Environmental Engineering
Study Environmental Engineering at the University of Waikato for a career where you'll make a lasting impact on society by helping to protect and enhance our natural and man-made environments, while enjoying excellent job prospects.
Environmental engineers work to protect water, air, soil and built environments. They evaluate and assess options, design equipment and systems, and develop regulations and controls, seek to solve issues of water quality, water supply, waste reduction and disposal, soil and air quality management, and noise.
As the world’s demand for materials, food and energy grows, so does the need for environmental engineers. Environmental Engineering graduates with strong technical and communication skills are in demand, in New Zealand and around the world.
During your degree you will learn how to identify, monitor and solve important problems associated with the environment, resource allocation and use, and sustainability. Our programme is multi-disciplinary, combining the fundamentals of engineering, science, mathematics, and computing, with the study of water resources and quality, earth and ocean environments, environmental planning, modelling and sustainability, process energy and management.
An important part of the Environmental Engineering programme at the University of Waikato is supported work placements into relevant industries. This gives you the opportunity for paid work experience while exploring first-hand the field of Environmental Engineering you could choose for your career.
You'll work on major research design projects, creating products with commercial applications, which are then showcased at our annual Oji Fibre Solutions Engineering Design Show. There is also a focus on developing well-honed communication skills that are such a vital part of the profession.
Facilities
Students can work in specialised laboratories including the Large Scale Lab complex that features a suite of workshops and laboratories dedicated to engineering teaching and research, such as 3D printing, a mechanical workshop and computer labs with engineering design software.
Key information
| Study Locations: | Hamilton, Tauranga Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info. |
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| Faculty: |
Study Environmental Engineering in these qualifications
Environmental Engineering as a specialisation of
Career opportunities
- Environmental Engineer
- Water and Sanitary Engineer
- Public/Environmental Health Engineer
- Infrastructure Engineer
- Sustainability Engineer
- Restoration Engineer
- Resource/Waste Management Engineer
Papers
Available Environmental Engineering papers
Year 1
Students must take the following papers: ENGEN103, ENGEN112, ENGEN170, ENGEN180, ENGEN183 and ENGEN184.
Plus 30 points of electives including CHEMY101 or CHEMY102 and one of: BIOEB101, BIOEB102, EARTH101, EARTH102.
Year 2
Students must take the following papers: ENGCB280, ENGCV223 , ENGCV231, ENGEN201, ENGEN270, ENGEN271, ENGEV241, ENGME221 and ENVPL201.
Year 3
Students must take the following papers: ENGCB380, ENGCV323, ENGCV331, ENGEN301, ENGEN371, ENGEV341, ENGEV342.
Plus 30 points of electives from: Any BIOEB 200 level paper, BIOMO203, Any Chemistry 200 level paper, Any Earth Sciences 200 level paper, Any Engineering 300 level paper (not including ENGLI3XX), ENVPL301, ENGEN390.
Year 4
Students must take the following papers: ENGCB523, ENGEN570, ENGEN581, ENGEV541, ENGEV542, ENGEV580.
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| BIOEB101 | Concepts of Biology | 19A (Hamilton) |
| An introduction to the foundations of biology, including the structure and functioning of cells, evolution, the origins and diversity of life, and a tour of the major forms of life and their defining characteristics. | ||
| BIOEB102 | Introduction to Ecology and Biodiversity | 19B (Hamilton) & 19B (Tauranga) |
| An introduction to the principles of ecology and biodiversity. Topics include population, community and ecosystem ecology, conservation biology, and the structure, functioning and environmental responses of animals and plants. Examples will include New Zealand ecosystems and biota. | ||
| CHEMY101 | Structure and Spectroscopy | 19A (Hamilton), 19A (Secondary School - Unistart) & 19C (Hamilton) |
| A theoretical and practical course covering aspects of analytical and inorganic chemistry. This course is required for the chemistry major. | ||
| CHEMY102 | Chemical Reactivity | 19B (Hamilton) & 19B (Secondary School - Unistart) |
| A theoretical and practical course covering aspects of physical and organic chemistry. This course is required for the chemistry major. | ||
| EARTH101 | Introduction to Earth System Sciences | 19A (Hamilton) & 19A (Tauranga) |
| A lecture and laboratory paper that explores the interacting processes that affect the surface of the Earth, producing landforms and resources, with a focus on physical processes. Topics covered include coastal processes and hazards; climate change; weathering; erosion and mass movement; soil formation; the hydrological cycle; rive... | ||
| EARTH102 | Discovering Planet Earth | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores the Earth's interior and its dynamic interaction with the crust, including: the major rocks and minerals; interpreting the rock record and geologic maps; the geological time scale and fossils; plate tectonics; volcanism; earthquakes. | ||
