Environmental Engineering University of Trento

Overview

Introduction

Building an environmentally sustainable future is one of the most pressing issues that mankind is tackling nowadays. We aim at producing competent and skilled professionals who couple a strong engineering background with an interdisciplinary understanding of the complex interactions between human needs and the natural environment that characterize the Anthropocene. 

This is achieved by intermeshing traditional disciplines, such as hydraulics, hydrology, sanitary engineering, structural and geotechnical engineering and spatial planning, with emerging environmental issues and problem-solving skills.

With a theoretically grounded but pragmatic approach, our graduates will be able to develop innovative and sustainable solutions, based on a deep knowledge of the fundamental environmental dynamics and on the capability to quantify and simulate the effects of anthropogenic interventions.

Admissions

Academic Requirements: 

To enter the Master, students need to hold:

• a Bachelor's degree obtained in Italy according to law “DM 270/04” class L-7 (or a degree title obtained according to law “DM 509/99” class 8), in which the average mark, weighted on credits, in the exams taken to obtain the degree must not be less than 22.00/30;

• or a degree in the broad areas of Civil and Environmental Engineering (or closely related scientific disciplines) obtained abroad and considered equivalent by the selection committee.

In case of a degree different from the ones stated above, students need to have passed exams in the academic disciplines as indicated below:

Minimum ECTS required for the following area: 24

• MAT/03 – Geometry

• MAT/05 – Mathematical Analysis

• MAT/06 – Probability and Statistics

• MAT/07 – Mathematical Physics

• MAT/08 – Numerical Analysis

Minimum ECTS required for the following area: 18

• CHIM/06 – Organic Chemistry 

• CHIM/07 – Chemical Foundations of Technologies 

• FIS/01 – Experimental Physics

• FIS/03 – Physics of Matter

• ING-IND/10 – Thermal Engineering and Industrial Energy Systems

• ING-IND/11 – Building Physics and Building Energy Systems

• ING-IND/22 – Materials Science and Technology

Minimum ECTS required for the following area: 30

• ICAR/01 – Hydraulics

• ICAR/02 – Hydraulic Structures, Maritime Engineering and Hydrology

• ICAR/03 – Sanitary and Environmental Engineering

• ICAR/06 – Surveying and Mapping

• ICAR/07 – Geotechnics

Minimum ECTS required for the following area: 12

• ICAR/08 – Structural Mechanics

• ICAR/09 – Structural Engineering

For holders of a qualification awarded prior to the introduction of ECTS or other qualification obtained abroad recognized as equivalent, the verification of the curricular requirements is carried out by the selection committee, considering the appropriate equivalences between the contents of the courses taken and those corresponding to the academic disciplines mentioned above.

Language requirements

Students need to provide proof of English language knowledge at least the B2 level (Common European Framework of Reference).

How to apply

The online application form must be completed fully and submitted electronically by the indicated deadlines.

Curriculum

The Master’s degree program in Environmental Engineering is a two-year full-time program (120 ECTS) open to international students.

The program admits every year a maximum number of 15 non-EU students permanently residing abroad.

Students benefit from everyday interactions with internationally renowned professors and researchers. With a low ratio between students and teachers and courses organized in projects and group work, students have the possibility to acquire both technical and practical competencies and experience real-world challenges while attending the courses. Field activities complement the learning opportunities.

The first year foresees 6 common courses and one course depending on the track that is chosen for the second year. The program is articulated into 4 tracks that cover different aspects of the broad spectrum of Environmental Engineering:

• Water Resources and Land Protection
• Environmental Quality and Remediation Technologies
• Environmental Sustainability and International Cooperation
• Modeling and Simulation of Environmental Systems

Tracks 2, 3 and 4 are totally taught in English; for track 1, some courses are taught in Italian.

Program Outcome

Master’s graduates are able to design and manage works and services in various areas of environmental engineering, such as:

• land protection from natural and man-made hazards, analysis and mitigation of hydrogeological risk, protection and requalification of water bodies;

• urban infrastructures, hydraulic structures, civil works within an environmental context;

• sustainable management of environmental resources, treatment of emissions in solids, liquids, and gases, quality monitoring, pollution prevention, and remediation of environmental matrices (air, water, soil);

• management of the territory and the built environment, including in the presence of conflicting uses of resources, with a view to environmental sustainability and in specific socio-economic contexts.

Furthermore, graduates are able to:

• select and use mathematical and numerical models;

• acquire and analyze data for environmental monitoring;

• analyze and interpret complex environmental data;

• analyze and evaluate the environmental impact of civil and industrial works and develop strategic environmental assessment procedures for plans and programs;

• interact with experts from different disciplines and cooperate to solve complex environmental problems.

Career Opportunities

Graduates work as designers, managers and modelers in a wide range of areas connected with environmental issues.

Graduates can also continue their career within start-up companies or with doctoral studies, in Italy and abroad.

Upon graduation, you will be able to find employment in the following areas

• Land protection: land development, conservation and restoration, water defence, development and regulation, environmental monitoring and civil protection

• Resource management: exploitation of surface and deep water resources, surface and groundwater remediation, urban hydraulic infrastructure

• Environmental protection: management and treatment of waste water, waste and gaseous pollutants, remediation of contaminated sites

• Environmental planning: protection, rehabilitation and improvement of environmental resources, environmental impact assessment, environmental and territorial management in the context of international cooperation.

• To practise the regulated profession of civil and environmental engineer, it is necessary to pass the state examination and be registered with the professional body.