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Future students

The major application is now open for Autumn 2025

This admission path is for transfer, current UW non-engineering students and Engineering Undeclared students with advanced credit. The deadline is April 5th, 2025 (5:00 p.m. PDT). Late applications or application materials will not be accepted.

If you are unable to complete all application requirements by the April 5th deadline, or all of the enrollment requirements by the time you enroll in CEE at UW in autumn quarter, you must obtain permission to apply from the department. Learn more about the conditional application request. 

Start your application

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

A researcher standing in a rice field

Environmental engineers develop innovative solutions to address environmental challenges and emerging issues related to water supply, climate change, new energy resources and sustainability.

What do environmental engineers do?

Environmental engineers design systems to both safeguard and improve the quality of the environment. By utilizing a combination of scientific and engineering principles, environmental engineers work to protect the world and its people from negative environmental impacts caused by both natural and human activities. The work of environmental engineers is increasingly important, as healthy environments are critical for enabling livable, sustainable, equitable communities and cities.

What problems are environmental engineers trying to solve?

  • Environmental engineers focus on protecting and preserving the environment through water quality research, air pollution control, wastewater management and more.
  • Environmental engineers design increasingly efficient and selective methods to remove contaminants from air, water, contaminated soils and sediments, and decrease the amount and adverse effects of wastes.
  • Environmental engineers design solutions to better utilize water, air and soil resources to maintain a sustainable environment.

Opportunities in Environmental Engineering

  • More than 80% of our students obtain an internship before they graduate.
  • ENVE students participate in research projects in air resources, environmental systems, hydrology, hydrodynamics, and water quality engineering.
  • Each year the CEE department awards more than $400,000 in scholarships to its own students.

ENVEs enjoy careers in:

  • General Environmental Engineering
  • Hazardous Waste Management
  • Hydropower
  • Land-Use Planning
  • Public Utilities
  • Solid Waste Management
  • Stream Restoration
  • Surface Hydrology
  • Water Resource Management
  • Water Supply and Wastewater Engineering
  • And much, much more!

Where do CEE alumni work?

  •   

    Air and space

    Jobs: Air quality engineering, air pollution control, air dispersion modeling
    Employers: Geosyntec, Boeing,SpaceX, Department of Defense
  •   

    Computing, data and digital technologies

    Jobs: Mathematical modeling, data analysis
    Employers: Amazon, Google, Uber, Zillow, Thornton Tomesetti
  •   

    Environment, sustainability and energy

    Jobs: Climate change/adaptation, renewable energy, water treatment, sustainability, environmental chemistry, hydropower
    Employers: AESI, Anchor QEA, Army Corps of Engineers, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants,  Parametrix, Seattle Public Utilities, TRC Companies, UNICEF, Anchor QEA, AESI
  •   

    Health and medicine

    Jobs: Drinking water treatment, air pollution control
    Employers: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Aspect Consulting, Clark Construction
  •   

    Infrastructure, transportation and society

    Jobs: Air and water quality facilities, site remediation, sustainability, habitat restoration, project management
    Employers: Jacobs, WSP, HDR, GeoEngineers, KPFF, Magnusson Klemencic, Kiewit, Stacy and Witbeck, Perteet, Sound Transit, Walsh Group, WSDOT, AESI, Anchor QEA
  •   

    Robotics and manufacturing

    Jobs: Construction materials, tunneling, 3D printing, autonomous vehicles/robots
    Employers: Lane Construction, Traylor Brothers, Kiewit, Clark Construction, WSDOT


ABET accredited

The program prepares students to obtain their Engineering in Training License (EIT).


Annual Career Fair

connects students with over 80 employers.


The cohort model

helps contribute to CEE's tight-knit culture and extensive collaboration.

How can I learn more?