2022-2023 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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.

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

Mission Statement

The mission of the ERE program is to educate students to identify and solve complex environmental resources engineering problems. The program prepares responsible leaders who will sustain, restore and protect our natural resources and the environment.

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

Requirements for the Major (96 units)

The ERE program has approval for the following GE requirements to be fulfilled by completion of all ERE major coursework. Lower Division GE Areas A: Oral Communication (3 Units), A: Critical Thinking (3 Units), D (3 Units), and E (3 Units); Upper Division GE Area B: (3 Units). In addition, the ERE program has approval for courses fulfilling requirements in American Institutions (6 Units) to count as fulfilling Lower Division GE (6 Units). It is recommended that ERE majors choose NAS 200 to satisfy both GE area F and the U.S. History American Institutions requirements.

Students who change out of the ERE major 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, please see “Bachelor’s Degree Requirements ”.

  • Lower Division GE Area A: English Language Communication and Critical Thinking Courses (written communication) (3 Units) 
  • Lower Division GE Area C: Arts and Humanities  (9 Units) 
  • Lower Division GE area D / U.S. and California State Government  (3 Units)
  • Lower Division GE Area F / U.S. History / DCG: Domestic NAS 200  (3 Units)
  • Upper Division GE Area C: Arts and Humanities (3 Units)
  • Upper Division GE Area D: Social Sciences (3 Units)
  • Diversity and Common Ground (0-3 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 ERE degree.

Major Elective Program


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.

Environmental Resources Engineering Program Learning Outcomes


Students completing this program will have demonstrated:

  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  • an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  • an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  • an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  • an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  • an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  • an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.