Environmental Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I am currently in my second year engineering, so far the courses I have taken are all required in any engineering major. It has come down to the time where I have to decide where I want to go with my program.. and damn is it hard.</p>

<p>I liked the sounds of civil engineering so I was enrolled in their program. Then with my love for the outdoors and the environment I planned on taking the civil environmental option at my university, however, the courses in this program were 90% civil engineering anyway, and about 4 different courses were specific to environmental so I felt that the program was weak for someone wanting to be an environmental engineer.</p>

<p>So I just recently transferred departments, I am currently in Biosystems engineering, which also has an environmental option that has FAR more useful courses relevant to the environment. But I am worried, today there was a career fair at our faculty and it seemed everyone wanted civE's and mechE's... and any environmental engineering I brought up everyone just assumed I meant a branch of CivE. </p>

<p>Now my initial thinking is completely thrown off. If I take the CivE route it appears I have numerous opportunities available to me, even environmental if I so choose. But I had my mind set on learning far more about the environment by getting a degree in BioE. As soon as I say BioE everyone assumes BME or they don't know what I'm talking about... they assume BioE is less involved with water quality and pollution but it really isn't. I guess all I want to ask is....</p>

<p>Do you all think that environmental engineering is worthwhile to specializing in? I can only predict that the demand will grow, but it just seems easier to go with civil and play it safe. I would really rather not, as I find a lot of the civil courses boring, I am taking a statics class at the moment and its a damn joke. </p>

<p>As silly and immature as it sounds, I honestly just need to know my degree will be USED to its full potential in getting me a job RELEVANT to that degree.
I cannot put my heart into my studying if I feel I am wasting my time and effort... Obviously taking time off after high school would have given me the chance to explore possibilities, but I'd rather just get a degree and get my career started, whatever it is. I am a family man (all I need), I can be happy with lots of types of work. Its not like I won't be a happy person unless I work my "dream job" like people tell you. I want a good paycheck, an interesting field of work (which is why I am in eng, I am great in science and math and I love it), as do most people. </p>

<p>Sorry for the thesis length post. I would love to discuss this so lets hear what you have to say.</p>

2

<p>When I visited Penn State University Park the head civil engineering professor told me that most kids today are going into civil engineering. He thinks the greatest shortage will be in environmental engineers. He said civil engineering graduates can take some environmental engineering jobs so that will help, but those students who major in environmental engineering won't have trouble finding jobs (according to this professor). </p>

<p>Go where your interests lie. Environmental engineers will make more and have much better job stability in the future. In my opinion they are also benefiting mankind more then any other engineering profession (besides biomed)</p>

3

<p>Biosystems Engineering is a great field of study and one with ample employment opportunities. I have a good friend who is one, and loves it, and has had great career success. IMO, with the advent of verticle farming, watershed management needs, and genetically altered foods and food stuffs that BioE jobs are going to become more in demand in the future.</p>

<p>CivE, while it has Environmental aspects to it, is not wave of the future for Environmental Engineers. If you want to design landfills, truck routes, and water treatment facilities then go into Civil. If you want to be involved in resource management, city planning, and environmental control systems than go into BioE. Note: BioE is more agriculture based.</p>

4

<p>Thank you both.</p>

<p>It is part of my concern that most of the firms that I have been in contact with focus more on the civil aspect of environmental engineering. In other words, most of the environmental positions I have been reading about are requiring sections from the civil program, UMA AECOM for example. </p>

<p>Japher, do you believe it would be easier to get a position if I were to go through BioE? I am difficult to convince, I had a long discussion with a civil environmental engineer from UMA at the career fair and he basically said "do what you want, but...". I just don't know. He was hired as an environmental engineer, didn't like it, so he voluntarily went into geotech. It seems civil is quite the flexible degree. </p>

<p>Would it be irrational to literally ask a potential employer which department they prefer to hire? </p>

<p>Im so sore from straddling the fence here, haha. There are definitely far more civE's, so thats a plus to BioE. I am so scared to spend another 3.5 years studying my ass off to find out I would've had a far easier time going the other route. Did I mention I liked money?</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
There are definitely far more civE's, so thats a plus to BioE.

