Master of Science in Environmental Engineering

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Illinois Institute of Technology

Program Overview

Illinois Institute of Technology's M.S. in Environmental Engineering develops advanced technical expertise in solving environmental challenges through engineering principles, scientific analysis and sustainable technologies. The program is suitable for graduates from engineering and related scientific disciplines who want to specialize in water and wastewater treatment, air quality, hazardous waste management, environmental health and sustainability.

Curriculum Structure (Year-wise)

The program requires 30 credit hours and offers coursework-based and thesis-based options. The university does not prescribe a fixed year-wise course sequence.

Year 1: Students build a strong foundation in environmental engineering through courses such as Environmental Chemistry (ENVE 501), Chemodynamics (ENVE 506) and Modeling of Environmental Systems (ENVE 528). They also develop quantitative skills through Statistical Analysis of Engineering Data (CAE 523) or an approved statistics alternative.

Year 2: Students specialize through electives such as Water and Wastewater Engineering (ENVE 404), Introduction to Air Pollution Control (ENVE 463), Design of Environmental Engineering Processes (ENVE 561) and Hazardous Waste Engineering (ENVE 580). Thesis-track students complete Research and Thesis M.S. (ENVE 591), while coursework-track students complete additional approved electives.

Focus Areas: Water and wastewater treatment, water resources engineering, air pollution control, environmental chemistry, hazardous waste management, environmental health and safety, environmental sustainability, geoenvironmental engineering and environmental modelling.

Learning Outcomes: Environmental pollution assessment, water treatment system design, environmental modelling, air quality management, hazardous waste control, statistical data analysis, sustainable engineering design and environmental risk assessment.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): Illinois Institute of Technology is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). No separate program-specific ABET accreditation is stated for this master's degree.

Reputation (Employability): Illinois Tech offers interdisciplinary research opportunities and industry-oriented engineering education. The university's environmental engineering research includes water and wastewater treatment, contaminated-site remediation, hydrology and indoor air quality. No specific program-level graduate employment rate or employability ranking is published in the official catalog.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Illinois Tech combines environmental engineering education with applied research, specialised laboratories and interdisciplinary engineering projects. Students can explore environmental monitoring, water treatment, air-quality assessment, contaminated-site remediation and sustainable energy systems through the department's research environment. Thesis students also gain the opportunity to work with faculty on independent environmental engineering investigations.

Students can benefit from the following program-related resources and opportunities:

Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Laboratories: Explore research involving water treatment, wastewater treatment, water quality and environmental systems.
Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring Facilities: Gain exposure to research involving air pollution, pollutant measurement, indoor environmental quality and human health.
Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER): Explore interdisciplinary research in sustainable energy, environmental technologies and resource efficiency.
Environmental Research Projects: Investigate contaminated sediment remediation, wastewater treatment and reuse, water-quality modelling and monitoring, and indoor pollutant dynamics.
Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Laboratories: Access specialised engineering hardware and software supporting computational analysis and modelling.
Argonne National Laboratory: Faculty and graduate students have access to regional research facilities, including Argonne National Laboratory, supporting advanced scientific and engineering research.
Environmental Modelling: Develop analytical capabilities through ENVE 528 – Modeling of Environmental Systems and CAE 523 – Statistical Analysis of Engineering Data.
Research and Thesis: Thesis-based students undertake faculty-mentored research, complete a master's thesis and defend their research orally.
Environmental Design: Explore applied engineering challenges through ENVE 495 – Environmental Capstone Design and ENVE 561 – Design of Environmental Engineering Processes.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The MS in Environmental Engineering prepares graduates for professional opportunities in environmental consultancy, pollution control, water-resource management, sustainability and environmental protection. Students can develop the technical expertise required for roles such as Senior Environmental Engineer, Water Resources Engineer, Environmental Health and Safety Director and Sustainability Analyst.

Career development and employment opportunities:

Career services: Illinois Tech's Career Services provides career advising, professional development workshops, internship and job-search resources, and employer networking opportunities.
Industry connections: Students can engage with employers recruiting through Illinois Tech's industry network for internships, co-ops and full-time positions.
Practical experience: The university's Elevate program provides access to internships, research opportunities, competitions and other career-related experiences.
Employment outcomes: Illinois Tech publishes graduate employment information through its First Destination Survey. For the 2025 graduating class, the university collected responses from 90% of graduate respondents. These outcomes cover multiple graduate programs rather than Environmental Engineering alone.
Potential career roles: Environmental Engineer, Water Resources Engineer, Wastewater Treatment Engineer, Environmental Compliance Specialist, Sustainability Analyst, Air Quality Engineer, Environmental Health and Safety Manager and Hazardous Waste Engineer.
Salary information: The university provides a graduate career-outcomes dashboard with starting salary information, but a verified Environmental Engineering-specific salary figure is not published in the program catalog.
Research careers: Thesis graduates can pursue opportunities in environmental research, sustainable technologies, pollution control and advanced engineering consultancy.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Environmental Engineering at Illinois Tech or other research universities. The thesis-based pathway is particularly suitable for students interested in advanced research, academic careers and environmental technology development. Further research can focus on water and wastewater treatment, air quality, hazardous waste management, environmental sustainability, climate change and contaminated-site remediation