Course abbreviation: BEnvEng
Environmental engineering is a rapidly growing, multidisciplinary branch of engineering, concerned with the implementation and management of engineering solutions and programs that accord with the principles of sustainable development. Thus while the traditional engineering skills of design, construction and management remain an essential component, the focus of this branch of engineering is to ensure that such activities are carried out in a manner that minimises or eliminates adverse impact on the environment, and are socially, economically and ecologically sustainable.
The scope of application of environmental engineering principles now
embraces all of the air, water and soil environments, and the interactions
between them. Environmental engineers work closely with a range of other
environmental professionals, and the community. Their professional skills might
be used to ensure clean water supplies, reduce catchment soil erosion and
salinity, develop and implement cleaner production technologies to minimise
industrial pollution, recycle waste materials into new products, develop or
rehabilitate landfill sites, develop building and transport systems in harmony
with the environment and, very importantly, to evaluate and minimise the
environmental impact of engineering projects both large and small.
Career paths for environmental engineers are diverse, expanding and
challenging, with the pressures of increasing population and desires for
improved standards of living providing local and international opportunities.
Such opportunities are readily identified in all areas of industry, in
government planning and regulatory control, with regional and municipal
authorities, consultants and contracting engineers, research and development
organisations, and in education and technology transfer.
The environmental engineering course has been designed to be multidisciplinary,
to provide broad-based capability for the solution, implementation and
management of engineering activities in an environmental context. Thus core
engineering knowledge and skills are complemented by units from science,
economics, arts and law. The selection of one major elective stream, or two
minor elective streams, provides for in-depth treatment of one or more specific
areas of application of environmental engineering principles. The elective
streams are: water and land management; environmental process engineering; and
transport and the built environment.
Level 1 of the course provides a broad base of science, mathematics,
introductory engineering and environment units designed to form the basis of a
multidisciplinary engineering education.
Level 2 increases the engineering content, which is a mixture of core
engineering units and more environmentally directed units. Mathematics is
continued. Environmental policy is introduced to begin to integrate the content
gained from the other units.
Level 3 introduces more environmentally focused engineering units. It builds
upon the core units of level 2, provides units that address environmental
impact and management systems, and sees the commencement of the selected
elective stream(s).
Level 4 seeks to integrate and provide application for much of the earlier
knowledge and skills developed by way of substantial engineering design and
project work within the various specific elective streams. These units are
complemented by further in-depth elective units, and interdisciplinary units
from environmental law, economics and policy areas.
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