| ENGEN103 | Engineering Computing | 19A (Hamilton), 19A (Tauranga) & 19T (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces computer programming in languages such as C# and Python. It provides the basis for the programming skills required in more advanced papers within the School of Engineering. | ||
| ENGEN112 | Materials Science and Engineering | 19B (Hamilton) & 19B (Tauranga) |
| Introduction to engineering materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, semiconductors and biomaterials) and their atomic structure and mechanical properties. Includes; elastic and plastic deformation, fracture mechanisms, failure in service, iron-carbon phase diagram, redox reactions in corrosion, production of polymers, ce... | ||
| ENGEN170 | Engineering and Society | 19B (Hamilton) & 19B (Tauranga) |
| Introduction to the role of engineering in society in particular understanding of Treaty of Waitangi, history of science, engineering and technology, philosophy and ethics and public participation, participatory design, sustainability. | ||
| ENGEN180 | Foundations of Engineering | 19A (Hamilton) & 19A (Tauranga) |
| Introduction to the engineering design process and computer aided design, fundamental principles of engineering analysis, open ended problem solving, engineering economics and the skills of a successful engineer. Includes a design-build-test experience. | ||
| ENGEN183 | Linear Algebra and Statistics for Engineers | 19A (Hamilton), 19A (Tauranga), 19B (Hamilton) & 19B (Tauranga) |
| A study of introductory statistics and the fundamental techniques of algebra including Gaussian elimination, vector and matrix algebra, complex numbers, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, as well as basic statistical notions and tools, with engineering applications. | ||
| ENGEN184 | Calculus for Engineers | 19A (Hamilton), 19A (Tauranga), 19B (Hamilton), 19B (Tauranga), 19S (Hamilton) & 19S (Tauranga) |
| A study of the fundamental techniques of calculus, including differentiation and integration for functions of one real variable, with engineering applications. | ||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| BIOEB200 | Behavioural Ecology & Conservation | 19B (Hamilton) |
| The paper provides an introduction to the principles and concepts of behavioural ecology, and to the application of these to case studies in conservation biology in New Zealand. | ||
| BIOEB201 | Principles of Evolution | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the evolution and diversity of life. Topics include the history and philosophy of evolutionary thought, discussion of the mechanisms of evolution, present-day evidence of evolution in animal, plant and bacterial taxa; modern methods of analysing this evidence, and the evolutionary origins of current-day biodiver... | ||
| BIOEB202 | Principles of Ecology | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the principles of ecology, including adaptation to the environment, intra- and inter-specific interactions, community and ecosystem dynamics, and biogeography. Weekend field trips and computer laboratory work are essential elements. | ||
| BIOEB204 | Plant Structure and Function | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Plants are key regulators of ecosystem processes, and actively respond to and change their environments. This paper examines how plants have these effects by exploring plant structure, functioning, and adaptation to different environments. Laboratory work emphasises the handling and identification of common native plants. | ||
| BIOMO203 | Microbiology | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper will focus on microbial cell structure, function, and metabolism. Content and context will be drawn from both human and environmental examples. Students will acquire skills in microbiological laboratory techniques, data collection, data analysis, and report presentation. This paper is required for the Molecular and Cellu... | ||
| CHEMY201 | Organic Chemistry | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers aspects of organic chemistry including reaction mechanisms with carbanion and radical intermediates; mechanisms of reactions of carbonyl groups and multiple electrophilic substitutions of aromatic rings; an introduction to carbohydrate chemistry. | ||
| CHEMY202 | Physical Chemistry | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This course covers aspects of physical chemistry including thermodynamics and phase equilibria; chemical kinetics; conductance and electrochemistry. | ||
| CHEMY203 | Inorganic Chemistry | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers aspects of inorganic chemistry including structure and reactivity of the main-group elements; point-group symmetry; molecular orbital, crystal field theories; transition metal coordination complexes. | ||
| CHEMY204 | Analytical Chemistry | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers aspects of analytical chemistry including characterisation using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass-spectrometry (MS); qualitative and quantitative analysis of mixtures using gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) | ||
| EARTH211 | Earth Resources and Materials | 19A (Hamilton) |
| An introduction to the nature, composition and origin of earth resources and materials. Topics covered include: minerals in society and their properties; origin of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks; volcanological and sedimentary processes and the importance of earth materials as sources for resources used by society. | ||
| EARTH221 | Soil Science | 19B (Hamilton) |
