Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Development of a BS Environmental Engineering Program in a Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

Amy Zander and Hung Tao Shen Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Clarkson University Potsdam, NY 13699-5710

Abstract

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University recently initiated a new B.S. degree program in Environmental Engineering. The proposal for this new degree program was recently approved by the departmental faculty following roughly a decade of deliberation. We will discuss our approaches in achieving harmony between the civil and environmental engineering programs within the department. The background and justification for the new environmental engineering degree program are given here, and the process of obtaining the approval and support of the Departmental faculty. The curriculum of the new environmental degree program is also presented, along with how the curricula of the Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering degree programs complement each other, the benefits and problems associated with this new degree program, its impacts to students on their education and to faculty in both teaching and research.

Background

Clarkson University is a small, independent, technology focused, national university with programs in business, communication, engineering, health sciences, liberal arts, science, and physical therapy. With a total enrollment of just over 3,100, including 385 graduate students, Clarkson is one of the smallest nationally ranked research institutions in the U.S. The small size of the university is said to promote interaction between students and faculty, collaborative research across disciplines, flexibility in programs, and a friendly campus atmosphere. Engineering is the largest discipline (48% of undergraduates), with growing proportions in business (17%), arts and sciences (18%), and interdisciplinary programs (17%).

Clarkson University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has long had strong research components in both civil and environmental engineering. The department has supported graduate programs (Master of Science, Master of Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy) in each area. But historically the undergraduate program has only offered one degree, that of a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Environmental Engineering faculty in the department have sought an undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering since the early 1990s. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requirements for Environmental Engineering in those times were exhaustive and fairly stringent, which meant that any proposal for a new program would rely on procuring significant new resources. Several new courses would have had to be developed to fulfill these requirements, resulting in a need for

"Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education"

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Shen, H. T., & Zander, A. (2005, June), Development Of A Bs Environmental Engineering Program Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14138