Introduction of the majors

Environmental Science and Engineering is divided into two directions of Environmental Science and Environmental Engineering, and Hydroscience is divided into two directions of Groundwater Science and Engineering, Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering.

I. Environmental Science and Engineering

i. Major introduction

Cultivation objectives: Based on the international scientific frontier and the major needs of China to solve environmental problems, to cultivate high-quality engineering and technical talents and research talents studying the environmental discipline, who are well-rounded in morality, intelligence, physique and aesthetics, have a healthy personality with conscience and sense of responsibility, the innovative spirit, practical ability and international vision, and meet the needs of socialist modernization construction and future social and scientific and technological development needs.

To cultivate high-level talents with solid foundation of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geoscience and computer who have a good grasp on the pollution of water, gas, soil and environmental monitoring, and the theories of other pollution control and treatment, environmental planning and management. Graduates of this major should have the competence to engage in scientific research, technology development, engineering design, environmental planning and management in the fields of water and soil pollution control and remediation, wastewater, solid waste, waste gas and other pollution prevention and control, or pursue further education in the fields of environment and related disciplines.

Major content: Students of this major mainly study the basic theories and knowledge of chemistry, geology, ecology, engineering mechanics, engineering drawing, environmental microbiology, hydraulics, environmental chemistry, environmental monitoring, environmental planning and management, environmental impact assessment, environmental economics and other environmental disciplines, receive basic training in foreign languages, computer technology and drawing, pollutant monitoring and analysis, and engineering design, management and planning of environmental pollution prevention, and should be equipped with the basic ability of scientific research, engineering design and management planning in environmental science & technology and environmental field.

ii. General training and major subdivision

Students will be trained based on the principle of “consolidating the foundation and expanding the detailed area of interest” after entering the school. After systematically studying basic courses, introduction to environmental science and some basic engineering courses, students will be divided into two majors of environmental science and environmental engineering for in-depth professional cultivation after the end of the second semester.

(i) Major direction of environmental science. Environmental science is an emerging interdisciplinary subject involving chemistry, biology, geology, management, economics and sociology. The major of environmental science requires a solid foundation in chemistry, and mathematical and computer knowledge, as well as the related geological and biological knowledge are the key contents to lay a good foundation for solving major environmental problems at present and in the future. This major has obtained a high academic status and significant influence among similar disciplines in China, and shows obvious characteristics in environmental chemistry, environmental planning and management, ecological environment restoration and ecological system digital management. Major courses for this direction include Introduction to Environmental Science, Environmental Chemistry and Experiments, Environmental Biology, Principles and Technology of Environmental Pollution Control, Environmental Monitoring and Experiments, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Management, Environmental Law, Environmental Economics, Environmental Planning, etc.

(ii) Major direction of environmental engineering. The major of environmental engineering has a distinct geological background. A mature professional system that takes the remediation of contaminated sites as its dominant feature, and develops in coordination with water pollution control and treatment, solid waste treatment and recycling, and environmental biotechnology has been established. The curriculum design is closely centered on the major strategic needs of national environmental development. Graduates will be equipped with an extensive knowledge system and strong competence in engineering practice, engineering design, scientific research innovation, teamwork and social adaptability. The core courses of this major include: Introduction to Environmental Science, Fundamentals of Environmental Hydrogeology, Environmental Engineering Microbiology, Principles of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Hydrogeochemistry, Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Biotechnology, Water Pollution Control Engineering, Solid Waste Treatment and Disposal, Contaminated Site Control and Remediation, Air Pollution Control Engineering, Environmental Planning and Management, Environmental Impact Assessment, etc.

iii. Employment direction and the employment status of graduates

The graduated students can engage in the research, development and design of water, gas, sound, solid waste pollution prevention and control, surface water and groundwater pollution remediation, ecological restoration, environmental planning, environmental assessment and management. They will be capable of engaging in environmental planning, management, design, engineering construction, scientific research and teaching in state administrations, environmental protection institutions, enterprises and public institutions, scientific research institutes and college and universities.