| An introduction to the nature, formation, and classification of soils, their physical, chemical, mineralogical, and biological properties, and issues of soil quality, land degradation and sustainable management. | ||
| EARTH231 | Water Resources, Weather and Climate | 19A (Hamilton) |
| New Zealand's water resources are coming under increasing pressure for human use, while their management requires that they also provide for healthy freshwater ecosystems. This paper describes the key physical processes that influence the distribution of water in space and time from a New Zealand perspective. Topics covered include... | ||
| EARTH241 | Oceanography | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to the broad scale properties, issues, and research importance of the global ocean via the main disciplines of oceanography: particularly biological, chemical, geological and physical oceanography | ||
| EARTH251 | Spatial Analysis in Geosciences | 19A (Hamilton) |
| An introduction to quantitative spatial analysis in the geosciences, including production of maps and cross-sections of geomorphology and Earth materials from field and aerial image interpretation, use of 3D models of Earth materials, and an appreciation of volumes and stresses in the Earth's crust. | ||
| ENGCB280 | Process Engineering Design 1 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers mass balances around reactors and separation processes used by engineers in process design, CAD tools for process flow diagrams, pipe and instrumentation diagrams, and simple batch and continuous process modelling using software tools. | ||
| ENGCV223 | Water Engineering 1 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Basic principles of fluid statics and dynamics, including fluid viscosity, Bernoulli and mechanical energy equation, dimensional analysis, flow in pipes and channels and introduction to hydrology and fluvial processes. | ||
| ENGCV231 | Geotechnical Engineering 1 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| Basic principles and concepts governing the behaviour of soils and rocks, including phase relationships, permeability and seepage, soil strength, compressibility, slope stability analysis, consolidation and settlement. | ||
| ENGEN201 | Engineering Mathematics 2 | 19B (Hamilton) & 19S (Hamilton) |
| Calculus of Several Variables and its Applications. Vector calculus (Green's, Gauss' and Stokes' theorems). Taylor's Theorem in n dimensions. Introduction to partial differential equations. Fourier series. | ||
| ENGEN270 | Engineering Professional Practice 1 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| Preparation for success in the engineering workplace including CV preparation, interview techniques, job seeking skills, online profile, workplace and engineering business cultures and norms, ethics, communication and management structures. | ||
| ENGEN271 | Engineering Work Placement 1 | 19C (Hamilton), 19S (Hamilton) & 19T (Hamilton) |
| First work placement involving 400 hours of work experience at an approved engineering organisation relevant to your studies. Typically undertaken during the summer semesters at the end of second year. | ||
| ENGEV241 | Environmental Engineering 1 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers skills, knowledge and capability for environmental engineers so they can understand, investigate and evaluate environmental engineering problems and solutions. | ||
| ENGME221 | Engineering Thermodynamics | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the fundamental concepts and laws of thermodynamics, including thermodynamics properties of substances, first and second law analysis, power cycles, refrigeration cycles and simple combustion analysis of engines. | ||
| ENVPL201 | Introduction to Resource Management | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper is designed to provide students with an introduction to law and policy relevant to the practice of environmental planning and management in New Zealand. | ||
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ENGCB321 | Thermal Engineering | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Application of engineering thermodynamics to steady and unsteady industrial processes, including, steam boiler systems, advanced power and refrigeration cycles, cooling towers and plant utility systems | ||
| ENGCB322 | Chemical and Biological Operations | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the principle and application of enzymes, concepts of fermentation technology, principles of bioreactor operation, bioprocess variables and their measurement, key product separation techniques, and bioprocess economics. | ||
| ENGCB323 | Chemical Reaction Engineering | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper is an introduction to the quantitative treatment of chemical and biological reaction and reactor engineering, including homogeneous and heterogeneous reacting systems. | ||
| ENGCB324 | Mass Transfer Operations | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the application of heat and mass transfer, and thermodynamics to chemical and physical separation process. | ||
| ENGCB380 | Process Engineering Design 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Conceptual and detailed design, costing and economic assessment of chemical, biological and materials process plants, including software and numerical simulation, separation trains, heat exchanger and pump sizing, and reactor kinetics. | ||
