Graduate Programs
Degrees Offered Within Environmental Engineering
 The
objective of Environmental Engineering study and research at Berkeley
is determined by the degree goal. The Master
of Science (M.S.) degree provides fundamental education in
environmental engineering, science and design. This prepares the
graduate for professional practice or for advanced study leading
to a doctoral degree. The Master of
Engineering (M.Eng.) degree extends beyond the M.S. and includes
an engineering project along with additional coursework. The M.Eng
prepares students for a professional engineering career. The program
leading to a doctoral degree (Ph.D.)
develops engineer-scientists, capable of creative and scholarly
achievement in professional practice, engineering education and
research.
The Environmental Engineering program encourages applicants from
both engineering and non-engineering disciplines. A substantial
fraction of our graduate students have backgrounds in fields other
than engineering. As a minimum, we expect all applicants to have
strong college level basic science and engineering fundamentals
in mathematics (2 years including calculus, linear algebra and differential
equations), physics (1 year), chemistry (1 semester), engineering
statics, and computer programming. Courses in these fundamentals
may be taken as part of a degree program or as extension courses.
In order for graduate courses to cover the material at an appropriate
level, students are expected to have completed upper division course
work in fluid mechanics (equivalent to CE 100), environmental engineering
(CE 111), and at least one course in either hydrology (CE 103),
groundwater (CE 173), or aquatic chemistry (CE 115). These
prerequisite
courses may be taken during graduate study at Berkeley, but they
cannot be counted as part of the degree program. Applicants with
non-engineering undergraduate degrees are encouraged to consult
an admissions officer regarding these prerequisites if they have
any questions.
MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE
The M.S. degree is configured
to provide a broad foundation in environmental engineering with sufficient
breadth to allow adaptability in both professional or research applications.
-
The Master of Science
in Engineering degree is for students with a B.S. degree in an
accredited engineering curriculum. This program emphasizes the analysis
and solution of engineering problems. The student is normally in residence
for 2 semesters.
-
The Master of Science
in Engineering Science degree is open to B.S. or B.A. graduates
in non-engineering fields. The program emphasizes the fundamental scientific
principles of engineering. The student is normally in residence for 2 to
3 semesters.
Either of the Master of Science
programs can be carried out under two plans:
- Plan I requires a minimum of 20 units course work and a thesis. Of
the 20 units, 8 must be graduate courses in the major; of these
8 units, no more than 4 units can be for individual study and
research. The remaining 12 units may be approved graduate and
advanced undergraduate courses.
- Plan II requires a minimum of 24 units course work and a comprehensive
examination. Of the 24 units, at least 12 must be graduate courses
in the major and no more than 4 of these units can be for individual
study and research. The remaining 12 units may be approved graduate
and advanced undergraduate courses.
Core Requirement
The Environmental Engineering
Core is divided into air quality, environmental fluid mechanics, hydrology,
and water quality. To ensure substantial depth and breadth in environmental
engineering, each Plan II (non-thesis) program of study must include at
least three courses from the following list. Courses must be taken
from a least three areas to satisfy the Core Requirement:
-
Air Quality:
-
CE 218A
Air Quality Engineering (Fall, 3 units)
-
Environmental Fluid Mechanics:
- CE 200A Environmental Fluid Mechanics (Fall,
3 units)
-
Hydrology:
-
CE 202B
Geostatistics and Stochastic Hydrogeology (Spring, 3 units)
-
Water Quality (Only one can be counted as satisfying a core requirement):
-
CE 211A
Environmental Physical-Chemical Processes (Fall, 3 units)
-
CE 211B
Environmental Biological Porcesses (Spring, 3 units)
This core reflects a commitment
by the faculty to provide a rigorous and well taught program that fully
reflects the breadth of environmental engineering while permitting some
specialization. Additional courses available within the program and across
the campus provide unparalleled opportunities for designing a unique program
of study according to the student's background and interests. Students
following Plan I for the M.S. are encouraged to satisfy the core requirements,
but are not required to do so. The individual FMH,
AQE, and WQE
areas of emphasis provide further information on suggested courses.
The masters comprehensive
examination is administered twice a year at the end of each semester. The
written examination consists of one question covering
prerequisite courses of the student's choice ( either hydrology or aquatic chemistry ), and three questions on core courses, chosen by the student from the
core classes listed above. Example questions
can be found here.
The majority of our graduate
students follow Plan II with the comprehensive exam and complete the M.S.
program in 2 semesters of full-time study.
A minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 in the graduate coursework is required to successfully complete any Masters degree.
MASTER OF ENGINEERING DEGREE
The Master of Engineering degree is available to
students who have satisfied the requirements for a B.S. degree in
engineering. The program requires 40 units of course work and research
including 16-20 technical units that satisfy the Core requirements
listed above, an 8 unit technical breadth area, and an 8 unit non-technical
breadth area. This degree normally takes 2 years to complete.
DOCTORAL DEGREE
Doctoral studies consist
of course work and independent research leading to a dissertation. Course
work includes topics within the major as well as 2 minors selected from
a wide variety of subjects on the Berkeley campus. Dissertation research
is designed and conducted in association with a faculty member. The normal
time for completion of a doctoral program in Environmental Engineering
is 5-6 years. The following doctoral degrees are available:
-
The Doctor of Philosophy
in Engineering (Ph.D.) degree is a research degree open to students
who have satisfied the equivalent of a B.S. degree in engineering.
-
The Doctor of Philosophy
in Engineering Science (Ph.D.) degree is a research degree in engineering
sciences open to students who hold a B.S. or B.A. degree in a subject other
than engineering.
-
The Doctor of Engineering
(D.Eng.) degree is a professional degree for study and research
emphasizing synthesis, design and professional practice, open to students
who have satisfied the equivalent of a B.S. degree in engineering.
Programs of study are individually
formulated for each student by consultation with a faculty guidance committee.
They are designed to develop strong fundamental skills that will assist
in the doctoral research and in future professional development.
Course work consists of a major in Environmental Engineering that corresponds
to the M.S. degree requirements and two minor areas appropriate to the
student's research area. Each program of study (FMH,
AQE, and WQE)
has at least 30 units from
the major and two minor fields. Possible minors are described under each
area of emphasis, and include: chemical engineering,
chemistry, engineering analysis, fluid mechanics, combustion, flow in porous
media, molecular biology, microbiology, biotechnology, molecular biology,
environmental resources policy and economics, soil sciences, ecology, earth
sciences, toxicology, and environmental health. The minimum GPA requirements
are 3.5/4.0 in the major and 3.0/4.0 in the minors.
Ph.D. candidates must
pass the Masters comprehensive exam with honors. During the second year
of graduate study, the student completes an oral preliminary examination
on the major area of course work. After completing all course work and
formulating a dissertation topic, the student takes a comprehensive oral
examination that covers the major and minor fields of study and a dissertation
proposal. Doctoral program applicants should contact faculty members to
discuss research interests and opportunities after viewing current research
topics described on faculty and
research group webpages.
Some of the current research
areas within the Environmental Engineering Program include characterizing
and improving indoor and atmospheric air quality; treatment processes for
drinking water, wastewater, and hazardous wastes; environmental chemistry;
quantification of contaminant transport processes in multimedia environments;
soil chemistry; chemical transformation reactions; subsurface thermal and
biological remediation technologies; identification and restoration of
degraded ecosystems; environmental microbiology; surface-water hydrology;
estuarine dynamics; mixing in the environment; sediment transport; environmental
fluid mechanics; coastal zone processes in estuaries and shorelines; numerical
modeling; turbulence; and atmospheric boundary layer processes.
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