As an environmental engineer, you will gain a solid background in environmental issues that are at the forefront of important discussions of how the environment and the economy are integrated with future development decisions.

This program prepares you for a wide range of employment opportunities where the technical expertise and problem-solving skills of engineers are required in conjunction with a strong awareness and understanding of environmental issues.

This program features all aspects of environmental engineering with a focus on sustainable development, wastewater management, and remediation and reclamation of contaminated sites.

During the first two years at UNBC, you will gain foundational knowledge in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and environmental science. You will take courses in engineering design, technical writing, chemistry, physics, computer science and calculus.

In your third and fourth years, you will transition to UBC where you will gain an in-depth, hands-on understanding of engineering principles, analysis, and design. Course topics include soil mechanics, fluid mechanics and engineering hydrology.

You will return to UNBC for a final semester and take courses on professional practice and environmental law as well as complete a capstone design project.

The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board accredits this program.

Example projects that an environmental engineering graduate can work on include the following:

Designing and building processes to bring clean drinking water to northern communities
Designing and building processes to treat municipal or industrial wastewater
Designing and building processes to recover energy from municipal and industrial waste
Developing methods to clean contaminated soil
Developing flood control plans
Mapping groundwater flow and contaminant transport in subsurface environments

The Environmental Engineering Bachelor of Applied Science program is a 4.5 year (nine semester) joint degree between the University of British Columbia and the University of Northern British Columbia. The program is based on a unique collaboration between UNBC and UBC that capitalizes on the strength of UNBC in Environmental Science and the breadth and depth of engineering at UBC. It incorporates complementary elements and expertise from each institution while exposing students to the distinctive character of both institutions. The program starts with a two-year foundation in mathematics and basic and environmental sciences from UNBC. In the third and fourth years, the program provides a thorough education and training in engineering fundamentals, engineering analysis and engineering design, largely through courses in Civil Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC. The final term at UNBC exposes students to practical environmental engineering problems.

The joint UNBC/UBC Environmental Engineering program is accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board.

Regulations
Unless otherwise specified, the rules and regulations are those applicable at the institution (UBC or UNBC) at which the students are attending at the time the rules/regulations need to be applied. In the case where the rules and regulations are needed to cover the program as a whole, or where the institution of attendance is not relevant, then the more stringent rules/regulations are applied. Academic appeals are handled using the procedures at the institution where the rules/regulations need to be applied.

Leave of Absence
Students wanting to take a Leave of Absence must apply to the Environmental Engineering Advisor at the institution that the student is currently attending. Upon approval, students are eligible for up to a one-year Leave of Absence. Students who do not apply for a Leave of Absence are withdrawn from the Environmental Engineering program.

Career Paths
Environmental engineer
Pollution control engineer
Municipal engineer
Water resources engineer
Reclamation engineer
As a Professional Engineer, you can work in the private sector in industry or for an engineering consulting company. You can also work for a government agency or start your own engineering consultancy.

Some engineering graduates continue their academic studies at the master’s or doctoral level or pursue further education in business, project management or other fields.