Explore your alternate offer in Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineers work at the interface between human-made and natural systems. They have a dual responsibility to both provide natural resources such as water and minerals for societal development, but also to protect and restore the natural systems on which we depend. More than any other engineering discipline, environmental engineering focuses on resource circularity, sustainable practices, and adaptation in the face of a rapidly changing world. 

To tackle the complex environmental challenges we face—like climate change, water scarcity, and air and water pollution—environmental engineers draw on principles from chemistry, physics, microbiology, thermodynamics, and more. We combine this scientific foundation with innovative engineering design to develop solutions that are resilient, sustainable, and future-ready.

We face global crises in climate and biodiversity, and grand challenges in delivering sustainable, resilient, and safe infrastructure. In the environmental engineering program, we prepare students to design systems that improve our wellbeing and protect the natural world. This includes mastering traditional methods to deliver clean air and drinking water, treat wastes and prevent flooding as well as innovating new environmental systems to meet new challenges (like extreme weather, micro-plastics, renewable energy supply and energy from wastes), and planning for a future unlike the past.

We are rolling out new and exciting specializations to train students like you to confront these challenges, including Energy and Climate Change, Sustainable Cities, Modelling and Data Analytics, Pollution and Restoration, and Water Resources. Join us for instructors deeply committed to your success, high co-op placement opportunities in a variety of sectors and roles, and to take your place among a vibrant community of alumni running companies, launching start-ups, changing laws, improving lives, and saving our planet.  

While similar to many other disciplines studying the earth (such as biology, geology, geography, ecology) through field exploration, laboratory and computer modelling investigations, environmental engineers also benefit from the quantitative methods of mathematics and physics to further advance their understanding.  Unlike other disciplines in the natural sciences, environmental engineers use their knowledge to design and implement solutions that can be undertaken to remediate and restore the environment.

We’ve recently re-imagined our Environmental Engineering program to better prepare students for the challenges of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss as technology advances and our world evolves. Here’s what’s coming in Fall 2025:

• More connected science courses that show how chemistry, microbiology, and physics interact in real-world environmental systems.
• Hands-on design courses that build key skills in software, data analysis, and sustainable solutions.
• Greater flexibility with fewer required courses, giving you more freedom to shape your degree around your interests.

Sample first-year courses

This is a sample schedule. Courses are subject to change.

My passion for environmental preservation and sustainability began during my undergraduate studies, especially through my co-op placements and in CIVE/ENVE 230: Engineering and Sustainable Development. CIVE 230 is where I delved into the concept of sustainable cities and 'Smart Cities,' sparking my curiosity about how these strategies can effectively tackle challenges like environmental degradation, pollution reduction, and overall improvement in quality of life. I was especially intrigued by practices such as stormwater management, carbon sequestration, and the notion of '15-minute cities’. I decided to pursue my graduate studies in Environmental Engineering to explore these topics further.

One of the most urgent challenges in urban development is to manage carbon emissions and water resources. Urbanization and transportation are major contributors to carbon emissions, worsening climate change and air pollution. Environmental engineers have a crucial role in implementing strategies to reduce emissions through adopting renewable energy, creating energy-efficient transportation systems, and guiding sustainable urban planning. The transition from a Civil to Environmental focus has enabled me to explore the interdisciplinary aspects of engineering and apply skills and knowledge from my experience in Civil to solve complex problems.

The Environmental Engineering program at Waterloo offers a chance to contribute meaningfully to the development of sustainable urban landscapes. With innovative solutions such as green infrastructure, stormwater management techniques, and smart transportation systems, we can create cities that are not only resilient to environmental challenges but also vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable. Switching to Environmental Engineering will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to address urgent environmental challenges in our cities. We can pave the way for a future where cities thrive as centers of innovation and opportunity while also serving as stewards of the environment and champions of sustainability.

Learn more about Thiruni Thirimanne's research.

You’ll have an unrivalled opportunity to gain paid work experience before you even graduate. We’ll help you navigate job applications, résumés, and interviews; you’ll have the added benefit of trying out different roles and/or industries to find the one that fits you while building your work experience and reinforcing your in-class learning out in the real world. It all adds up to a competitive advantage after graduation.
Environmental Engineering students are part of the Stream 4 sequence, meaning that your first work-term starts during the winter semester of your first year.

Some previous co-op positions include: Drainage Design Engineering Assistant, Environmental Engineering Assistant, Technical Writer, Tides and Water Levels Assistant, Field Engineering/Project Coordination, Industrial Wastewater Engineer, and Program Developer.

Environmental Engineering alumni stories

Example careers for Environmental Engineering graduates

A specialization is recognition of selected elective courses within your degree. Specialization offerings are unique to your engineering program and are listed on your diploma. With our reimagined curriculum, we’ve enhanced existing specializations and introduced two brand-new ones to help you tackle real-world environmental challenges. Starting Fall 2025, you can choose from:

Options

Options are a way to provide you with a path to expand your degree and get a secondary emphasis in another subject or area. Students should decide if they are interested in taking options as they enter second year. Some available options are:

Capstone Design is the culmination of the engineering undergraduate student experience, creating a blueprint for innovation in engineering design.

Supported by numerous awards, Capstone Design provides Waterloo Engineering students with the unique opportunity to conceptualize and design a project related to their chosen discipline.

A requirement for completion of their degrees, Capstone Design challenges students teams to push their own boundaries, and apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom and on co-op work terms.  It reinforces the concepts of teamwork, project management, research and development. 

For a full list of previous capstone design projects, see our Capstone Design website.