Top Universities for Environmental Engineering in Canada

If you’re looking to further enhance your profession as an environmental engineer in Canada, getting a Master’s in Environmental Engineering is a great way to go. This program will further expand your knowledge and increase your employability.

Environmental engineering is the study of the environment to help minimize and manage waste and protect natural resources. For some universities, environmental engineering is placed within chemical or civil engineering. This placement  depends mainly on the discipline’s subspecialty, such as water and air treatment technologies for chemical engineering, and water resource management and hydrology for civil engineering. Other universities have dedicated environmental engineering programs.

Enrolling at a top university will not only give you the advantage to learn from experts but also the opportunities that come from being a graduate of a prestigious school. Here are our top 8 universities in Canada for environmental engineering.

1. Carleton University

Carleton University, located in Ottawa, Ontario, was founded in1942 to help the city’s young generation. The university is located beside the Rideau Canal, and is close to other popular landmarks such as the Parliament Buildings, Byward Market ,and Gatineau Park.

Carleton University offers two  Master's programs in Environmental Engineering: a Master’s of Applied Science (MASc) and a Master’s of Engineering (MEng). These programs are offered through the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Environmental Engineering. Graduate students wishing to write a thesis should pursue an MASc, while graduate students wishing to pursue a research project or coursework should enrol in the MEng program. Researchers and graduate students at Carleton have access to government labs and facilities such as those at Natural Resources Canada and at Environment Canada.

Campus services are also available for graduate students at Carleton University.These students have access to awards and financial aid, the business office, athletics and recreation, campus safety services, and career services.

2. McGill University

McGill University is a public university founded in 1821, and now teaches almost 40,000 students every year. The university is recognized as one of the leading universities for its research and teaching programs. It is located in Montreal, Quebec, and is a community resource that offers public events, attractions, and even aid programs.

McGill University offers an MEngin Environmental Engineering through its Department of Civil Engineering Its Master's degree in Environmental Engineering is a non-thesis option and may be completed through coursework and research. Interested students can take courses in subjects such as water pollution engineering, toxicology, and data analysis. Graduate students can also achieve work-life balance by joining social, physical and cultural activities at the university. The  Post-Graduate Students' Society (PGSS) offers various services and events to its members, including health resources, travel awards, grants, and accident insurance plans.

3. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is one of Canada's top teaching and research universities. It is centered in Edmonton, Alberta, and has five campuses, over 500 graduate programs, and more than 40,000 students from 156 countries. The university is one of the institutions that offers Master’s degrees in Environmental Engineering in Canada through its Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the School of Mining & Petroleum Engineering. It is offered as one of the research areas in environmental engineering and science. Interested students can either pursue a Master of Science (MSc), which is thesis-based, or a Master of Engineering (MEng), which is course-based.

Graduate students can make the most of their enrollment at the University of Alberta by becoming a member of the Graduate Students' Association (GSA). The group provides various services for its members, including a health and wellness program, a health and dental plan, and home and auto insurance.

4. University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia, which was founded in 1915 and  has more than 66,000 students from 166 countries, offers a Master’s in Environmental Engineering. This university has campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia.

The Environmental Systems Engineering specialty, offered by the Department of Civil Engineering, offers MEng, MASc and PhD programs.Both the MASc and PhD programs require a thesis and coursework, while the MEng requires only coursework.

Graduate students at the University of British Columbia are offered multidisciplinary research opportunities as well as rigorous preparation for diverse careers.Students at the university have access to modern research and learning facilities, various professional development events, and career support. Graduate students can also become a member of the Graduate Student Society (GSS) for academic support and to enjoy recreational, social and sporting events.

5. University of Regina

The University of Regina, based in Regina, Saskatchewan, is another university offering  Master’s in Environmental Engineering in Canada. It is a mid-sized university that started as a private high school in 1911 and grew to become a university in 1974. Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in environmental engineering at this university have several options available to them. They would enroll in the Environmental Systems Engineering program, which has an emphasis on water and wastewater treatment, air quality management, and geotechnical engineering.

Students can choose from an MASc, MEng, or PhD. The MASc and PhD are thesis-based, and the MEng can either be project-based or based on co-operative education. Students enrolled in these degrees are under both the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and the Faculty of Engineering.   Graduate students at the University of Regina can also take advantage of the university's services, including academic advising, counseling, financial aid, and a health clinic. Students may also opt to join the Graduate Students' Association to actively engage in academic, social, and personal enhancement activities.

6. University of Saskatchewan 

The University of Saskatchewan, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is a top research and medical doctoral university that also offers a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering. The university has over 25,700 students studying at its 18 colleges and schools.

Its Department of Civil and Geological Engineering offers graduate courses for Civil Engineering in four areas, including water resources and environmental engineering. This area includes topics such as advanced water and wastewater treatment, hydraulic structures, water resources management, and river engineering. Researchers and graduate students are given access to state-of-the-art facilities and research centres including the Centre for Advanced Numerical SIMulation (CANSIM) and the Saskatchewan Centre of Excellence for Transportation and Infrastructure (SCETI).

Graduate students are able to benefit from various campus services to help manage their academic and personal life. Services such as graduate help and writing workshops, opportunities to study or work abroad, and health benefits offered by the Graduate Students’ Association  are available.

7. University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo, a public research university located in Waterloo, Ontario, was established in 1957.. It has over 38,000 students across six faculties: Arts, Engineering, Environment, Health, Mathematics, and Science.

The university offers an MASc and a PhD in Civil Engineering where graduate students can pursue research in environmental and water resource engineering. These programs require a thesis to be written. An MEng in Environmental Engineering is also offered, where students must take eight courses and can graduate in as little as one year. Graduate students have the option to register for the degree full-time or part-time.

Students can become a member of the Graduate Student Association, which provides a variety of services to its members. The services it offers include health and dental insurance, legal aid, income tax aid, and social events.

8. University of Windsor

The University of Windsor is a comprehensive, student-focused university located in Windsor, Ontario. The university began accepting students in 1857 and has grown over the years into a modern university with over 16,000 students. It offers graduate and undergraduate programs in a variety of areas including law, business, engineering, and science. 

The University of Windsor offers two Master’s level engineering programs for prospective environmental engineers, as well as a PhD program. The MASc is a research-based program in which the student must complete four graduate-level courses and write a thesis. The MEng, on the other hand, requires the completion of eight courses, but has no thesis requirement Students can specialize in one of five areas: geotechnical, hydraulics, structures, transportation, and environmental.

Support  for graduates is also available. The university prioritizes health, wellness, engagement, and professional development. Some of its supports  include counseling, and the Bounce Back program, which helps students struggling to find academic success after secondary school as well as helping students with their mental health. These services are offered once students become a member of the Graduate Student Society (GSS).