| ENGCV312 | Structural Engineering 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Analysis of statically indeterminate structures, application of moment-area method, computer analysis of structures, design of structures in steel, wood, reinforced concrete and pre-stressed concrete. | ||
| ENGCV323 | Water Engineering 2 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| Application of fluid mechanics principles to water engineering applications such as design of pipe system networks, pump characteristics and selection, open channel flow, hydraulic jump, measurement, analysis and modelling of surface hydrological processes. | ||
| ENGCV331 | Geotechnical Engineering 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Basic principles and concepts governing the behaviour of soils and rocks, including phase relationships, permeability and seepage, soil strength, compressibility, slope stability analysis, consolidation and settlement with application to design of foundations. | ||
| ENGCV351 | Construction 2 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| Construction processes and building technology including surveying, site preparation, earthworks, foundations, Building Information Modelling (BIM), risk assessment, site health and safety, construction project management, demolition and site remediation. | ||
| ENGCV380 | Civil Design Challenge 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Engineering design principles applied to an advanced open-ended civil design challenge. Design standards, project finance, environmental consideration, health and safety and risk assessment. | ||
| ENGEE323 | Sensors and Measurement | 19B (Hamilton) |
| The paper covers the theory and applications of semiconductor sensors and the basic theory and design concepts used in common electronic measurement systems used by electronic engineers. | ||
| ENGEE331 | Signals | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers communications signalling and modulation, and signals fundamentals. Wired and wireless, baseband and passband, the Fourier representation of signals, bandwidth, and transmit filtering, are taught. | ||
| ENGEE334 | Transmission Lines & Antennae | 19A (Hamilton) |
| The paper uses classical electromagnetic theory to describe the propagation of electromagnetic waves and to analyse applications like transmission lines, waveguides, antennas, and microwave circuits. | ||
| ENGEE335 | Integrated Circuits | 19B (Hamilton) |
| The paper covers techniques for fabricating ICs, CMOS devices, logic gate characteristics and design, monolithic topologies such as differential pairs, multipliers, current mirrors, bandgap references, opamps, device failure mechanisms, ESD, electromigration, and estimating circuit reliability. | ||
| ENGEE336 | Power Electronics | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Paper covers theory, design, applications and the systems approach in power electronics. Subjects include power semiconductors, power converters, energy storge devices, DC power management, AC power conditioning and surge protection. | ||
| ENGEN301 | Engineering Mathematics 3 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| Introduces numerical methods and statistical ideas relevant to Engineering. | ||
| ENGEN371 | Engineering Work Placement 2 | 19C (Hamilton) |
| Second work placement involving 400 hours of work experience at an approved engineering organisation relevant to your studies. Typically undertaken during the summer semesters at the end of third year. | ||
| ENGEN390 | Special Topics in Engineering 1 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton), 19D (Hamilton) & 19Y (Hamilton) |
| An independent theoretical literature or experimental investigation of an engineering topic supervised by a member of staff. | ||
| ENGEN391 | Special Topics in Engineering 2 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton), 19D (Hamilton) & 19Y (Hamilton) |
| An independent theoretical literature or experimental investigation of an engineering topic supervised by a member of staff. | ||
| ENGEV341 | Environmental Engineering 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the design, operation and management of unit processes used in environmental engineering including air, water, wastewater, storm water, waste, soils and noise treatment and control systems. | ||
| ENGEV342 | Sustainable Engineering | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers sustainability in engineering design within the context of quality standards, emissions, carbon accounting and life cycle analysis. | ||
| ENGME323 | Thermofluids | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Application of basic principles of fluids and heat transfer to mechatronic engineering. Topics include fluid viscosity, fluid statics, hydraulics, flow in pipes, fans and pumps, conduction, convection and radiation heat transfer, heat exchangers and cooling electronic components. | ||
| ENGME352 | Machine Control and Applications | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper teaches students the theory and application of machine control. | ||
| ENGME353 | Electrical and Mechanical Machines | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper teaches students the theory and application of electrical and mechanical machines. | ||
| ENGME357 | Microcontrollers and Mechatronics | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper teaches students the basics of mechatronics with advanced theory of machine control. | ||
| ENGME380 | Design and Manufacturing 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers modern aspects of engineering design and manufacture. | ||
