Environmental Engineering, B.S.

Contact Information

Dr. Molly Gribb, Program Coordinator
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Civil/Mechanical 122
(605) 394-1697
E-mail: Molly.Gribb@sdsmt.edu

Management Committee

Professors Davis (GEOE) and Gribb (CEE); Associate Professors Christopher (CEE), Menkhaus (CBE) and Stone (CEE); Assistant Professors Benning (CEE) and Cross (MET); Instructor Kanth (MEM).

NOTE:  The B.S. in Environmental Engineering degree program is not open to new students.  Students wishing to pursue environmental engineering studies are directed to the

Civil Engineering, B.S. - Environmental Engineering Emphasis

  degree and the 

Environmental Engineering Minor

  .

Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineers serve our society at the most fundamental level in caring for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil in which we grow our food. Environmental engineers solve existing and prevent future environmental problems. Students in the B.S. Environmental Engineering program will be educated in higher mathematics, basic sciences, engineering sciences, and engineering design. The experience will be augmented by applied laboratory courses at the freshman through senior levels. Students will use computers in virtually all engineering coursework. Fundamental environmental engineering coursework will involve heat and mass transfer, classical and chemical thermodynamics, ground-water and surface-water hydrology, and environmental systems analysis. Each student will participate in a two-semester capstone design experience that will involve work with a multidisciplinary team on the solution to a significant environmental problem. Achieving program educational outcomes will prepare the graduate to work in industry, consulting, or government, and to bring knowledge and principles to bear upon the solution to legacy and current as well as to the prevention of future environmental problems.

In order to develop a technical link with one of five disciplines closely related to environmental engineering, each student will complete a nine-credit elective set delivered by one of five supporting programs. This coursework prepares the student to cooperatively work alongside engineers of the supporting discipline in solution of environmental problems.

Supporting programs include

1. Chemical Engineering — The application of chemical, chemical engineering, and environmental engineering principles to the environmentally safe production of a wide range of products including pharmaceuticals for human consumption, materials for electronic applications, and energy to power our society.
2. Civil Engineering — Engineering our society‘s infrastructure through treatment of water for potable use, renovation of waste waters generated by domestic and industrial users, safe handling (both disposal and recycling) of solid and hazardous wastes generated by society, clean-up of existing environmental pollution, and general stewardship of the Earth‘s land and water resources.
3. Geological Engineering — Engineering for the environmentally sound use and conservation of the Earth‘s natural resources including development of ground-water supplies, cleanup of contaminated aquifers, isolation of hazardous wastes, and exploration for and development of mineral or petroleum resources.
4. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering — development and implementation of environmentally sound processes for producing the metals, ceramics, and composite materials used by our society, and leadership in the area of recycling of materials for re-use by society.
5. Mining Engineering — The development of mining and reclamation plans that ensure environmentally sound mining operations and that the Earth and oceans are returned to environmentally acceptable conditions upon the completion of mining activities.

The objective of the environmental engineering program is to provide graduates with an educational foundation that will enable them to engage in the professional practice of environmental engineering within the public or private sector, or complete advanced studies in either environmental engineering or a related professional discipline.

The bachelor of science program in environmental engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Graduates of this program are expected to:

1. Ethically apply, as appropriate in applicable global and contemporary societal contexts, principles from mathematics, the natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences, to the definition, formulation, and solution of both existing and potential environmental problems.
2. Develop, interpret, and utilize appropriate laboratory process data; think critically; and use modern engineering skills, techniques, and tools in the iterative decision-making process associated with environmental engineering design.
3. Work and learn, on a lifelong basis, both independently and cooperatively with peers.
4. Communicate the results of their work and their ideas effectively, both orally and in written form, to peers and to non-technical audiences.

Cooperative Education Program

Students may participate in the Cooperative Education Internship Program, but credits earned are not applicable for degree credit.