In 2018, there were 133 graduates in Environmental Science, 49% of whom were admitted to our university and key universities in China or went abroad for further study (such as Peking University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Wuhan University, etc., University College London, University of Edinburgh, Technical University of Denmark, Johns Hopkins University, Wageningen University & Research, and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, etc.). The rest of the graduates are employed in environmental protection related enterprises and public institutions (such as Guodian Northeast Environmental Protection Industry Group Co., Ltd., China Water Environment Group Limited, FAW Volkswagen Co., Ltd. Chengdu Office, Jilin Zhongshi Environmental Engineering Development Co., Ltd., CCCC-TDC Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., CSCEC City Construction Development Co., Ltd., and China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., etc.).

II. Hydroscience

i. Major introduction:

Cultivation objectives: Based on the major talents needs in the field of water resources and environment required in national ecological civilization construction, to cultivate high-level applied talents with a solid foundation in natural science, humanities, foreign language and computer knowledge, systematically master the theory and technology of water resources survey, assessment, development, utilization and management, have scientific research, innovation, continuous learning and teamwork capabilities, and meet the needs of socialist modernization construction and future social and scientific and technological development needs.

Major content: Students in this major mainly study the basic theories and knowledge of hydrology, water resources and water environment, receive basic training in scientific measurement, scientific calculation, experiment and testing, and systemically master the theoretical foundation and practical skills of water resources survey, assessment, development and utilization and management, and can adapt to the work and research needs in the field of environmental governance and ecological protection that are closely relevant to water resources.

ii. General training and major subdivision

Students will be trained based on the principle of “consolidating the foundation and expanding the detailed area of interest” after entering the school, and systematically study the core basic theories and professional skills courses, including introduction to water science, hydraulics, hydrology principles, hydrogeology foundation, hydroanalytical chemistry and experiment; through elective courses, they will master the basic knowledge of environmental science and ecology. After establishing a comprehensive and reasonable knowledge framework of hydroscience, the major will be subdivided after the end of the fourth semester for in-depth cultivation in the following two directions:

(i) Major direction of hydrology and water resources engineering. The specialty of this major direction lies in that it is oriented to the full surface and ground hydrological cycle process, based on the interdisciplinary of hydroscience, geology and environment, focusing on the flow and transformation of surface water and groundwater resources in the natural environment and social system, and focusing on addressing a series of complex engineering issues such as resources, water ecology, water environment, and water disasters; the core courses of this major include: Hydrological Forecast, Hydrological Test and Survey, Hydrological and Water Conservancy calculation, Groundwater Dynamics, Specialized Hydrogeology, Water Environment Restoration, etc.

(ii) Major direction of groundwater science and engineering. The specialty of this major direction lies in that it is oriented to the water resources and environmental issues inside the earth, based on a deep foundation of geology, focusing on the research of complex engineering issues such as groundwater resources, groundwater environment and groundwater ecology, and also covering emerging fields of underground energy sources (geothermal, HDR, combustible ice) development and utilization; the core courses in this major include Specialized Hydrogeology, Groundwater Numerical Simulation, Environmental Isotope Hydrogeology, Groundwater Contaminated Site Restoration, Energy Hydrogeology, etc.

In the elective courses, courses reflecting the characteristics of the major are set for each direction, and a large number of courses in another direction and related fields are offered to choose from, creating favorable conditions for students of different majors to construct their own professional knowledge system freely.

iii. Employment direction and the employment status of graduates

Graduates of this major are mainly employed by related enterprises and public institutions in the fields of hydroscience, ecological environmental protection, and natural resources, engaged in engineering technology and management work in water resources survey and assessment, water resources development and utilization and management, water environment and water ecology protection and governance; some of them are engaged in farmland hydroscience, engineering hydrology, engineering seepage and flood and drought disaster prevention and control in the fields of rural agriculture, transportation, housing and urban construction, and emergency management.

In 2018, there were 100 graduates majoring in Hydroscience, 41% of whom were admitted to our school and major domestic and foreign universities (such as: Tsinghua University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Alberta, Technische Universiteit Delft, University of Sheffield, University of New South Wales, Nagoya University). the rest of graduates are employed in hydroscience, land and resources or related enterprises and public institutions (such as China Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Co., Ltd., China Metallurgical Geology Bureau Shandong Bureau, China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Provincial Survey and Design Institute, Tianjin Beiyang Water Transport and Hydroscience Survey and Design Institute, Beijing Zhongke Jingye Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Jilin Province Hydroscience and Hydropower Survey and Design Institute, Changchun City Hydroscience Exploration Design and Research Institute, etc.).