| ENGMP311 | Materials 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| It will develop understanding of the relationship between material structure, processing and behaviour to support engineering of materials and engineering with materials. | ||
| ENGMP313 | Mechanics of Materials 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| Advanced level knowledge on mechanics and performance of materials, covering stress and strain transformations, failure criteria, unsymmetrical bending, torsion of non-circular sections, fatigue, materials selection and materials testing. | ||
| ENVPL301 | Planning for Sustainability | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This paper critically examines the contested notion of sustainability in both rural and urban planning contexts and explores current developments and best practice in these areas. | ||
500 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ENGCB521 | Advanced Process Control | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the fundamentals of process control, and introduces advanced process control strategies. | ||
| ENGCB523 | Advanced Energy Engineering | 19A (Hamilton) & 19B (Hamilton) |
| Analysis of chemical processing plants and renewable, cogen and smart energy systems through pinch analysis and total site process integration. | ||
| ENGEN570 | Engineering Professional Practice 2 | 19Y (Hamilton) |
| Role engineers in industry, business and society, contract law and legal responsibility, Treaty of Waitangi considerations, intellectual property, teamwork and leadership skills, responsibilities of a professional, ethics with industrial case studies. | ||
| ENGEN581 | Honours Research Project | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton) & 19Y (Hamilton) |
| Final year honours research project carried out on a topic assigned and supervised by a member of staff. | ||
| ENGEN584 | Special Topics in Engineering 4 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton) & 19D (Hamilton) |
| An independent theoretical literature or experimental investigation of an engineering topic supervised by a member of staff.? | ||
| ENGEN585 | Special Topics in Engineering 5 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton) & 19D (Hamilton) |
| An independent theoretical literature or experimental investigation of an engineering topic supervised by a member of staff. | ||
| ENGEN586 | Special Topics in Engineering 6 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton), 19C (Hamilton) & 19D (Hamilton) |
| An independent theoretical literature or experimental investigation of an engineering topic supervised by a member of staff. | ||
| ENGEN587 | Directed Study 1 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton) & 19C (Hamilton) |
| Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff. | ||
| ENGEN588 | Directed Study 2 | 19A (Hamilton), 19B (Hamilton) & 19C (Hamilton) |
| Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff. | ||
| ENGEV543 | Design for Energy and the Environment | 19B (Hamilton) |
| This interdisciplinary paper focuses on the important aspects of science and technology related to new and existing energy resources and energy efficiency. Topics covered reflect the trend of current development in energy technology. | ||
| ENGEV544 | Environmental Technology Water and Wastewater 1 | 19A (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | ||
| ENGEV545 | Environmental Technology Water and Wastewater 2 | 19B (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | ||
| ENVS524 | Environmental Evaluation | 19A (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores the interface between science and environmental planning. Insight into the resource consent process and the role of science in supporting sustainable resource management under the RMA is developed. | ||
Scholarships and Prizes
Selected scholarships for Environmental Engineering students.
New to Waikato? The International Excellence Scholarship is worth up to $10,000.
Brian Perry Charitable Trust Undergraduate Scholarship in Science & Engineering Closed
For students who are enrolled in the second year of full-time study towards an undergraduate degree, in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Waikato. The scholarship will have a value of up to $5,000.
Science and Engineering Masters Fees Awards Closed
For students enrolling full-time in the first year MSc (research), MSc, MSc (Tech) ME or MEnvSci programme in the faculty of Engineering. Part-time applicants may be considered but any scholarship awarded will be on a pro-rata basis. The Scholarship will have a value of up to $2,000.
Looking for more scholarships?
Practical experience
Expand to read practical experience
Work placements are a major feature of the Environmental Engineering programme and you will complete 800 hours of relevant work experience during your degree.
Our Cooperative Education Unit actively seeks and oversees your industrial work placement, ensuring a good fit for your area of study and career goals, and monitoring the quality of your work experience. They are the leader in New Zealand for co-operative education programmes, with an average 350 students placed in industry every year.
By the time you graduate you will have the credibility of paid experience to take to your interviews.
Contacts
Faculty of Science & Engineering
Phone: +64 7 838 4625 / 0800 438 254
Email: science@waikato.ac.nz
Website: sci.waikato.ac.nz
Facebook: facebook.com/WaikatoScienceEngineering