The programs allow for study in environmental engineering including biological and chemical aspects of water quality, solid waste management, and remediation; water resources engineering including surface and groundwater hydrology, hydroclimatology, and adaptive environmental management; and coastal engineering including river and estuarine mixing and transport processes, and the hydrodynamic and morphodynamic impact of waves, tides and storm surge on estuaries and coasts. Interdisciplinary approaches incorporating environmental and water resources engineering course work and content, and intersecting with other departments’ related programs are encouraged.

The University of Maine is fortunate to be located in a region having an extensive and diverse system of lakes, streams, and rivers, providing one of the finest outdoor laboratories in the world for research on water quality and quantity. The Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Water Resources Laboratories are equipped with essential sample preparation, analytical chemistry, anaerobic cultivation, molecular biology and computing equipment. State of the art low detection level analytical capabilities, microscopy and sequencing facilities are also available on campus.

A program of study can be planned in one of the following areas:
Environmental engineering: Physical, chemical and biological processes affecting water quality; freshwater and marine pollution control; water and wastewater treatment; environmental nanotechnology; hazardous wastes; solid waste management; pollutant, element and nutrient cycling.

Water resources engineering: Surface and groundwater hydrology, hydroclimatology, hydrologic response to climate change and adaptive environmental management and policy.

Coastal engineering:  River plume, estuarine mixing and transport processes; wave, tidal, storm, and sediment dynamics; marine renewable energy; aquaculture farms as nature-based infrastructure.