Environmental Science and Engineering
Why Study Environmental Science and Engineering?
At Caltech, our Bachelor of Science (BS) in Environmental Science and Engineering degree program prepares you to tackle pressing ecological challenges through rigorous scientific inquiry and innovative problem-solving. Our approach surpasses what we already know in environmental sciences to new frontiers, focusing on measuring and analyzing data to understand phenomena and building physical, chemical, and systematic solutions to climate change and sustainability issues.
Studying environmental science and engineering results in practical infrastructure and policy that guide us toward a carbon-neutral future and enhance our understanding of the complex systems and processes around us. From a microbiology lab or policy think tank, you can play a critical role in recapturing energy from air treatment plants or sustainable supply chain solutions, such as using supermarket biological waste as energy through fermentation. Or, you can take a discovery of microbes on pepper plants and transform it into a new product to go to market for pain from eating and touching hot peppers.
Why ESE at Caltech?
Caltech's ESE program builds on our institution's rich history of environmental discoveries, from pioneering work identifying lead pollution to groundbreaking research on smog formation mechanisms that revolutionized air quality management worldwide. Choose between two specialized tracks, environmental physics or environmental chemistry, to create a personalized educational experience aligned with your interests while accessing world-class research facilities and field sites like the Salton Sea and San Andreas Fault.
Our program's small class sizes and strong crossover with bio, civil, and chemical engineering foster close mentoring relationships with faculty at the forefront of environmental research. Many students conduct research through Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), frequently resulting in published papers. You'll also benefit from Caltech's resources and connections, including the Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which participate in satellite monitoring of Earth's environment and developing cutting-edge remote sensing technologies.
What You'll Learn
As an ESE major, you'll learn to engineer environmental solutions and spearhead new technological possibilities, such as determining whether microbes in the stomachs of termites can help us address solid waste programs. The curriculum explores environmental challenges through foundational geoscience, engineering, and specialized ESE courses. You'll survey global climate systems, water resources (including drinking water, surface water, groundwater flows, and wastewater treatment), and key areas of environmental engineering like waste stream management and disaster impacts on ecological systems. Our program emphasizes the complex interactions between humans and the environment, examining our impact on natural systems and how environmental changes affect human societies.
Small seminar courses provide opportunities to discuss science and engineering topics in depth with faculty and peers, while specialized tracks in environmental biology, physics, or chemistry allow you to focus on your specific interests. In courses like Biogeochemistry of Carbon Sequestration and undergraduate lab courses, you'll research and write papers on issues such as the biogeochemical impacts of carbon sequestration technology. You can supplement any Caltech degree with an environmental science and engineering minor or self-design your curriculum based on your unique interests and career goals.
View the Caltech catalog for degree requirements and curriculum information.
Who You'll Learn From
Work with faculty pioneering interdisciplinary scientific advances in atmospheric chemistry, microbiology, ocean physics, predictive modeling, microbiome ecology, and more. Our professors involve undergraduates in research, from analyzing how microbes break down environmental contaminants to developing satellite systems that monitor global carbon dioxide levels. These faculty experts are the go-to influential figures whom Fortune 500 companies seek out to innovate their next breakthrough, from Nestle scientists to other industry leaders.
There's an area [we study] that's called microbial diversity or physiological diversity. There, you're looking at microbes that can catalyze what plants and animals don't, like wood, and wanting to understand their biology and physiology and metabolism across Earth's history. Today, there are organisms performing functions and services to the entire biosphere that we don't understand at all unless we study the microbes.
Career Possibilities
With scientific experimentation, analysis, and qualitative skills, as an ESE major, you'll learn the critical and highly transferable skill of developing a research question into meaningful application. Graduates pursue diverse careers at the intersection of science, engineering, and policy, and contribute groundbreaking innovations in energy, sustainability, and other industries. Career possibilities include:
- Academic research in environmental science or engineering
- Climate modeling and predictive analytics
- Environmental consulting
- Regulatory and policy advising
- Resource recovery engineering
- Renewable energy production
- Sustainability engineering
- Wastewater treatment and water quality engineers
Many graduates also pursue advanced degrees at top institutions, combining a foundation in environmental science and ecology with specialized expertise in areas like atmospheric science, hydrology, or environmental microbiology.
Curriculum Components and Prerequisites
The ESE program builds from Caltech's core first-year engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology course requirements. Beginning in the sophomore year, students specialize in either the environmental physics or environmental chemistry track of ESE, with components including:
- Shared sophomore courses building on core mathematics and physics training
- Three foundational courses in atmospheric physics, oceanic physics, and biogeochemistry
- Laboratory components providing hands-on research experience
- Data analysis and statistical methods training
- Environmental field studies and research opportunities
- Optional undergraduate thesis project
- Specialized electives or focus courses tailored to your interests and goals
Pursue a Bachelor's in Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech
Join Caltech's environmental science and engineering major to make discoveries that develop solutions to global environmental challenges. Work alongside pioneering researchers in state-of-the-art facilities, participate in field studies at diverse ecosystems, and build the quantitative foundation to address complex environmental problems. Our program provides the scientific expertise and research experience for success in academia, industry, and policy roles shaping our sustainable future.