博士 授予该学位是为了表彰其在环境工程方面表现出的学术能力以及进行和报告原始和重要研究的能力。长期以来，环境工程领域以其适应环境所面临的新技术，社会和全球问题的广度和能力而闻名。主要研究领域包括水质工程，空气质量工程，环境中污染物的命运和转移，环境生物技术和纳米技术，废物管理，可持续性和生态工程，地表水文学和水力学，地下水水文学，中水回用，绿色工程，可再生能源能源，新兴污染物的命运以及以发展中国家为重点的人道主义工程。专业的毕业生为在学术界，政府机构，非政府组织（NGOs）或参与计划，设计，研究与开发或政
The Ph.D. degree is awarded in recognition of demonstrated scholarly competence and ability to conduct and report original and significant research in Environmental Engineering. The field of Environmental Engineering has long been known for its breadth and ability to adapt to the new technological, societal, and global problems facing the environment. Major research areas include water quality engineering, air quality engineering, fate and transport of contaminants in the environment, environmental biotechnology and nanotechnology, waste management, sustainability and ecological engineering, surface water hydrology and hydraulics, groundwater hydrology, water reuse, green engineering, renewable energy, fate of emerging contaminants, and humanitarian engineering with a focus on the developing world. Graduates of the major are prepared for careers in academia, governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or private industry and firms involved in planning, design, research and development, or policy.