Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Engineering




Department: Earth and Environmental Engineering
Transcript Designation: Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Engineering
Program Advisor(s): Academic Questions: e-mail advisor@cvn.columbia.edu
Administrative Questions: e-mail cvn@cvn.columbia.edu



About the Earth and Environmental Engineering Program:

The sustainability of human society on Earth is likely to be one of the dominant challenges of the 21st century. Continued population growth, coupled with urbanization and industrialization throughout the globe, has resulted in rapid consumption of our natural resources, extensive waste production, environmental degradation, threats to human health, and climate change. Much has been said about these problems, but thus far not enough has been done. Needed are better engineering solutions for a sustainable planet.

The Columbia University Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering (EEE) strives to develop effective solutions to these complex and multidisciplinary problems, reconciling a deep concern for the environment with the needs of our global industrialized society. Our central theme is the conscientious stewardship of our finite natural resources, namely minerals, fuels, energy, water, and land. EEE maintains the Henry Krumb School of Mines’ longstanding tradition of responsibly providing essential materials to society, while pioneering important new environmental initiatives.

EEE now offers the Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Engineering degree, designed for engineers and scientists who plan to pursue, or are already engaged in, environmental management/development careers. The focus of the program is the environmentally sound mining and processing of primary materials (minerals, energy, and water) and the recycling or proper disposal of used materials. The program also includes technologies for assessment and remediation of past damage to the environment. Students must complete 30 credits of graduate level coursework and can choose a pace that allows them to complete the MS requirements while being employed.


Admission Requirements:

Degree required for admission: Students admitted to the program must possess an undergraduate degree in engineering, science, mathematics, computer science or other related field (subject to the approval of the Earth and Environmental Engineering Program) from an accredited academic institution. Applicants should have a strong undergraduate record to be competitive for admission.

GPA required: Minimum of 3.0

GRE requirements: General test required

Other application requirements: Two recommendation letters, transcripts, resume, and a personal-professional statement are required. TOEFL test scores are required of all students who received their bachelor's degree in a country where English is not the official and spoken language. All application requirements in the Graduate Application must be completed as specified in the application.


Degree Requirements:

Students must complete all core courses (described below) and selected electives (described below) for a total of 30 graduate points of academic work with an academic average of 2.5 or better. All degree requirements must be completed within 5 years of the beginning of the first course credited toward the degree. This includes courses taken in the non-degree program.

Core Courses (12 credits):

The core courses provide a student with a foundation in the fundamentals of Earth and Environmental Engineering. The core courses contribute 12 points of graduate credit toward the degree. Students must complete four of the following seven courses:

CHEE E4252: Introduction to Surface and Colloid Chemistry

EAEE E4003: Introduction to Aquatic Chemistry

EAEE E4200: Production of Inorganic Materials

EAEE E4550: Catalysis for Emissions Control

EAEE E4901: Environmental Microbiology

EAEE E6208: Combustion Chemistry and Processes

ECIA W4100: Management and Development of Water Systems


Elective courses (9 credits):

In addition to the required four Core Earth and Environmental Engineering courses listed above, students will need to complete three additional courses from the courses listed below for a total of nine credits in Earth & Environmental Engineering or related fields such as Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. Approved courses that will fulfill this category of course requirements include (but are not limited to) the following classes. Additional courses not listed below can be applicable towards this requirement, subject to the approval of the faculty advisor. All of the courses below have already been recorded by CVN.

CHEE E4050: Principles of Industrial and Environmental Electrochemistry

CHEE E4530: Corrosion of Metals

CHEE E6252: Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry

CHEN E4010: Chemical Process Analysis

MSAE E4215: Mechanical Behavior of Structural Materials

MSAE E4132: Fundamentals of Polymers and Ceramics

MSAE E4202: Thermodynamics and Reactions in Solids

MSAE E4206: Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Solids

MSAE E4250: Ceramics and Composites

MSAE E6090: Nanotechnology

SIEO W4150: Introduction to Probability and Statistics


Free Electives (9 credits):

A student must select three elective courses for a total of 9 points of graduate credit. These elective courses allow the student to pick subjects from a variety of areas within the Engineering School to complement the core program. The determination of which courses are applicable towards the elective requirements is subject to the approval of the faculty advisor.


Transfer of credit:

Up to 6 credit hours (points) of acceptable graduate-level academic work from an accredited academic institution earned prior to enrolling at Columbia may be transferred to Columbia, subject to departmental approval. Please note that students must request the transfer of credit while applying to the MS program. Credit will only be considered for transfer if the grades earned were at least 3.0 on the 4.0 scale. An official college transcript and copy of the class syllabus and/or course description from the school's bulletin must accompany the "Transfer of Credit Request" form. Please note that courses already used towards completion of another degree program can not be re-used for transfer credit.