative Groundwater Hydrology |
For a more in-depth look at the curriculum, please consult the Academic Calendar and course descriptions.
Enhance Your Education (further education)
Environmental Engineering graduates looking to continue their education can pursue professional programs and graduate studies. The analytical and problem-solving skills students gain from an undergraduate engineering degree translate well into the qualities needed for Medical and Law School. These students also make strong candidates for UBC’s Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy Engineering, Integrated Water Management, or Sustainable Process Engineering which offers a unique combination of business and engineering courses for students looking to further their studies in sustainable solutions.
Careers
With a mean base salary of $87,446 (source) and the growing need to reduce carbon emissions across a variety of sectors, graduates of Environmental Engineering are well equipped to pursue careers in environmental consulting firms, government agencies, resource industries, and agriculture. Common career titles (source) for Environmental Engineering graduates include: water project engineer, irrigation and drainage engineer, ocean engineer, pollution control engineer, public health engineer, systems treatment engineer, air quality engineer, environmental process design engineer, hazardous waste management engineer, waste management specialist, water quality specialist and more.
Employers
Both current students and graduates are able to work for a wide range of employers. Some of the biggest employers of Environmental Engineering students over the past several years include: Hatch, Metro Vancouver, Thurber Engineering, Golder Associates, SNC Lavalin, Teck Resources, and Northwest Hydraulics.
Student Experiences
Alumni
Behind the Career video: WHAT DO ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS DO?!?
Design Team & Clubs
Design Teams
There are over 30 Engineering Design Teams at UBC. Joining an engineering design team is an excellent opportunity for students from all disciplines to collaborate on a wide variety of design projects and gain relevant teamwork, leadership, and technical skills transferrable to future careers. Design teams related to Environmental Engineering include:
UBC’s Engineering Design Teams
Clubs
There are many ways engineering students can get involved, including joining clubs relevant to their discipline. Clubs relevant to Environmental Engineering include:
UBC Environmental Engineering Student Association
Research
Undergraduate students can have the opportunity to participate in research projects being conducted in Environmental Engineering laboratories and research groups. Research within the department focuses on developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges and creating healthy land, water, and air. Topics of research within the department include:
- Carbon Capture and Storage
- Transform technologies to capture, utilize, and store carbon dioxide and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects explore innovative approaches to carbon capture and conversion, as well as technologies that can support the transition toward sustainable energy systems.
- Transform technologies to capture, utilize, and store carbon dioxide and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects explore innovative approaches to carbon capture and conversion, as well as technologies that can support the transition toward sustainable energy systems.
- Clean Water
- Work focuses on providing safe and clean water through innovative water treatment and purification technologies. Projects may explore drinking water quality, emerging contaminants, wastewater treatment, advanced oxidation and reduction processes, membrane and electrochemical technologies, and sustainable access to clean water for communities
- Work focuses on providing safe and clean water through innovative water treatment and purification technologies. Projects may explore drinking water quality, emerging contaminants, wastewater treatment, advanced oxidation and reduction processes, membrane and electrochemical technologies, and sustainable access to clean water for communities
- Pollution Control
- Researchers are developing technologies and processes to prevent, control, and remediate environmental pollution. Projects investigate biological, chemical, and engineering approaches to addressing pollutants and reducing their impacts on land, water, and air.
- Researchers are developing technologies and processes to prevent, control, and remediate environmental pollution. Projects investigate biological, chemical, and engineering approaches to addressing pollutants and reducing their impacts on land, water, and air.
- Sustainability
- Research in this area focuses on developing sustainable technologies and approaches that address environmental challenges while supporting long-term resource management. Projects span areas such as green engineering, sustainable materials and processes, resource recovery, clean energy, and the development of environmentally sustainable systems.
- Research in this area focuses on developing sustainable technologies and approaches that address environmental challenges while supporting long-term resource management. Projects span areas such as green engineering, sustainable materials and processes, resource recovery, clean energy, and the development of environmentally sustainable systems.
Minors and Dual Degrees
Engineering students are able to complement their studies with 5 Minors or a Dual Degree with Arts. Students interested in a minor can apply to their chosen option in their third year of study. A minor or dual degree will likely extend your degree past 5 years.
Co-op
Participation in the Engineering Co-op Education program gives students the opportunity to gain up to 20 months of paid relevant work experience during their degree. This experience provides an excellent opportunity for students to explore different industries, apply their studies to the working world, and create connections with future employers. The Co-op program will extend your four-year degree to five years. Participation is optional and students apply to join Co-op in their second year of study.
International Experiences
Students can embark on an unforgettable experience abroad while earning credits towards their engineering studies. Opportunities include the Coordinated International Experience (CIE) exchange program, the Go Global exchange program, and the Global Engineering Leadership courses. The CIE program is customized for Applied Science students and features 18 international partner institutions across 3 regions. All of the international experiences allow students to build an international network of peers, professors, and potential employers.
