Environmental engineering graduate students conduct research on fire-water interactions in Yosemite National Park. (Photo by Adam Lau / Berkeley Engineering)Environmental Engineering
In this section
Are you passionate about protecting people and the planet? A degree in environmental engineering can equip you with the knowledge and skills to make a lasting impact. Environmental engineers tackle some of today’s most important challenges by improving air quality, ensuring access to safe drinking water, developing sustainable waste management systems and restoring contaminated land and water. Through innovative engineering solutions, they help create healthier communities and a more sustainable future. Environmental engineers might work in private industry, for government agencies or in a non-governmental, nonprofit organization.
Why choose Berkeley?
Contact
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
760 Davis Hall # 1710
Berkeley, CA 94720-1710
(510) 642-3261
support@ce.berkeley.edu
Our environmental engineering program is consistently ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. As an environmental engineering undergrad, you’ll get rigorous academic learning with an emphasis on environmental topics. Our classes are relatively small, so you’ll get to know both your professors and your fellow students. Undergraduates also have plenty of opportunities to engage in research with faculty, whose work covers air quality engineering, environmental fluid mechanics, hydrology and water quality engineering.
Interested? Learn more about the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. You can also explore a comparison chart to see how civil and environmental engineering majors differ in their focus.
Degree worksheets
The easiest, most convenient way to track your progress toward your degree requirements is to use a degree worksheet, with guidelines specific to your year of admission. You should bring your worksheet with you whenever you meet with your Engineering Student Services or faculty adviser. From your ‘My Academics’ page on CalCentral, use the ‘Semesters’ section to help complete your worksheet. When available, you can also use the Academic Progress Report to help update your degree worksheet.
Current degree worksheet: 2026
Engineering Student Services
120 Grimes Engineering Center
Berkeley, CA 94720
ess@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-7594
Degree requirements
Undergraduate programs and degree worksheets from previous years are available through the Undergraduate Guide archive.
| Course | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year | ||
| CHEM 1A+1AL – General Chemistry |
5
|
–
|
| BIOLOGY 1B – General Biology Lecture |
4
|
|
| DATA C8 – Foundations of Data Science |
4
|
|
| MATH 51 – Calculus I |
4
|
–
|
| MATH 52 – Calculus II |
–
|
4
|
| PHYSICS 7A – Physics for Scientists and Engineers |
–
|
4
|
| Reading & Composition Part A Course1 | 4 | |
| Total |
13
|
15
|
| Sophomore Year | ||
| CIVENG 11 – Engineered Systems and Sustainability |
3 | |
| CIVENG 70 – Engineering Geology | 3 | |
| CIVENG 93 – Engineering Data Analysis | 3 | |
| ENGIN 7 – Introduction to Computer Programming and Numerical Methods | 4 | |
| MATH 53 – Multivariable Calculus |
4
|
–
|
| MATH 54 – Linear Algebra and Differential Equations |
–
|
4
|
| Basic Science Elective2 | 3-4 | |
| Reading & Composition Part B Course1 | 4 | |
| Total |
14
|
14-15
|
| Junior Year | ||
| CIVENG 100 – Elementary Fluid Mechanics | 4 | |
| CIVENG C106 – Air Pollution | 3 | |
| CIVENG 111 – Environmental Engineering | 3 | |
| CIVENG 111L – Water and Air Quality Laboratory | 1 | |
| Climate Change Elective3 | 3 | |
| Environmental Justice Elective4 | 3-4 | |
| Upper Division Technical Elective5 | 3-4 | |
| Humanities/Social Sciences Course1 | 3-4 | 3-4 |
| Total |
14-16
|
12-14
|
| Senior Year | ||
| CIVENG C103N – Terrestrial Hydrology | 4 | |
| CIVENG 115 – Water Chemistry | 3 | |
| Geotechnical Elective6 | 3 | |
| Capstone Design Requirement7 | 3 | |
| Project Management / Environmental Policy Elective8 | 3-4 | |
| Upper Division Technical Elective5 | 3 | |
| Environmental Humanities1 | 3-4 | |
| Humanities/Social Sciences Course1 | 3-4 | |
| Total |
13-15
|
12-13
|
Notes
Please note that upper division Civil Engineering courses are only offered once a year.
