There isn’t a ton of design work - the system designs are pretty routine and prepackaged for a lot of the work. I think you often get asked what environmental engineers do. You can almost always do an environmental engineers job with a civil degree, but not the other way around imo. It is common among engineering students to complain how hard the course is, and that we are all so tired of studying. I think it ended up not being as exciting as people thought. Is environmental engineering worth pursuing? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the EngineeringStudents community, Continue browsing in r/EngineeringStudents. Job opportunities are fewer and farther between and you’re constantly explaining what your degree actually is. Environmental engineering can be subsets of chemical or civil engineering depending on what you choose to specialize in. I'm a stormwater engineer for a city in Texas. Of course having an EIT is worth something. Please respond to this with your honest opinions. Most of my classmates work for utilities, or consulting. Then many of them lose interest when they realize that environmental engineering is more about less sexy concerns like water purification, sewage treatment, building ventilation, landfill design, smokestack emissions, etc. In fact, some of the earliest engineering projects included thinkers pushing for the consideration of how this engineering project would affect those working on it and the environment. It’s fairly easy to leverage a civil engineering degree to basically any civil or environmental position out there. Thank you! read more . My graduate department is declining students at rates they have never seen before, accepting around 10%. Press J to jump to the feed. Environmental engineering programs from different universities may focus on various themes but all of them encompasses these three important topics, namely, environmental fluid mechanics, air and water quality engineering and human health. Here is what a typical day’s work for an Environmental Engineer looks like: For anyone looking to go into environmental, this is the course I would recommend. I would recommend getting undergraduate degree in traditional engineering role. Environmental engineering at my old school was being pushed hard as the next big craze. in the fall because I believe I'll need more advanced coursework to prepare me for the more interesting engineering consulting tasks. I work at a large civil (like ENR top 20) firm that does environmental engineering among many other things on an international basis from the US. When I graduated I got a job at a consulting firm (focused on water resources) and I'm currently prepping for the civil PE this October! Environmental … This is a guest post by Joel Erway, EIT, author of 30-Minute EIT: How to beat the FE exam without beating your head. Get into hydraulic modeling if you want to get into this type of work. Work closely with environmental engineers and scientists to develop methods and devices used in the prevention, control, or correction of environmental hazards. I agree with others- get a civil degree and maybe a chemistry minor (talk to the chem staff to make sure this is tailored to your needs not some pre-med). Get a regular engineering degree and specialize later. Another option is becoming an environmental scientist for an environmental engineering firm or finding a job at a farming and agricultural organization, Turk says. For any engineering discipline, I'd recommend at least an MS. Jan 28, 2012 #7 garbiiiiis. But are you allowed to tell people that? Related to Choosing a Degree, Environmental. Careers. Environmental engineering is a relatively new discipline. And…it may be worth it if you’re not that worried about your 4.0 sGPA potentially dropping to a 3.7. I’d do pretty much any other type of engineering, Environmental sounds great, but it’s pretty basic work that usually revolves around helping oil companies drill more. Or Civil Engineers doing an emphasis on environmental engineering. I appreciate what the environmental courses helped set me up with, and also realize your degree won’t exactly become your line of work! This is a place for engineering students of any discipline to discuss study methods, get homework help, get job search advice, and find a compassionate ear when you get a 40% on your midterm after studying all night. Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, biology, chemistry & soil science to increase solutions to environmental problems. Source: quora.com. When I graduated I got a job at a consulting firm (focused on water resources) and I'm currently prepping for the civil PE this October! in environmental engineering, got my EIT, and interned at a local utility's engineering department. Environmental engineering is a job type that is a professional engineering discipline and takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment. Engineers apply the knowledge of math & science to design and manufacture maintainable systems used to solve specific problems. Recommended. Environmental engineering is the sister field of civil engineering and involves integrating engineering principles and science to improve natural environment and to protect it while providing potable water, clean air and sustainable life for humans and other organisms. Engineering FAQ; Resource FAQ; Why Be An Engineer; Submit An Answer. Why has no one answered this thread :( I'm going into my fourth year in environmental engineering and I am super curious. Most have civil degrees and strong chemistry backgrounds. Graduated in five years with a degree in Environmental Engineering, passed the FE in my last semester and did an internship for the entirety of my Summer/Fall semester. Now am a Staff Wastewater Engineer in CA. Is a Civil Engineering degree worth it? The work is on water supply and treatment and resource management. Some sites say that there will be a 30% growth in the number of jobs in the next 10 years, and others say that environmental engineers struggle to find a jobs and their major is a joke. Geology has certainly seen a influx in students since I entered undergrad. Best Answers. My experience: I am a licensed Civil Engineer and (almost licensed as a Land Surveyor, one more 4 hour test) in CA with about 10 years part time experience and 4 years full time experience. Pursuing a PhD would make sense for fields like English, where career options in the private sector are highly limited and therefore the PhD a much better option. Engineering. