Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Introduction to Environmental Engineering (Face-to-Face)

CE 3400-01

Course: CE 3400-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Engineering and Technology
CRN: 30449

Course Description

This course introduces fundamental engineering principles used to understand, analyse, and manage environmental systems, pollution sources, and control. It covers material balances, mixing, reactor analysis, risk assessment, and environmental processes, with applications to water and air quality. Key topics include biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, eutrophication, air-pollution sources and control, solid-waste best management practices, and hazardous-waste treatment. Emphasis is placed on practical engineering analysis, environmental protection, regulatory requirements, and professional ethics.

Required Texts

No textbook is required. Students will use instructor-generated and web-based materials and his experience in the field.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Explain and apply the fundamental principles of environmental engineering, including dimensions and units,
    environmental systems, efficiency, and the basic environmental processes, to identify and characterize engineering
     problems involving environmental systems.

2. Apply engineering analysis and quantitative methods to evaluate environmental systems and processes,
    including material balances, reaction processes, mixing, system performance, and interpret the results in the
    context of environmental engineering applications.

3.  Analyse water and air pollution problems by applying engineering principles to pollution sources, dissolved oxygen
    dynamics, biochemical oxygen demand, eutrophication, air pollutant fate and transport, indoor air quality, and
    applicable environmental standards.

4. Evaluate environmental risks and pollution-control strategies using probability, risk assessment, and engineering
    analysis to support technically sound decisions for the protection of human health and the environment.

5. Design and evaluate sustainable solid and hazardous waste management approaches, including collection,
    transfer, municipal solid waste landfilling, hazardous waste classification, and treatment technologies, while
    considering engineering performance, regulatory requirements, environmental impacts, and professional ethics.

6. Assess and control noise pollution by identifying major noise sources and effects on human health, applying appropriate measurement methods and devices, quantifying noise levels, analysing sound transmission using basic point-source models, and evaluating noise-control technologies.



Course Requirements

 Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1210 and MATH 1210 - Prerequisite with a minimum grade of  D- . 
  • Students are expected to attend classes regularly, with active participation in lectures and class discussions.
  • Complete all assigned homework, quizzes, group activities, including course projects and presentations.
  • All submitted work must be the student's original work. No copying from any source is allowed. 

Course Outline


Chapter (1): Introduction to Environmental Engineering 

1 – Environmental Engineering and Ethics / Dimensions and Units / Environmental Systems Overview.

2 – Unifying Theories / Materials Balance / Efficiency.

3 – State of Mixing / Including Reactions and Losses.

4 – Reactor Analysis.

5 – Probability and Risk / Risk Assessment.

Chapter (2): Water Pollution

6 – Water Pollution / Pollution Sources.

7 – Water Pollution in Rivers - Biological Oxygen Demand.

8 – Water Pollution in Rivers - Streeter Phelps DO Sag Curve.

9 – Water Pollution in Lakes – Eutrophication / Nutrient Pollution.

Chapter (3): Air Pollution 

10 – Air Pollution Perspective - Physical and Chemical Fundamentals.

11 – Air Pollution Standards.

12 – Origin and Fate of Air Pollutants / Indoor Air Pollution / Indoor Air Quality Model.

13 – Air Pollution Control of Stationary and Mobile Sources.

Chapter (4)-Solid and Hazardous Waste Management 

14 – Solid Waste Management - Perspective / Collection.

15 – Solid Waste Management – Inter-route Transfer / Disposal by MSW Landfill.

16 – Hazardous Waste Management – Introduction / Definition and Classification.

17 – Hazardous Waste Management – Treatment Technologies. 

Chapter (5) Noise pollution

18 –
Noise Pollution – Types / Sources / Effects on People.

19 – Noise Pollution – Measurement Methods and Devices.

20 – Noise Pollution – Quantifying Noise Levels.

21 – Noise Pollution – Sound Transmission / The Basic Point Source Model. 

22 – Noise Pollution – Noise Control Technologies.   
  



Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Exams must be taken as scheduled. An unexcused absence from exam will result in a zero grade. Makeup exams are granted only for excused absences arranged and approved in advance. Students are responsible for meeting all due dates and should communicate promptly if conflict arise. 

   Assessment Component         Weight                                     Description

 
     Assignments & Quizzes           25%        Assignments & Quizzes will be administered throughout the semester to assess students’
                                                                      understanding of the course materials, encourage continuous learning, and help prepare
                                                                      students for examinations.

      Exams                                     20%        Students will take two examinations, each worth 10%, during the semester. The examinations                                                                          will assess students’ achievement of specified course learning outcomes.
                                                           
     Course Projects                       30%         Students will complete three course projects, addressing environmental engineering issues in                                                                             the areas of Water Pollution, Air Pollution, and Solid Waste Management, subject to                                                                                      approval by the course instructor. Each project should address a specific environmental                                                                                      problem, challenge, or case study and demonstrate the application of concepts and                                                                                            principles covered in the course. Students are required to submit and present each                                                                                              project in class. Each project is worth 10% of the final course grade.                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                     
         
     Final Exam                              15%       The final examination will assess students’ understanding of selected topics and learning
                                                                   outcomes covered throughout the course.

    Participation &
    Professional Conduct:             10%     
Attendance, engagement in discussions, teamwork, collaboration, and adherence to professional
                                                                   behavior.
                                                             
      Total                                       100


GRADING POLICY

Students may view their grades at any time in the Canvas Gradebook tool.
 
Course Final Grade Scale (Letter Grades and Percentages):

  Letter Grade  Percentage
       A                95–100%
       A-               90–94%
       B+              83–85%
       B                86–89%
       B-               80–82%
       C+              76–79%
       C                73–75%
       C-               70–72%
       D+              66–69%
       D                63–65%
       D-               60–62%
       F                59% and below





Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend classes regularly.

Course Fees

N/A

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.