[/quote]

It depends on how you look at it; you previously mentioned that more firms were looking for civE than bioE, so you can also read it as an advantage to civE.</p>

<p>I think a very important question you have to ask yourself is how certain are you that you want to go into the environmental sector. And if you're not completely certain, do you have any other interests. If yes, would these interests be closer to the bioE field or the civE field? It's only your 2nd year, so it wouldn't be a surprise if you have a change of heart later on. My interests changed, but luckily both fields lied within the civE sector. </p>

<p>You said most of the environmental firms you looked at required civil engineering majors, and not bioEs because they focus more on the civil aspects. Although you like environmental, do you think you'd be interested in working on the civil aspects of the field? Perhaps you're looking at the wrong companies. I met one person who's working as an environmental engineer, but like Japher mentioned, he worked a lot on designing water treatment facilities as well as roads. Is that something that interests you?</p>

6

<p>The usual advice to undergraduate is to major in a more traditional discipline and then pursuit specialization in graduate school. Basic disciplines in engineering are often broad enough which would allow you "to specialize rapidly without being specilized".</p>

7

<p>Well the problem is the OP is not interested at all in the traditional discipline. There's usually only one environmental engineering course in the civE core, and limited electives in this field. That means there are going to be a LOT of courses the OP won't like, which is no good.</p>

8

<p>I think I've read somewhere that many Chemical Engineers can/do become Environmental Engineers...</p>

<p>I am a Chemical Engineer w/ a Biomolecular concentration @ Johns Hopkins...and they do offer an "official minor" in Environmental Engineering, which I am in also.</p>

9

<p>You guys are being a lot of help - I suppose if I were to stick it through the Civil program and take whatever specialization appeals to me at the end of my undergrad years I could begin to narrow things down, and even further in graduate studies. I would still fret often on whether I will be getting suffocated by all the other CivE's. My few friends in engineering are all in civil, and the ones in the eng techs are in the civil program too. It just seems flooded...</p>

<p>I want to stand out. I wouldn't mind the civil aspects of environmental, I was in the program previously. But I am interested by the chance at being more appealing to employers by having a more specific education. Links to the programs are below, if you are interested you can see what they contain. I'm not sure how the programs vary between schools, or country for that matter.</p>

<p>BioE program:
<a href="http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/biosystems_engineering/courses/flowcharts/8-TEnviro.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/biosystems_engineering/courses/flowcharts/8-TEnviro.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Civil Program:
<a href="http://umanitoba.ca/civil/undergraduates/model%20sept%202007.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://umanitoba.ca/civil/undergraduates/model%20sept%202007.pdf&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Prior to reading these boards, I never realized so many engineers continued into graduate studies. Honestly I believed that most undergrad engineers in Canada do not continue in graduate studies.</p>

<p>As for the courses that interest me. I would have a more enjoyable time taking all the BioE courses as opposed to the civil courses. But the largest factor here is my career and its success. I could do any field of engineering and enjoy it.</p>

10

<p>As I researched, there are limited univeristies in US offer good scholarships for master programme at Environmental Engineering.And most of them just offer program that relate water (treatwaste water,...) and I don't know why? I'm studying at the faculty of Environmental Engineering and my professor say to me that nowaday treat air pollution is really important and I actually love it. But you know it's difficult to find a scholarship concern air pollution and it makes me feel worried about my future if I choose air pollution as my majority. Do you guys think that I should choose my specialty as water or air?</p>

11

<p>Why didn't anyone answer my question until now?( about 3 months?). I need your answer as an introduction for my future about master in environmental engineering. Please post any suggestions that you know for me:D.</p>

12

<p>Well there are limited colleges that offers scholarships for masters students in any field, unless you're TA or RA, but then that's more like being paid for work than it is a real scholarship.</p>

<p>Secondly... I don't know this for sure, so I'm speculating... that water is still the main focus over air because water is you can't live too long with bad water, but you can survive with bad air (see Los Angeles). I know someone who has recently been doing research work in India, Kenya, Ghana, among other places on water treatment systems, so it's still a major issue in the world today.</p>