A master’s degree in Environmental Engineering allows students to build advanced technical expertise in the protection of human health and the environment through the analysis, design, and improvement of environmental systems. Graduate study at Michigan Tech helps students deepen their skills in treatment processes, environmental chemistry, water quality modeling, biotechnology, and sustainable engineering.
This degree is a strong next step for students who want to specialize, strengthen their technical problem-solving skills, and prepare for advanced roles in environmental consulting, utilities, regulatory agencies, and research.
What Makes Graduate Study Different?
Graduate-level study goes beyond undergraduate fundamentals by emphasizing deeper analysis, advanced modeling tools, and greater independence in solving open-ended environmental challenges. In this program, students build on their undergraduate background to address complex problems involving contaminants, treatment performance, watershed systems, air quality, and sustainability across interconnected environmental media.
Advanced Skills You’ll Build
- Develop advanced knowledge of water and wastewater treatment processes.
- Analyze atmospheric chemistry and air quality issues affecting environmental and public health.
- Model water quality in rivers, lakes, and groundwater systems.
- Study nutrient and contaminant cycling, transformation, and impacts in air, water, and soil.
- Examine hydrology and watershed-scale environmental systems.
- Explore environmental biotechnology applications in treatment and remediation.
- Apply sustainable engineering principles to environmental challenges.
- Participate in hands-on research focused on solving real-world environmental problems.
How a Master's Degree Can Support Your Career
Technical Specialization
Develop deeper expertise in treatment processes, water quality, environmental chemistry, and sustainable systems.
Career Advancement
Prepare for advanced roles in environmental consulting, water and wastewater utilities, regulatory agencies, and technical analysis.
Research and Innovation
Strengthen your ability to contribute to emerging solutions in environmental biotechnology, sustainability, and environmental protection.
A Strong Option for Current Michigan Tech Students
For Michigan Tech undergraduates, pursuing the MSCE in Environmental Engineering can be an efficient way to gain additional specialization while continuing to build on the faculty connections, technical foundation, and momentum you already have.
- Deepen your expertise in environmental systems and treatment technologies.
- Strengthen your preparation for consulting, utility, regulatory, and research careers.
- Build advanced technical skills in modeling, analysis, and sustainable engineering.
- Continue developing the specialized knowledge that can help distinguish you in a competitive job market.
Sample Course Plan
This sample course plan is a sample, and adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes. Students should work with their advisor to develop their individual plan. A full list of graduate course descriptions is available.
Assumed Student Background
The sample course plan shown below was designed assuming that a student has taken
as an undergraduate (as a
minimum)
- CEE 3501 (Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering), or CEE3503 (Introduction to Environmental Engineering), or equivalent
- BL 3310 (Environmental Microbiology), or equivalent
- CEE 3620 Water Resources Engineering or equivalent
- CEE 4501 (Environmental Engineering Chemical Processes), or equivalent
- CEE 4502 (Wastewater Treatment Principles and Design), or equivalent
- CEE 4503 (Drinking Water Treatment Principles and Design), or equivalent
If not previously taken, CEE 3501/3503 and at least three of these courses should
replace 12 out of the 15
credits of Specialization courses because they are necessary background and/or prerequisites for other courses
listed.
Requirements: Minimum 30 credits (12 maximum credits at 3000-4000 level; 18 credits at 5000 level)
Core Requirement
3 credits required
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 5501 – Environmental Process Engineering | 3 | Fall |
Differentiation
12 credits required
Engineered Systems
One course required
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 5502 – Environmental Process Engineering | 3 | Fall |
| CEE 5503 – Physical-Chemical Treatment Processes | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 5521 – Bioremediation Engineering | 3 | Spring (alt) |
Modeling
One course required
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 5504 – Water Quality Modeling in Natural Systems | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 5520 – Introduction to Hydrodynamic Modeling | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 5625 - River & Floodplain Hydraulics | 3 | Fall |
| CEE 5630 – Advanced Hydrology | 3 | Spring (alt) |
Natural Systems
One course required
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 5508 – Global Biogeochemistry | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| CEE 5509 – Transport and Transf. of Org. Pollutants | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| CEE 5512 – Applied Boundary Layer Meteorology | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| CH 5515 – Atmospheric Chemistry | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 5518 – Aquatic Biogeochemistry | 3 | Fall (alt) |
Water Resources
One course required
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 5640 – Stormwater Management and LID | 3 | Summer |
| CEE 5665 – Stream Restoration | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 5666—Water Resources Planning and Management | 3 | On Demand |
| CEE 5993 – Engineering with Developing Communities | 2 | On Demand |
Specialization
15 credits required, taken from the courses listed above and not used for Differentiation, and those listed below.
