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Environmental Engineering Concentration
Key takeaway: An environmental engineering concentration trains you to design systems that protect air, water, and soil while supporting sustainable infrastructure. It builds on the engineering core with courses in water treatment, environmental chemistry, and pollution control, and an online environmental engineering degree can make that coursework accessible without relocating.
An environmental engineering concentration applies engineering principles to environmental problems: cleaning contaminated water, controlling air emissions, managing waste, and designing infrastructure that meets public health and regulatory standards. Within an engineering program, it sits alongside disciplines like civil and chemical engineering, and it draws on chemistry, biology, fluid mechanics, and systems analysis more heavily than most other tracks. If you want engineering work tied directly to clean water, climate resilience, and environmental compliance, this concentration is the focused path toward it.
This page explains what the concentration covers, the degree levels it appears at, how it works in an online format, and who tends to thrive in it. Because program structures vary, treat the courses below as a representative sequence rather than a fixed checklist.
What you typically study
Environmental engineering coursework blends the engineering core with science-heavy electives focused on natural systems and pollution control. A typical concentration sequence includes the topics below.
| Course Topic | What You Learn |
|---|---|
| Environmental Chemistry | Chemical reactions in water, air, and soil, and how contaminants move and transform |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment | Process design for drinking water, sewage treatment, and effluent quality |
| Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology | Flow in pipes and channels, groundwater behavior, and stormwater modeling |
| Air Pollution Control | Emission sources, dispersion modeling, and control technologies |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | Landfill design, remediation, and waste minimization strategies |
| Environmental Microbiology | Biological treatment processes and the role of microorganisms in cleanup |
| Sustainability and Environmental Systems | Life-cycle analysis, renewable systems, and resource efficiency |
| Environmental Regulations and Policy | Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, permitting, and compliance frameworks |
| Capstone or Design Project | An applied project integrating treatment design, modeling, and reporting |
Many programs pair these courses with a laboratory or field component covering water quality sampling, treatment process testing, and instrumentation. Online students often complete lab requirements through virtual simulations, take-home kits, or short on-campus residencies, so confirm how a specific program handles hands-on work before enrolling.
Who this concentration fits
An environmental engineering concentration is a strong match if you are motivated by public health, conservation, and regulatory problem-solving, and you enjoy the science side of engineering. Consider this track if you:
- Want engineering work with a direct environmental or sustainability mission.
- Like chemistry and biology as much as math and physics.
- Are drawn to water resources, treatment systems, or remediation.
- Want to work with regulatory agencies, consulting firms, or municipal utilities.
- Prefer projects that combine field data, modeling, and design.
It may be a weaker fit if you prefer purely mechanical or electronic design, or if you want minimal lab and field involvement. In those cases, a mechanical engineering concentration or another track within the program may align better with your interests.
Degree levels for this concentration
The environmental engineering concentration appears at several degree levels, and the right entry point depends on your background and goals.
- Associate level: An associate engineering degree builds math, science, and introductory engineering foundations. Few schools offer a full environmental specialization at this level, but it transfers efficiently into a bachelor’s program.
- Bachelor’s level: A bachelor’s in engineering is the standard credential where the environmental concentration is fully developed, including treatment design, hydrology, and regulatory coursework.
- Master’s level: A master’s in engineering deepens specialization in areas like advanced water treatment, air quality modeling, or environmental management, and supports roles requiring research or leadership.
- Certificates: Graduate and professional certificates let working engineers add environmental coursework without a full degree.
For a complete view of how these levels connect and what each prepares you for, see the engineering curriculum overview and the broader engineering concentrations page.
Studying environmental engineering online
An online engineering degree format works well for the lecture-based portion of this concentration: environmental chemistry, hydrology, regulations, and design coursework all translate to asynchronous video, modeling software, and digital submissions. The main consideration is laboratory and field requirements, which programs handle in different ways.
When comparing programs, weigh these factors:
- Lab delivery. Ask whether labs are virtual, kit-based, or require on-campus residencies, and how sampling and water-quality testing are covered.
- Accreditation. ABET accreditation matters for licensure as a professional engineer; verify it before enrolling. See the engineering accreditation guide.
- Software access. Confirm you will get access to modeling tools for hydrology, dispersion, and treatment design.
- Schedule flexibility. Compare self-paced and cohort options against your work commitments. The online format guide explains common delivery models.
- Licensure path. Environmental engineers often pursue the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Professional Engineer (PE) credentials; make sure the curriculum supports them.
For a side-by-side look at remote versus in-person tradeoffs, the online vs. campus comparison is a useful next read.
Questions to ask before choosing this concentration
- How many courses are required versus elective, and how much flexibility exists?
- Are the labs and field components compatible with online study?
- Is the program ABET-accredited for licensure eligibility?
- Does the concentration include a capstone or applied design project?
- Are there prerequisites in chemistry, biology, or fluid mechanics?
- Is the concentration offered in your preferred start term and pace?
Quick Answers
What is an environmental engineering concentration?
It is a focused set of courses within an engineering program that applies engineering to environmental problems such as water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, waste management, and sustainability. It combines engineering fundamentals with environmental chemistry, biology, and regulatory coursework.
Can you earn an environmental engineering degree online?
Yes. Much of the coursework, including chemistry, hydrology, regulations, and design, adapts well to online delivery. The key variable is how a program handles labs and field requirements, which may use virtual simulations, take-home kits, or short on-campus residencies.
What courses are in an environmental engineering concentration?
Common courses include environmental chemistry, water and wastewater treatment, fluid mechanics and hydrology, air pollution control, solid and hazardous waste management, environmental microbiology, sustainability systems, and environmental regulations, usually capped by a design project.
What degree level do I need for environmental engineering?
A bachelor’s degree is the standard credential where the concentration is fully developed. Associate degrees provide a transferable foundation, while master’s degrees and certificates support specialization or career advancement for working engineers.
Does an online environmental engineering degree need to be accredited?
For most engineering careers and for professional licensure, ABET accreditation is important. Verify a program’s accreditation status before enrolling, since it affects eligibility for the FE and PE exams.
How is environmental engineering different from civil engineering?
Environmental engineering emphasizes pollution control, treatment systems, and environmental chemistry and biology, while civil engineering focuses more broadly on structures, transportation, and infrastructure. The two overlap heavily in water resources and are often offered within the same department.
Next Steps
- Review all tracks on the engineering concentrations page to compare focus areas.
- Compare a related specialization with the civil engineering concentration.
- Explore accredited options through online colleges and build study habits with our learning resources.
Back to Engineering Concentrations
Data verified: June 27, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.