Environmental Engineering, M.S.

Department Chair:

Dr. Ossama “Sam” Salem, 151 Link Hall, omsalem@syr.edu, 315-443-2311

Program Director:

Dr. Cliff I. Davidson, 151 Link Hall, davidson@syr.edu, 315-443-2311

Environmental Engineering Faculty

David G. Chandler, Ruth Chen, Laura E. Condon, Andria Costello Staniec, Cliff I. Davidson, Charles T. Driscoll Jr., Chris E. Johnson, Christa Kelleher, Laura J. Steinberg, Svetoslava Todorova, Teng Zeng

Program Description

The graduate program in environmental engineering at Syracuse has earned a reputation for superior quality. Degree recipients working in government, industry, and education have made important contributions to the profession. The environmental engineering program provides coursework and research opportunities in environmental chemistry, water and wastewater treatment, applied microbiology, hydrology and water resources, sustainability, groundwater remediation, and green water infrastructure.

In addition to these focus areas, the students and faculty in environmental engineering engage in interdisciplinary teaching and research, expanding the opportunities available to graduate students. The Department is home to the Center for Environmental Systems Engineering, which serves faculty in environmental, chemical, and mechanical engineering with a shared interest in environmental systems. We also have a collaborative degree program with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and we engage in joint teaching with faculty in the Whitman School of Management, and at SUNY-ESF.

Admission Requirements

B.S. in an engineering discipline or the equivalent from an accredited institution. Candidates with undergraduate degrees in another field must have their programs evaluated to determine if additional undergraduate courses are to be included in their program of study.
At least a 3.0 in a 4.0 rating system or equivalent in the B.S. program coursework.
Satisfactory scores on all required graduate entrance examinations. A TOEFL score of 80 or higher is required for international students.
Departmental approval.

Program Requirements

The M.S. in environmental engineering is intended for students with undergraduate engineering degrees. Students without an undergraduate degree appropriate to their chosen M.S. program will be required to complete undergraduate courses to prepare themselves for M.S. coursework. These courses will be specified in the student’s letter of admission and may not carry credit toward the M.S. degree.

Programs are planned by the students in consultation with their advisors. At least half of the coursework must be at or above the 600 level. Students who have taken the lower level of a double-numbered course (e.g., a course offered at the 400 and 600 levels) may not take the higher level of the same course for credit.

M.S. candidates may transfer a maximum of 6 credits from other institutions. They are expected to complete their entire program within five calendar years of their admission.

Thesis and non-thesis options are available. Students anticipating further graduate study at the doctoral level should pursue the thesis option.

Requirements with Thesis (30 credits)

1. Completion of:
CIE 642 - Treatment Processes in Environmental Engineering 3-4 credit(s)
CIE 671 - Environmental Chemistry and Analysis 3 credit(s)
CIE 672 - Applied Env Microbiology 3 credit(s)
2. Elective coursework satisfying distributional requirements, as specified in the Graduate Program Profile, available in the department office.
3. Complete Master’s Thesis for 6 credits
CIE 997 - Masters Thesis 0-6 credit(s)
4. Defense of thesis
5. Participation in the Faculty/Student Seminar Program

Requirements without Thesis (30 credits)

1. Completion of:
CIE 642 - Treatment Processes in Environmental Engineering 3-4 credit(s)
CIE 671 - Environmental Chemistry and Analysis 3 credit(s)
CIE 672 - Applied Env Microbiology 3 credit(s)
2. Elective coursework satisfying distributional requirements, as specified in the Graduate Program Profile, available in the department office.
3. Complete one of the following
CIE 600 - Environmental Assessment 3 credit(s)
CIE 996 - Master’s Project 3 credit(s) The Master’s project must address a topic in environmental engineering or environmental science and be approved by the advisor and at least one additional reader.
CIE 995 - Master’s Exit Paper 0 credit(s)
one additional elective course (3 credits)
4. Participation in the Faculty/Student Seminar Program
CIE 660 - Seminar Civil Engineering 0 credit(s)
The Master’s project must address a topic in environmental engineering or environmental science and be approved by the advisor and at least one additional reader.

The exit paper must address a topic in environmental engineering or environmental science. The paper can be original research work or it can be a critical review of a published journal article. The paper has a minimum length of 2000 words and requires approval of the student’s advisor.