Course Description
An introduction to the practice of environmental engineering in
society, the impact of human society on the environment, and
the general concept of sustainability. Emphasis is placed on
the key topics, such as air, water, land, natural resources,
emissions, climate, and engineered systems.
Athena Title
Intro Environ Eng and Sustain
Pre or Corequisite
MATH 1113 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will understand the role of environmental engineering in society.
- Students will understand the interrelationships of energy, natural resources, sustainability, and engineering.
- Students will understand sustainability based on the principles of conservation of mass and energy.
- Students will understand the dependency of human society on natural systems and the fundamental importance of managing that relationship.
- Students will understand the impacts of technology and human society on air, water, land resources, human health, and climate.
- Students will understand the life cycle perspective and its contemporary role in the engineering practice.
- Students will understand the role of policy in environmental engineering and sustainability.
- Students will frame environmental and sustainability issues within the context of energy, natural resources, economy, and engineering practices.
- Students will assess the general impacts of technology and engineering on human and environmental health.
- Students will quantify energy demands of select human activities and the short/long-term implications of those demands.
- Students will develop qualitative models of energy and material flows through coupled human-natural systems.
Topical Outline
- 1) Framing environmental issues
- 2) Conservation of mass and energy
- 3) Atmospheric emissions
- 4) Water pollution
- 5) Solid and hazardous wastes
- 6) Land use and ecological impacts
- 7) Case Studies (select from the following):
a) Batteries
- 7) Case Studies (select from the following):
b) Power generation
- 7) Case Studies (select from the following):
c) Refrigeration
- 8) Life cycle assessment
- 9) Urban pollution:
a) Photochemical cycle
Institutional Competencies
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
