The graduate program in environmental engineering provides opportunities for study and cutting-edge research that have an immediate impact on society and that are at the nexus of energy, water, smart cities, and the environment, with an emphasis on long-term sustainability and resilience. Areas of research include water resources, quality, and treatment; resilience and sustainability; nuclear environmental engineering; and environmental materials and materials durability.
The master of science (M.S.) degree in environmental engineering requires completion of 30 hours of graduate credit (5000 level or higher) and may be earned through: (1) 24 hours of didactic graduate course work, including at least 15 hours of graduate-level courses at Vanderbilt in the major area (i.e., within Environmental Engineering graduate program) and a research thesis of at least 6 semester hours–Thesis M.S. Degree or (2) 30 hours of didactic graduate course work, including at least 15 hours of graduate-level courses at Vanderbilt in the major area (i.e., within Environmental Engineering graduate program) and a substantive report of 3 semester hours of independent study–Non-Thesis M.S. Degree.
The Ph.D. degree requires completion of 72 hours of graduate credit (5000 level or higher), a minimum of which must be 30 hours of didactic graduate course work with a minimum of 24 course credit hours to be completed at Vanderbilt and 6 hours of didactic graduate course work (excluding directed study) in the major area (i.e., within Environmental Engineering graduate program). The remaining credit hours can be fulfilled with courses or research hours. During the fall semester, entering graduate students are required to take a one-hour, zero credit seminar to orient them to how critical review of a topic is conducted and how research proposals are prepared. In addition, all Ph.D. students must pass the Environmental Engineering Graduate Program preliminary examination, must complete the university-required qualifying exam, and must write and defend a dissertation.
As part of the required 24 credit hours (thesis M.S. degree) or 30 credit hours (non-thesis M.S. degree and Ph.D. degree) of didactic graduate course work, students must demonstrate competency in four areas–(i) quantitative mechanisms and theory, (ii) experimental methods, (iii) data analysis techniques, and (iv) computation, simulation, and applied mathematics–by taking at least one course in each of the four areas selected from an approved list. Specific and degree requirements (including list of competency courses, Ph.D. committee selection, preliminary examination, thesis/dissertation, and dissertation defense policies) are available from the director of graduate studies.