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, University of Queensland - Civil and Environmental. I've worked my ass off in college and even after college. A lot of people fall into permitting work, groundwater sampling, or health & safety. 28 0. This sounds so awesome, do you have any literature on the subject you recommend? Much happier in the tech field and have been seeing improvements to my overall quality of life and interests. AskEngineers is a forum for questions about the technologies, standards, and processes used to design & build these systems, as well as for questions about the engineering profession and its many disciplines. Our largest concern right now is creating more habitat for aquatic species and ensuring adequate fish passage to upstream spawning areas. The 25 Best Jobs of 2021. I've been thinking about going into environmental engineering, but I've seen many mixed descriptions on it as I search through the internet. 1.4K views Undergraduate degrees outside of EE, ME, Civil, or Chemical are really just a pigeon hole without the advancement opportunity. I majored in Environmental Engineering, at my school it was very closely tied with Civil but just enabled more of a focus on water resources, air, advanced chemistry and other environmental based courses. Environmental Engineering Technician. I work for a large consulting firm and my work is very heavy in water treatment process design, including hydraulics, chemical, physical, and biological treatment. I really enjoy it and am lucky to have my job -- the actual design positions available in environmental engineering are hard to come by, even though about all you can do with the degree is consulting (eventually can work in mfg or industry, but you'd need the consulting experience first). My 2¢, 100% agree with this. Petroleum engineering departments have seen a huge influx in students over the past several years and they are warning industry and incoming students of the pending engineering glut (whenever that does happen). Environmental Engineering is also the branch of applied science & technology that addresses the problem of preservation of energy, reducing waste from human and animal activities & production asset. One of the most basic analyses for balancing out the worth of the all-mighty MBA comes down to dollars and cents. Is the job worth it? Please respond to this with your honest opinions. Search All Jobs. That's pretty cool. Environmental engineering is the branch of engineering that is concerned with protecting people from the effects of adverse environmental effects, such as pollution, as well as improving environmental quality. Obviously, a lot of work and time goes into getting a PhD. Go civil and do a focus on environmental as it will let you be more flexible with jobs. That all being said, I'm going back to get my M.S. Found out I was able to transfer half of my credits towards an electrical and computer engineering bachelor's and am about to graduate in a year. An MBA at a storied institution such as Harvard or Stanford will easily run you above $60k per year. What was your starting salary/current salary? As you study civil engineering, it’s worth thinking about the career you want to end up in, so that you can focus your learning and training as specifically as possible. I've seen some negative comments on it and I just want to make sure that I'm choosing a career that won't keep me in college debt for too long. Environmental engineering is almost as old as civilization. It deals with the design of technologies and processes that control pollution releases and clean up existing contamination. The cost of attaining that coveted acronym is no mere chump change. is more lucrative, utilities or consulting? I just want to know, is environmental engineering worth it salary-wise, and enjoyment wise? Is becoming an environmental engineer worth it? Do an undergrad in civil or chemical with some electives in environmental. It may be worth it if you want the extra knowledge base and are that interested in gaining it. Environmental Engineers research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Good luck getting a traffic engineer job with an environmental engineering degree. I did a civil and environmental dual major and graduated in December last year. Also, which branch of environmental en. I'm wondering if there are any real benefits to getting a PhD in Engineering. Working for the state of CA as part of teams working to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and rivers vital to andronmous fish. As an ag engineer with a specialization in land and water resource systems engineering, ir sucks to not be something like civil or mechanical. I've recently been accepted into the Environmental Engineering program at the University of Florida for the Fall 2014 semester. Press J to jump to the feed. Same as the other engineering programs, a degree in environmental engineering requires problem-solving skills, a good aptitude for sciences and … Worked for two years for a consulting firm doing mostly brownfield remediation and realized I really didn't enjoy working in the field. If you get into environmental consulting and still like it, work on your masters in environmental engineering. Go broad, become niche later. I took that degree into Civil/Water infrastructure internships and job. The dawn of modern environmental engineering occurred in mid-1800's. Graduated with a b.s. It involves engineering, chemistry, geology, into policy and history classes. Environmental engineers use knowledge of engineering, soil science, chemistry, and biology to solve problems in the environment.They tackle a variety of issues, and their concerns include pollution control, recycling, and public health issues. It depends on you. Here at Engineering Management Institute, we highly recommend our friend and sponsor, PPI, for your FE exam review.As an exclusive benefit to our supporters, PPI has extended a 20% discount on their exam review materials. I am working as a graduate civil site engineer on a tier 1 construction project. I work on the civil side of the office, but people who deal strictly in environmental are generally very skilled in chemistry, hydrology(groundwater), and/or geology. It also have a very good scope and the demand of environmental engineers is increasing dramatically. Sponsored by. Environmental engineers work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 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