Introduction

Welcome to the graduate program in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) at Purdue University! The purpose of this handbook is to acquaint prospective, new, and current graduate students with information on admissions to and graduation requirements for the EEE graduate program. Useful information about the EEE graduate program, including this document, can be found online at: https://engineering.purdue.edu/EEE or by contacting the EEE Graduate Program Office at (765) 496-0545 or emailing eeegrad@purdue.edu.

The mailing address is:

Environmental & Ecological Engineering
Potter Engineering Center, Room 364
500 Central Drive, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2022

Degree Options

The following graduate degrees are awarded:

Professional Master’s Degree & Non-Thesis Master’s Degree

All students admitted to the Master of Science in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (MSEEE) program are eligible to receive the MSEEE degree from the Graduate School upon completion of all degree requirements. The Professional MS and Non-Thesis MS degrees require completing and passing 30 hours of coursework and maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher

Thesis Master’s Degree

All students admitted to the Master of Science in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (MSEEE) program are eligible to receive the MSEEE degree from the Graduate School upon completion of all degree requirements. The Thesis MS degree requires the completion of 12 research credits and 18 coursework credits (maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher). Thesis-track students are also required to defend and deposit a written thesis.

Direct Admission to PhD

All students admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program are eligible to receive a Ph.D. degree from the Graduate School upon completion of all degree requirements. All Ph.D. students must conduct research and compose and successfully defend a doctoral dissertation. 90 credits must be completed to graduate, which consists of 30 credits of coursework (maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher) and 42 credits of research. The remaining credits can be coursework, research, or a combination of both, with the approval of the student’s Advisory Committee.

PhD with MS Complete

Degree requirements are the same for directly admitted PhD students. Students entering the Environmental and Ecological Engineering Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program with an MS completed may transfer up to 30 credits hours of coursework, with the approval of the EEE Graduate Chair and the student’s Advisory Committee, depending on the suitability of each course. For coursework at Purdue, a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to stay in the program.

Combined BS + MSEEE Degree

This Professional Master’s Degree is available to Purdue University (main campus) undergraduate students majoring in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (BSEEE), Agricultural Engineering (BSAE), Biological Engineering (BSBE), Chemical Engineering (BSChE), Civil Engineering (BSCE), Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science (BS in Atmospheric Science, Environmental Geoscience, Geology and Geophysics, and Planetary Science), Industrial Management (BSIM), Materials Engineering (BSMSE), Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES), and Multidisciplinary Engineering (BSMDE).

Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.25 and must apply to this combined degree program before matriculating into their seventh undergraduate semester (i.e., before entering their senior year). Students enrolled in this combined degree program can complete up to 12 credits of approved graduate level coursework during their senior year, which will be included on both their undergraduate plan-of-study and on their MSEEE plan-of-study. The appropriate BS degree will be awarded after satisfactory completion of the respective degree requirements. The student will have graduate status beginning in semester 9. Similar programs at other universities are often referred to as “4+1 BS/MS” programs.

Students are eligible to apply to this program if they are:

  1. Undergraduate students on Purdue’s Main Campus currently in semester 6 (with two additional semesters yet to complete their BS degree) in the above-mentioned majors.
  2. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 at the time of application, and continuance of achieving this minimum index though semesters 6-8.

Combined MSEEE + MBA Degree

This option requires a separate application and admission to the Krannert School of Business (please refer to their website for specific processes and requirements). The combined degree program includes 9 credits of graduate level business coursework applied toward the 30-credit total required to earn the MSEEE. Additionally, 9 credits of engineering coursework can be applied to the MBA degree requirements.