Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Environmental Engineering Science MS Program

Understanding how pollutants move, react, and persist helps us find better ways to protect air, water, and soil. Michigan Tech’s MS in Environmental Engineering Science connects the study of these processes with environmental engineering practice. You’ll deepen your scientific understanding of environmental problems and apply that knowledge to evaluating contamination, preventing pollution, and examining treatment approaches.

The Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Who Is This Program For?

The master's in environmental engineering science program offers focused study in the application of environmental science to environmental engineering practice. This degree is especially suited to graduates in chemistry, biology, physics, geology, environmental science, or a related science field who want to pursue careers in environmental science. Work with the graduate program to customize a degree that builds on your previous undergraduate degree and helps you meet your professional goals.

What You'll Study

Working with your committee, you’ll shape your academic plan around an area of emphasis. Options include surface-water quality and water resources, environmental-systems modeling, environmental chemistry, pollution prevention, wastewater, solid and hazardous wastes, atmospheric systems and air-pollution control, and groundwater and subsurface remediation. Depending on your focus, you might investigate how contaminants behave in water and soil, use models to understand environmental systems, or examine processes for treating wastewater and restoring contaminated environments.

Where You'll Apply Your Knowledge and Skills

You could apply your environmental engineering science knowledge help organizations prevent pollution, manage environmental risks, and make informed decisions about treatment and remediation. These applications support work in environmental consulting firms, government agencies, and companies providing engineering services. Depending on your background and specialization, you could pursue roles such as environmental scientist, environmental specialist, or environmental consultant.

Delivery Options
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS

Environmental Engineering Science Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the environmental engineering science program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Environmental Engineering Science is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

MS, Environmental Engineering Science: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Environmental Engineering Science: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Environmental Engineering Science: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate Admissions. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Environmental Engineering Science

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about environmental engineering science at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Qingli Dai

Graduate Assistant

Angela Keranen

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your environmental engineering science MS. Sample areas include:

Air Quality
Subsurface Remediation
Surface Water Quality
Water Resources

View the full listing for this program.

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Using a holistic approach, our graduate admissions team reviews applications on an individual and ongoing basis. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, but you will need to upload them later.

Graduate Admissions Process

Applying to your graduate program is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. Please note that international applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps.

Graduate Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to your program as either a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program-Specific Requirements

Program Specific

2 Letters of Recommendation
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
No Additional Documents Accepted
GRE not required

International Students

TOEFL scores as of January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 5
- For tests taken before January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 100 iBT
IELTS: Recommended Overall Band Score of at least 7.0

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 4.5 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Recommended Deadlines

Fall Semester: January 15

Spring Semester: September 15

Summer Semester: February 15

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Specific

Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
No GRE required
Completed course plan

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

All majors upon program approval

The CEGE Accelerated MS Course Plan form is required for students pursuing an accelerated MS degree.

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. We offer over 125 graduate certificates, master's degrees, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Learn From and Work With

Our expert faculty have made our graduate program one of the best in the nation. You may collaborate with faculty in biological sciences, chemistry, forestry, math, physics, material science, geological engineering and sciences, chemical and mechanical engineering, and environmental policy to help get the entire picture.

Where You'll Study and Do Research

You'll have access to more than 43,000 square feet of research and teaching labs with state-of-the-art equipment for drinking water and wastewater treatment, organic and inorganic contaminant characterization, air- and water-quality monitoring, and sediment analysis. Lab spaces provide space from small-scale batch studies to large-scale simulations.

In addition, faculty and students regularly work on interdisciplinary research projects that interface with Sustainability; the Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences Institute; and the Center for Water and Society.

Faculty Spotlight

Eric Seagren

Eric Seagren
Professor, Civil and
Environmental Engineering

"Inspired by the challenge of harnessing naturally-occurring microbial processes to solve environmental problems."

Seagren applies environmental microbiology and engineering tools to investigate and solve challenges including biological wastewater treatment, bioremediation of contaminated subsurface environments, treatment of urban storm water runoff, and the improvement of the engineering properties of soils.

Program Faculty