The Department of Environmental Engineering was established in January 1973 in response to the growing concern over the environment and the need for fully qualified engineers capable of undertaking professional responsibilities for optimum development and prudent management of water, air and land resources. This department evolved from the Sanitary Engineering division of the Civil Engineering Department, which had been offering graduate courses in this field since 1967.

The mission of the Environmental Engineering Department is to provide the high quality environmental engineering education as required by the industry and the public; to advance the understanding and application of the principles of environmental science and engineering; to enhance and maintain sustainable economic development efforts and to improve the well-being of the society in general through teaching, research and community outreach programs. This mission is consistent with the broader mission of the Institution.

The graduates of the B.S. program of METU Department of Environmental Engineering, after few years following graduation, are environmental engineering professionals who meet the following Program Educational Objectives:

1. Graduates will identify and contribute to the prevention and solution of current and emerging environmental problems in a creative and independent manner.
2. Graduates will participate in research and technology development programs.
3. Graduates will function in diverse areas of environmental engineering practice at national and international levels.
4. Graduates will pursue leading positions in both public and private organizations.

The Student Outcomes of the Environmental Engineering Department are such that

1. Graduates will have an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. Graduates will have an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. Graduates will have an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. Graduates will have an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. Graduates will have an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. Graduates will have an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. Graduates will have an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Annual Undergraduate Student Enrollment and Graduation Data up to now:

The Department offers the degrees in

• Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
• Master of Science (M.S.)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The programs are designed with consideration of the modern concepts of environmental engineering education, as well as to encourage the development of individual initiative and resourcefulness with emphasis on responsibility and good judgement.

As a part of the undergraduate program, students are required to complete two summer practies each lasting 20 working days as approved by the department and to prepare reports of their activities, subject to the approval of the department. Students successfully completing the four year program are awarded the degree of B.S. in the Environmental Engineering.

The goal of the graduate programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees is two folds. First is to establish active research and technology development programs for identification and solution of current and future environmental and engineering problems. Second is to provide trained human resources with advanced technical knowledge capable of making decisions and directing projects towards solutions of complex environmental problems.

The graduate program offers research opportunities and advanced course work to qualified students in the following specific areas: water supply engineering, wastewater engineering, air pollution and control, water quality management, soil and ground water pollution, environmental modeling, environmental impact assessment, environmental chemistry and environmental microbiology and biotechnology.