Environmental Engineering

Overview

Overview

This course is a major within Curtin's Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).

The importance of developing our society and communities in line with good environmental science and engineering is increasing. As a result,  there is rising global demand for engineering that can innovate sustainability practices, protect natural resources, and prevent adverse environmental and societal impacts.

Environmental engineering is a specialist field that draws on knowledge from various science and engineering disciplines. This course is designed to provide expertise in engineering related to land and environmental control – including sustainable construction practices, pollution control, water supply management, land remediation and waste management.

To begin your studies, you will complete the Engineering First Year program with students from across Curtin’s engineering majors, learning the mathematics, mechanics and electrical systems knowledge required for all engineering disciplines.

You’ll then focus on the principles and applications of environmental engineering, which includes areas such as geotechnical engineering, fluid mechanics, alternative energy sources, hydraulics and hydrology, and processing and automation. In addition, you’ll learn how to conduct environmental monitoring and analysis and undertake environmental impact assessments.

In your final year, you’ll apply your knowledge and problem-solving skills to produce feasible, environmentally sustainable solutions. You’ll also undertake a research project, integrating your comprehensive engineering knowledge to investigate current issues and identify possible solutions.

On completing this course, you'll have the expertise to:

• evaluate information and apply specialist knowledge to environmental engineering projects
• utilise technologies to design sustainable engineering solutions
• engage with project stakeholders professionally and effectively
• contribute to innovations in the engineering sector that meet Engineers Australia’s Sustainability Policy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This major also gives you the flexibility to study other subjects as minors or specialisations – including environmental science, environmental biology, environmental planning and environmental management. These are aimed at either deepening your knowledge in environmental engineering or broadening your expertise in other disciplines.

Double degrees

You can study Environmental Engineering as a double degree with Earth Sciences, Environmental Biology and Ecology or Environmental Science.

What you'll learn

• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of fundamental science, mathematics, data analytics, information science, and computing underpinning the broad field of engineering, GC1
• Solve complex environmental engineering problems of industrial and societal significance through the application of discipline-specific and integrated bodies of knowledge, design and sustainability principles, GC1
• Make decisions related to the design and implementation of solutions to engineering problems in a safe, ethical, and climate-responsible manner adhering to legal and professional standards and through respectful partnerships with local First Peoples and other diverse cultures as globally responsible citizens, GC4, GC5
• Apply systems thinking for innovative solutions to global environmental engineering challenges, discern knowledge and undertake applied research in a discipline of environmental engineering, GC2
• Select and use current and emerging technologies to develop and communicate effective and innovative engineering solutions to complex problems, GC3
• Demonstrate lifelong learning habits, teamwork and leadership abilities, project management skills, and the ability to identify opportunities for career-wide professional growth, necessary for advancing a career in engineering and beyond, GC6