Track Description
The Environmental Engineering Sciences track in the Environmental Engineering MS program is for students with science, math, or a similar background, and usually requires a number of undergraduate engineering courses as articulation to become fully prepared for graduate work in environmental engineering.
Applicants to the program are expected to be knowledgeable in topics including chemistry, process design, water resources, and air pollution. The program focuses on pollution control, pollution prevention, and the correction of pollution effects on natural and man-made environments.
The program is noted for its strong faculty research interests, and areas of study include drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, atmospheric pollution control and modeling, environmental water resources, and stormwater management. The program’s overall mission is to prepare students for careers in environmental engineering with consulting firms; with industry; within federal, state, and local governments; and/or in higher education.
The program’s overall mission is to prepare students for Environmental Engineering careers in federal, state, and local governments; higher education; consulting; and industry.
Other key objectives include:
- Producing graduates who have technical knowledge in critical areas of environmental engineering
- Providing a professional engineering education that challenges our graduates to think critically
- Forming and maintaining partnerships with industry, government agencies, and professional organizations
- Developing awareness of the changing environmental needs of society and the global environment.
This program has potential ties to professional licensure or certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please visit https://apq.ucf.edu/files/Licensure-Disclosure-CECS-Environmental-Engineering-MS-June2020.pdf.
Curriculum
The Environmental Engineering Sciences track offers both thesis and nonthesis options with each requiring 30 credit hours of courses beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students choosing the thesis option must take 12 credit hours of required courses, 12 credit hours of electives, and 6 thesis credit hours. Students choosing the nonthesis option must take 12 credit hours of required courses, 18 credit hours of electives, and submit an end-of-program portfolio. Students develop an individualized program of study with a faculty adviser.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor’s Degree
At least 24 credit hours of the course work must be exclusive of thesis and research, and Directed Research (XXX 6918) is not permitted in MS program of study.
The thesis option is primarily for students who can devote a full-time effort to their research and is required for all students supported on contracts and grants, as well as any student receiving department financial support. The nonthesis option is strongly recommended for part-time students and requires an end-of-program portfolio as a requirement for graduation.
Research studies or projects are required in one or more courses. The research study or project will focus on reviewing and analyzing contemporary research or engineering issues in a student’s particular specialization within the profession. They are intended to help students acquire knowledge and skills pertaining to best practices in that specialization area.
Prerequisites (Articulation)
The completion of prerequisite courses may be required before students can begin the program graduate coursework.
The following mathematics prerequisite requirement is for all students.
- Calculus through Differential Equations
The following prerequisites (or equivalent courses) may be required for students with appropriate science or math undergraduate degrees.
- ENV 3001 - Introduction to Environmental Engineering 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 3201 - Engineering Fluid Mechanics 3 Credit Hours
- STA 3032 - Probability and Statistics for Engineers 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 4202 - Hydraulics 3 Credit Hours
- CWR 4120 - Hydrology 3 Credit Hours
- EES 4111C - Biological Process Control 3 Credit Hours
- EES 4202C - Chemical Process Control 3 Credit Hours
- EGN 3613 - Engineering Economic Analysis 2 Credit Hours
- ENV 4120 - Air Pollution Control 3 Credit Hours
- ENV 4531 - Environmental Engineering Operations and Processes I 3 Credit Hours
Required Courses—12 Credit Hours
Students must choose one course from each group.
Biological Waste Treatment
Environmental/Water Quality
Civil Water Resources
- Any CWR course at the 5000 or 6000 level 3 Credit Hours. See course listings in the drop-down catalog menu above.
Note: Courses with an asterisk (*) provide independent learning experiences. Nonthesis students are required to take at least one course with an asterisk. This criteria is fulfilled by taking the required ENV 6106 - Theory and Practice of Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling course.
It is also met by the elective courses:
Elective Courses—12 Credit Hours
All students, both thesis and nonthesis, must take 12 credit hours of elective courses. The electives should be chosen from courses with ENV or CWR prefixes although other appropriate graduate-level courses (5000 or 6000) may be allowed. All electives must be chosen with the consent of the student’s adviser.
- Electives 12 Credit Hours
Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours
The thesis option requires that students conduct an approved research study, write and successfully defend a thesis.
The College of Engineering and Computer Science requires that all thesis defense announcements are approved by the student’s adviser and posted on the college’s website and on the Events Calendar at the College of Graduate Studies website at least two weeks before the defense date.
- XXX 6971 - Thesis 6 Credit Hours
Nonthesis Option—6 Credit Hours
The nonthesis option requires 6 more credit hours of electives in addition to the 12 credit hours of electives described above.
Portfolio Requirement
Students are required to complete a culminating experience. The culminating experience for nonthesis MS students is submission of an end-of-program portfolio. The portfolio requirements are listed on the CECE website.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Environmental Engineering MS program pay a $16 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $8 per semester.
Independent Learning
A research or design project serves as the independent learning experience for thesis students. Nonthesis students are required to take at least one of the courses marked with an asterisk (*), denoting an independent learning experience, and an end-of-program portfolio.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements , applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Résumé.
- Statement of educational, research, and professional career objectives.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Faculty members may choose to conduct face-to-face or telephone interviews before accepting an applicant into their graduate program.
The GRE is not required, however, taking the GRE is highly recommended for students wishing to pursue a thesis. In order to be considered for any fellowships, a GRE score is required.
Those applying to the programs without a directly related undergraduate degree should closely check the prerequisites. For students with nontechnical undergraduate degrees, it is recommended that a second undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering be completed before applying to graduate school.
Final articulation requirements will be determined by the department after students have been admitted and after discussions with their advisers.
Application Deadlines
| Environmental Engineering Sciences |
*Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Domestic Applicants |
Jan 15 |
Jul 1 |
Dec 1 |
|
| International Applicants |
Jan 15 |
Jan 15 |
Jul 1 |
|
| *Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date. |
Financials
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
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