Environmental Engineering (BEng)
Clean drinking water. Cleaner air. Land restored after damage. Environmental engineers solve these problems, and at ÈâÈ⴫ý you'll learn to design the systems that protect people and the planet.
Why choose this program?
Environmental engineering is one of the fastest-growing branches of the profession, and we'll help you master it at Atlantic Canada's #1 engineering school. You'll learn hands-on in our labs, gain paid co-op experience, and study in downtown Halifax.
Learn to design solutions to real environmental problems, from safe drinking water and wastewater treatment to waste management, soil and water quality, air quality, energy conservation and renewables. With one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in Canada, you'll learn directly from industry experts.
You can add three paid co-op work terms, and you'll work alongside researchers tackling problems that matter in our region and beyond, including groups like the Centre for Water Resources Studies.
Careers
Environmental engineers are in demand almost everywhere. As a graduate, you could work with energy companies and power utilities, environmental consulting firms, manufacturers of energy-efficient products, or government departments like Environment, Natural Resources, Forestry and Agriculture.
You might start in assessment, design, or monitoring roles and grow into project management, policy, or technical leadership. With 90+ co-op partners, students often receive full-time offers before they graduate, and co-op work terms count toward the experience needed to become a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
You build a career for a changing world. Environmental engineers are helping communities and industries respond to growing environmental challenges, from clean water and pollution control to renewable energy, waste management and environmental protection.
What you will learn
In the first two years of your degree, you'll complete the core engineering program. You can take this program either on the Sexton Campus in Halifax or the Agricultural Campus in Truro. You will study math, science, engineering science and design, developing a broad foundation in engineering.
Sample courses
Engineering Design and Graphics I
Engineering Chemistry I
Applied Linear Algebra
Applied Vector Calculus
Thermo-Fluid Engineering I
Applied Probability and Statistics
- Environmental and Industrial MicrobiologyÌý
- Environmental Measurement and Analysis
- Water and Wastewater TreatmentÌý
- Environmental Assessment and Management
- Design Project for Environmental Engineers I & II
Labs, design, and co-op
Hands-on learning runs through the program: you'll measure and analyze real environmental systems in our labs, working with contaminants in water, soil and air using tools like GIS and GPS. In your final year, you'll complete a senior design project on an environmental challenge. Choose the co-op stream to add three paid work terms, beginning in third year and typically lasting four months each.
Customize your degree
Tailor your BEng to your goals. Choose the four-year program or the five-year co-op stream, and use technical electives and your senior design project to focus on the environmental challenges that interest you most, from water and wastewater treatment to environmental assessment and management.
Optional five-year stream, three paid work terms, beginning in third year, typically four months each.Ìý
You'll graduate ready to protect the environment and public health through engineering, with skills that travel to industry, consulting, government and research, locally or around the world.
Admission requirements
Minimum admission requirements
To be considered for admission to this program, you must meet minimum academic criteria:
- Completion of secondary school (Grade 12)
- Achievement of the minimum average for your program of choice.
- Completion of Grade 12 English (or equivalent course).
Admission to many ÈâÈ⴫ý programs is competitive. This means that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Program-specific admission requirements
- Minimum overall average: 70%
- Academic English 12
- Pre-calculus Math 12
- Academic Chemistry 12
- Academic Physics 12
- One additional academic subject
This program may employ a competitive average for admission purposes; meeting minimum posted requirements does not guarantee admission.