* A minimum of 120 units is required for graduation.
1The Humanities/Social Sciences (H/SS) requirement includes two approved Reading & Composition (R&C) courses and four additional approved courses, with which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. R&C courses must be taken for a letter grade (C- or better required). The first half (R&C Part A) must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half (R&C Part B) must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. The remaining courses may be taken at any time during the program. See humanities and social sciences for complete details and a list of approved courses.
Additionally, one of the H/SS courses must be from the Environmental Humanities list. This is the only major requirement that can be taken for pass/not pass.
2 To complete the Basic Science requirement, complete one course from the following: CHEM 1B, CHEM 3A, PHYSICS 7B, or MECENG 40.
3To develop literacy and understanding of climate change and its impacts, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 107, CIVENG 108, or CIVENG 110.
4To complete this major’s Environmental Justice requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 119 or ENGIN 157AC.
5To complete your Upper Division Technical Elective requirement, complete two courses from this list.
6To complete your Geotechnical Elective requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 170A, 171, 173, 175, 176, and 188.
7To complete your Capstone requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 105, CIVENG 112, or CIVENG 186.
8To complete your Project Management / Environmental Policy requirement, complete one course from this list.
| Course | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 1st and 2nd Semesters | ||
| CIVENG 11 – Engineered Systems and Sustainability |
3
|
|
| CIVENG 70 – Engineering Geology | 3 | |
| CIVENG 93 – Engineering Data Analysis | 3 | |
| CIVENG C106 – Air Pollution | 3 | |
| CIVENG 111 – Environmental Engineering | 3 | |
| CIVENG 111L – Water and Air Quality Laboratory | 1 | |
| DATA C8 – Foundations of Data Science |
4
|
|
| Environmental Justice Elective2 | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Humanities1 | 3-4 | |
| Total | 14 |
12-14
|
| 3rd and 4th Semesters | ||
| CIVENG 100 – Elementary Fluid Mechanics | 4 | |
| CIVENG C103N – Terrestrial Hydrology | 4 | |
| CIVENG 115 – Water Chemistry | 3 | |
| ENGIN 7 – Introduction to Computer Programming and Numerical Methods | 4 | |
| Climate Change Elective3 | 3 | |
| Geotechnical Elective4 | 3 | |
| Upper Division Technical Elective5 | 3 | |
| Humanities/Social Sciences Course1 | 3-4 | |
| Total |
15
|
12-13
|
| 5th Semester** | ||
| Project Management / Environmental Policy Elective6 | 3-4 | |
| Capstone Design Requirement7 | 3 | |
| Upper Division Technical Elective5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Total |
12
|
|
Notes
Please note that upper division Civil Engineering courses are only offered once a year.
* A minimum of 120 units is required for graduation.
1The Humanities/Social Sciences (H/SS) requirement includes two approved Reading & Composition (R&C) courses and four additional approved courses, with which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. R&C courses must be taken for a letter grade (C- or better required). The first half (R&C Part A) must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half (R&C Part B) must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. The remaining courses may be taken at any time during the program. See humanities and social sciences for complete details and a list of approved courses.
Additionally, one of the H/SS courses must be from the Environmental Humanities list. This is the only major requirement that can be taken for pass/not pass.
2To complete this major’s Environmental Justice requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 119 or ENGIN 157AC.
3To develop literacy and understanding of climate change and its impacts, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 107, CIVENG 108, or CIVENG 110.
4To complete your Geotechnical Elective requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 170A, 171, 173, 175, 176, and 188.
5To complete your Upper Division Technical Elective requirement, complete two courses from this list.
6To complete your Project Management / Environmental Policy requirement, complete one course from this list.
7To complete your Capstone requirement, complete one course from the following: CIVENG 105, CIVENG 112, or CIVENG 186.
If you would like to receive these documents in an alternative, accessible format, please contact eng-ada@berkeley.edu.