Environmental Resources Engineering, B.S.

Cal Poly Humboldt offers one of the largest and oldest undergraduate accredited environmental engineering programs in the United States. While studying in one of the most environmentally interesting areas of California, Environmental Resources Engineering students will learn to apply an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and resolving resource planning and management problems in their social, economic, ethical, and historical contexts.

Program coursework and research are in three primary areas: water quality, water resources, and energy resources.

Students prepare for work in industry, private practice, or government, or for continued studies in graduate school. Potential careers include: environmental engineer, civil engineer, groundwater engineer, energy engineer, air pollution engineer, ecological engineer, fisheries engineer, hazardous waste engineer, hydraulic engineer, hydrologist, public health engineer, public works engineer, sanitary engineer, solid waste engineer, water resources engineer, water quality engineer, building energy efficiency analyst, wind power analyst/engineer, solar power engineer, energy storage systems engineer, habitat restoration engineer.

Accreditation

The Environmental Resources Engineering program at Cal Poly Humboldt is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,

Mission Statement

The program’s purpose is to educate students to investigate, evaluate, and solve complex environmental resources engineering problems. The program prepares responsible leaders who will sustain, restore and protect our natural resources for the environment and communities.

Students interested in becoming an Environmental Resources Engineering major should take courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and written communications.

Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree requires a total of 120 units. Students must fulfill residency, unit, and GPA requirements as outlined in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements . This major includes a Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) certified course.

General Education Modifications for Engineering Majors

The Cal Poly Humboldt engineering programs: Energy Systems Engineering, Environmental Resources Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Software Engineering programs have approval for the following GE requirements to be fulfilled by completion of all major coursework.

Lower Division A3: Critical Thinking (3 Units), D: Social Science (3 Units), GE Area E: Lifelong Learning (3 Units); and Upper Division GE Area B: Math & Science (3 Units). In addition, the Cal Poly Humboldt engineering programs have approval for courses fulfilling requirements in American Institutions (6 Units) to count as fulfilling Lower Division GE (6 Units). It is recommended that Engineering majors choose NAS 200 to satisfy both GE area F and the U.S. History American Institutions requirements.

Students who change out of these engineering majors are encouraged to contact the Office of the Registrar or the Academic & Career Advising Center regarding completion of GE requirements.

The following degree requirements must be fulfilled in addition to those listed below for the major:

Lower Division GE Area A2: English Language Communication and Area C: Arts and Humanities (9 Units);
American Institutions: U.S. and California State Government / GE Area D (3 Units) and U.S. History / Lower Division GE Area F / DCG: Domestic with NAS 200 (3 Units)
Upper Division GE Area C: Arts and Humanities (3 Units) and Area D: Social Sciences (3 Units)
Diversity and Common Ground (0-3 Units)

Requirements for the Major (96 Units)

A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses in the major. Grades of D+, D, F, WU, and NC count as failed attempts. Required courses in the major may not be repeated more than one time. If a student has two failed attempts in a required course, the student will not be able to graduate with an Environmental Resources Engineering major.

Lower Division (49 Units)

BIOL 105 - Principles of Biology Units: 4
CHEM 109 - General Chemistry I Units: 5
CHEM 110 - General Chemistry II Units: 5
ENGR 115 - Introduction to Engineering Units: 3
ENGR 205 - Introduction to Design Units: 3
ENGR 210 - Solid Mechanics: Statics Units: 3
ENGR 225 - Computational Methods for Engineering I Units: 3
ENGR 226 - Computational Methods for Engineering II Units: 3
MATH 109 - Calculus I Units: 4
MATH 110 - Calculus II Units: 4
MATH 210 - Calculus III Units: 4
PHYX 109 - General Physics A: Mechanics Units: 4
PHYX 211 - General Physics C: Electricity, Magnetism Units: 4

Upper Division (35 Units)

ENGR 313 - Systems Analysis Units: 3
ENGR 322 - Risk and Data Analysis for Engineers Units: 4
ENGR 326 - Computational Methods for Engineering III Units: 3
ENGR 330 - Mechanics and Science of Materials Units: 3
ENGR 331 - Thermodynamics and Energy Systems I Units: 3
ENGR 333 - Fluid Mechanics Units: 4
ENGR 351 - Introduction to Water Quality Units: 3
ENGR 410 - Environmental Health and Impact Assessment Units: 3
ENGR 416 - Transport Phenomena Units: 3
ENGR 440 - Hydrology I Units: 3
ENGR 492W - Capstone Design Project Units: 3

Major Elective Requirement (12 Units)

With advice and approval of an Environmental Resources Engineering faculty advisor and the department chair, select one upper division science or natural resources course and three senior engineering design courses from the following lists to form a coherent elective program.

Science/Natural Resources Electives

Complete one course:

BIOL 330 - Principles of Ecology Units: 4
CHEM 341 - Quantitative Analysis Units: 5
CHEM 370 - Earth System Chemistry Units: 3
FISH 320 - Limnology Units: 3
GEOL 303 - Earth Resources and Global Environmental Change Units: 3
GEOL 306 - General Geomorphology Units: 3
NAS 331 - Indigenous Natural Resource Management Practices Units: 3
OCN 320 - Physical Oceanography Units: 4
PHYX 315 - Introduction to Electronics and Electronic Instrumentation Units: 3
SOIL 360 - Origin and Classification of Soils Units: 3
SOIL 363 - Wetland Soils Units: 3

Engineering Design Electives

Complete three courses.

ENGR 418 - Applied Hydraulics Units: 3
ENGR 421 - Advanced Numerical Methods for Engineers I Units: 3
ENGR 434 - Air Quality Management Units: 3
ENGR 436 - Solid Waste Engineering Units: 3
ENGR 441 - Hydrology II Units: 3
ENGR 443 - Groundwater Hydrology Units: 3
ENGR 445 - Water Resources Planning and Management Units: 3
ENGR 448 - River Hydraulics Units: 3
ENGR 452 - Drinking Water Treatment Engineering Units: 3
ENGR 453 - Wastewater Treatment Engineering Units: 3
ENGR 455 - Engineered Natural Treatment Systems Units: 3
ENGR 471 - Thermodynamics and Energy Systems II Units: 3
ENGR 473 - Building Energy Analysis Units: 3
ENGR 475 - Renewable Energy Power Systems Units: 3
ENGR 478 - Electricity Grids and Distributed Renewable Energy Units: 3
ENGR 481 - Selected Topics with Engineering Design Units: 3
ENGR 498 - Directed Design Project Units: 1-3 (Required Units: 3)

Environmental Resources Engineering Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will:

Apply engineering analysis and design to identify and solve critical environmental resources problems, restoring and sustaining the global environment and communities who depend on access to natural resources.
Practice engineering with the highest professional standards, demonstrating respect for social, ethical, cultural, environmental, economic, and regulatory concerns.
Continue their professional development by obtaining engineering licensure and other certifications, completing postgraduate study, and continually advancing their knowledge and skill base.
Demonstrate leadership in the profession as well as in diverse and interdisciplinary team settings, drawing out the best in their co-workers and effectively communicating and collaborating with a range of stakeholders and the public.