Additional CEE Graduate Electives
Besides those listed above:
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| CEE 4505 – Surface Water Quality Engineering | 3 | Fall |
| CEE 4506 – Sustainable Engineering | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 4507 – Water Distribution & Wastewater Collection | 3 | Spring |
| CEE 4511 – Solid & Hazardous Waste Engineering | 3 | Fall, Summer |
| CEE 5510 – Practical Applications and Analytical Techniques | Variable to 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5560 – Advanced Topics in Air Quality Engineering | Variable to 4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5561 – Advanced Topics in Biological Processes | Variable to 4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5562 – Advanced Topics in Phys.-Chem. Processes | Variable to 4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5563 – Advanced Topics in Surf. Water Quality Engineering | Variable to 4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5590 – Special Topics in Environmental Engineering | Variable to 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 5690 – Special Topics in Water Resources | Variable to 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CEE 3710 – Uncertainty Analysis in Engineering | 3 | Fall |
| CEE 4620 – River and Floodplain Hydraulics | 3 | Fall |
| CEE 4640 – Stormwater Management and LID | 3 | Summer |
| CEE 5620 – Stochastic Hydrology | 3 | Spring (alt) |
Sample Non-CEE Graduate Electives
| Course | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| BL 4020 – Biochemistry II | 3 | Spring, Summer |
| BL 4030 – Molecular Biology | 3 | Fall, Summer |
| BL 4120 – Environmental Remediation and Toxicology | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| BL 4450 – Limnology | 3 | Spring |
| BL 4840 – Molecular Biology Techniques | 3 | Fall |
| BL 5030 – Molecular Biology | 3 | Fall, Summer |
| BL 5120 – Environmental Remediation | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| CH 3510 – Physical Chemistry I | 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CH 3511 – Physical Chemistry Lab I | 2 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| CH 4210 – Instrumental Analysis (lecture) | 3 | Fall |
| CH 4211 – Instrumental Analysis (lab) | 5 | Fall |
| CH 4430 – Intermediate Organic Chemistry | 3 | Fall |
| CM 4710 – Biochemical Processes | 3 | Fall (alt) |
| CM 5200 – Advanced CM Thermodynamics | 3 | Fall |
| CM 5300 – Advanced Transport Phenomena | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| ENG 5515 – Sustainable Futures I | 3 | Fall |
| ENG 5525 – Sustainable Futures II | 3 | Spring |
| FW 4220 – Wetlands | 4 | Fall |
| FW 4370 – Forest and Landscape Hydrology | 3 | Spring |
| FW 4540 – Remote Sensing of the Environment | 3 | Fall |
| FW 5115 – Restoration Ecology | 3 | Spring (alt) |
| GE 3850 – Geohydrology | 3 | Fall, Spring |
| GE 4250 – Fundamentals of Remote Sensing | 3 | Spring |
| GE 4800 – Groundwater Engineering | 3 | On Demand |
This course plan is meant to serve as a sample for a student interested in pursuing a coursework-only MSCE degree. This plan may not be appropriate for all students, nor is it necessary for a student to follow this schedule to earn a coursework-only degree. Student-specific goals and prior education must be considered and consultation with faculty members is required. Consult with instructors before enrolling in courses that are outside of the Department to ensure that the course will be consistent with your goals and background since sometimes other courses may provide more value to the student. All MSCE degree requirements and rules set forth by the Department and the Graduate School must be met in order for a student to finish the program.