At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Part Time | Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BSE

As an environmental engineer major, you will study the principles of engineering, soil science, biology and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineering students from UMass Lowell work with solar panels at a construction site

At UMass Lowell, the Environmental Engineering major will give you a strong foundation in writing, math, science and engineering, then build toward advanced study in sustainability, water resources, air quality, remediation and solid waste engineering.

You’ll gain hands-on experience through lab-based courses, engineering design and a senior capstone project focused on solving a real environmental challenge. Along the way, you can deepen your expertise with professional electives and even get a head start on a master’s degree through the bachelor's to master's pathway.

UMass Lowell is the only public research university in Massachusetts to offer an undergraduate major in Environmental Engineering.

Career Outlook for Environmental Engineering Majors

  • $140K

    Median annual salary for bachelor's degree holders in New England
    Source: Lightcast, 2025

  • +11.9%

    Projected job growth in New England (2023–2035)
    Source: Lightcast, 2025

What Can You Do with a Degree in Environmental Engineering?

The environmental engineering major will prepare you for a wide variety of career paths, including:

  • Designer and operator of water and wastewater treatment facilities
  • Manager of hazardous waste site remediation projects
  • Operator of solid waste disposal sites
  • Director of recycling programs 
  • High school teacher or professor
People in hard hats and safety vests looking out a dam.

Where Our Graduates Work

  • AECOM
  • CDM Smith
  • GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc.
  • Kleinfelder
  • MassDEP
  • Nobis Engineering Inc.
  • Stantec
  • Tighe & Bond
  • TRC
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District
  • U.S. EPA Region 1 New England Headquarters
  • U.S. EPA Region 1 New England Regional Laboratory
  • Weston & Sampson
  • Woodard & Curran

Courses You'll Take

Sample course topics include: 

  • Energy and the Sustainable Environment
  • Groundwater Hydrology and Remediation
  • Biological Processes in Environmental Engineering
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Air Quality
  • Solid Waste Engineering Management
  • View All Environmental Engineering Courses

Year-by-Year Course Plan

Check out our degree pathways, which offer sample plans for completing your degree in four years.

For students who entered fall 2025 and beyond.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
CIVE.1070Introduction to Engineering for Civil and Environmental2
ENGL.1010 /
HONR.1100		College Writing I /
First Year Seminar in Honors: Text in the City (CW)		3
CHEM.1210Chemistry I (SCL)3
CHEM.1230LChemistry I Lab (SCL)1
MATH.1310Calculus I (MATH)4
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)13
Total16

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENGL.1020College Writing II (CW)3
CHEM.1220Chemistry II (SCL)3
CHEM.1240LChemistry II Lab (SCL)1
MATH.1320Calculus II4
PHYS.1410Physics I3
PHYS.1410LPhysics I Lab1
Total15

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Total15
ENGN.2050Statics3
CIVE.2860Probability and Statistics for Engineers3
BIOL.2100Biology for Engineers (STEM)3
BIOL.2120LBiology for Engineers Lab1
MATH.2310Calculus III4
ENGN.2100Professional Development Seminar21

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Total16
ENGN.2070Dynamics3
ENVE.2010Environmental Engineering Chemistry3
CIVE.3320Environmental Engineering Lab1
CIVE.3620Environmental Engineering I3
MATH.2360Engineering Differential Equations3
ECON.2010Principles of Microeconomics (SS)3

Junior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Total15
CIVE.3010Fluid Mechanics3
ENVE.3020Fluid Mechanics Laboratory1
ENVE.3105Material Science for Environmental Engineering2
ENVE.3630Environmental Engineering II3
ENVE.3640Energy and the Sustainable Environment3
GEOL.3250Geology for Engineers3

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Total15
CIVE.3720Civil Engineering Systems3
ENVE.3650Groundwater Hydrogeology and Remediation3
ENVE.3660Biological Processes in Environmental Engineering3
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)13
xxxx.xxxxSocial Sciences Perspective (SS)13

Senior Year

Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
CIVE.4600Water Resources Engineering3
ENVE.4610Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment3
ENVE.4620Air Quality3
ENVE.4630Environmental Engineering Ethics and Professional Practice3
CIVE.5xxxProfessional Elective33
Total15

Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
ENVE.4855Capstone Design3
ENVE.4640Solid Waste Engineering and Management3
CIVE.5xxxProfessional Elective33
xxxx.xxxxSocial Sciences Perspective (SS)13
xxxx.xxxxArts and Humanities Perspective (AH)13
Total15

Total Minimum Credits = 122

1Core Curriculum Requirements include 3 Arts and Humanities courses and 3 Social Science courses. One of the Social Science courses must be ECON.2010 Principles of Microeconomics. Students must select at least one course designated Diversity and Cultural Awareness (DCA) and at least one course designated Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE). No more than two Breadth of Knowledge (BOK) courses can be taken with the same prefix. The Core Curriculum courses may be taken in any sequence. Refer to the Core Curriculum policy for further details. You should meet with your faculty advisor to determine how you will meet the Core Curriculum requirements.

2Students can take ENGN.2100 Professional Development Seminar in either fall or spring semester of their sophomore year.

3Professional Electives must be CIVE.5xxx graduate level courses.

Current UMass Lowell students should use their Advisement Report in SIS. If you need assistance, please contact your advisor.

Restriction on off-campus study: Be advised that any course taken at another institution must be formally approved prior to enrollment. See the catalog policy for details.

Breadth of Knowledge (BOK) Glossary

  • SS - Social Sciences Perspective - 9 credits
  • AH - Arts and Humanities Perspective - 9 credits
  • SCL - Sciences with Lab Perspective - 6-8 credits
  • STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Perspective - 3 credits
  • CW - College Writing I and II - 6 credits
  • MATH - Math Perspective - 3 credits

Read more about the Breadth of Knowledge requirements.

Essential Learning Outcomes (ELO) Glossary

  • AIL - Applied and Integrative Learning
  • CTPS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • DCA - Diversity and Cultural Awareness
  • IL - Information Literacy
  • QL - Quantitative Literacy
  • SRE - Social Responsibility and Ethics
  • WOC - Written and Oral Communication

Read more about the Essential Learning Outcomes.

Why Study Environmental Engineering at UMass Lowell?

Two UMass Lowell environmental engineering students wear hazmat suits inside a lab

Experiential Learning

Build career-ready skills through experiences outside the classroom, including:

  • Research in a faculty laboratory 
  • Co-ops and internships 
  • Paid work on campus 
  • Service learning 
  • Study abroad
UMass Lowell environmental engineering student in lab

Research Opportunities

The environmental engineering program has a dedicated graduate research lab and an undergraduate teaching lab.

Our research includes:

  • Physicochemical water treatment systems using nanotechnology
  • Strategic drought management
  • Biogas production from wastewater sludge
  • Hazardous waste site remediation
A UMass Lowell environmental student holds a white pole with a cup over a small stream to take a water sample.

Student Organizations

Put your learning into practice by joining student-run clubs and organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter.

UMass Lowell environmental engineering student in hazmat suit at a work site

Career Connected Experience: The UMass Lowell Guarantee

Every first-time, first-year UMass Lowell student will have the opportunity to pursue at least one Career Connected Experience (internships, co-ops, clinical placements, service learning, study abroad and more) during their undergraduate career — earning pay, credits or both before they graduate.

Meet Our Students

Matt Paxton works outdoors with another person building a steel bridge.
Matt Paxton '27
Civil Engineering

Steel Bridge Team President Matt Paxton developed his skills and knowledge about infrastructure through a rail internship at MassDOT.

Everything that I’ve established here, I’m definitely going to carry for the rest of my life professionally.
Tiana Robinson works with another student to conduct ultrasonic testing of sidewalk concrete slabs to check their thickness and condition
Tiana Robinson ’23
Civil Engineering

Tiana Robinson is working on a research collaboration with the city of Lowell to help inspect and monitor the city’s aging infrastructure.

The concept of building something from beginning to end and making your design a reality has always intrigued me.
Sofia Savoca with her mom outside O'Leary Library on South Campus
Sofia Savoca '21
Civil Engineering

Sofia Savoca chose UMass Lowell for the opportunity to be in the Honors College and to study civil engineering. She’s found a dozen new opportunities since arriving on campus.

Opportunities, opportunities – it’s raining opportunities. They’re here if you work hard and know where to look.

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