Water Science and Engineering

The availability of usable freshwater is a fundamental requirement for drinking water, food production, power generation, and the extraction and processing of natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals. Global demands for food, energy, and water are expected to rise by 60% by 2050. On a global scale, the availability and access to clean drinking water is the single largest factor affecting human health.

To help prepare students who will address these grand societal challenges, we offer a non-thesis based MS-degree in Water Science and Engineering (WSE). The WSE program integrates the expertise in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Geology, Geological Engineering, and Biology to provide students with a tailored interdisciplinary experience. Students in the WSE degree program will take courses in the following focus areas (1) Engineering Hydrology, (2) Water Infrastructure and Remediation, (3) Water Resources and the Environment, and (4) Water Policy.

Master of Science

Water Science and Engineering

The Water Science and Engineering (WSE) Master of Science (MS) degree requires a total of 30 graduate credit hours beyond the B.S. degree. The program is non-thesis only. We encourage applications from students with undergraduate degrees from one of the seven participating programs (Biology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geology and Geophysics, and Geological Engineering) or closely related degree programs. Graduate certificates in Subsurface Water Resources and/or Surface Water Resources can serve as an entry point into the WSE program. 

The program is comprised of the following:

• Program Courses:  Students will select six courses (18hrs) from the Program Course List.  Students must take at least one course from three different course categories and also take at least  one course from three separate departments. Course categories include Engineering Hydrology, Water Infrastructure and Remediation, Water Resources and the Environment, and Water Policy.

• Additional Courses: Students will select four courses (12 hrs) from a combination of existing and newly developed graduate courses that are relevant to their degree plans. These courses must be approved by their advisor and will be chosen based on the student's specific career goals and interests. 

The non-thesis WSE MS-degree is offered both on campus and online.

Entrance requirements are equivalent to the baseline university graduate student admission standards. The GRE exam is not required for internal degree applicants.