After graduating from high school, a prospective water systems engineer will need to earn a bachelor’s degree from a school accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). Very few schools offer dedicated water systems engineering degrees at the undergraduate level, and it is common for future professionals to earn bachelor’s degrees in broader disciplines such as civil, environmental, or chemical engineering, where the electives can prepare graduates for what to specialize in when selecting a graduate-level degree later on.
Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering programs vary from program to program but typically include a competitive high school GPA (3.0 or greater), strong SAT or ACT scores, personal essays, and letters of recommendation.
Typical coursework in a civil or environmental engineering track, such as the one at Ohio State University, often includes subjects in engineering fundamentals; accelerated calculus; general and organic chemistry; fluid mechanics; transport processes; environmental biotechnology; and water resources engineering; among others.
Texas A&M University offers one of the few dedicated water resources engineering programs available at the undergraduate level. While the core classes provide a foundational background for engineering in general, the required 35 credits of electives focus heavily on water systems engineering topics such as hydrogeology; water resources engineering; urban stormwater management; coastal resilience; and hydraulic engineering of water distribution systems.
While it is not a requirement to practice in the field, graduate-level education is increasingly necessary to stay competitive. It is also where an engineer’s specialization kicks into full gear. Often housed within environmental engineering, specialized programs exist for water resources engineering, wastewater infrastructure, and water engineering and management.
Typical core coursework covers groundwater hydrology, open channel hydraulics, sediment transport, and surface hydrology. Electives dive even deeper, exploring coastal and nearshore processes, hydrodynamic mixing processes, river engineering, and computational modeling.
Graduate-level programs in water systems engineering are offered by:
University of Pittsburgh’s John A. Swanson School of Engineering offers a master of science in civil and environmental engineering – water resources engineering area degree, which is available in both a thesis and a professional option. The professional option consists of 30 credits, while the thesis option requires the completion of 24 credits.
The curriculum includes courses such as advanced hydrology; water resources engineering; and current issues and challenges in water resources, among others.
The Pennsylvania State University
Water Resources Engineering is a specialization in the civil and environmental engineering department of Penn State College of Engineering. This department has an MS program, an MEng degree, and a PhD, all of which offer this specialization.
The Master of Engineering degree comprises 30 credits, while the master of science and PhD degrees are also made up of 30 credits each. The curriculum includes courses such as open channel hydraulics; groundwater hydrology; fundamentals of surface hydrology; sediment transport; coastal and nearshore processes; random processes in hydrologic systems; and advanced fluid mechanics.
Texas A&M University’s Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers a master of science in civil engineering (MS) degree, a master of engineering in civil engineering (MEng) degree, and a PhD in civil engineering. All these programs have a specialty in water resources engineering.
A non-thesis option is available for both master’s degrees, while a thesis option is available only for the master of science program. Both master’s degrees require 30 credits, while the PhD comprises 96 hours for bachelor’s degree holders and 64 hours for master’s degree holders.
Additional programs can be found on the online water systems engineering degree programs page.
Admissions requirements vary according to each program but tend to be more competitive than undergraduate options. Typical requirements include a competitive undergraduate GPA (3.0 or better), letters of recommendation, GRE scores, a resume, a statement of purpose, and evidence of proficiency in math, science, and engineering.
Some programs are designed for working professionals and will require a certain level of relevant field experience, while other programs are open to prospective full-time students who have recently earned a bachelor’s degree.
Most engineers need to be licensed to practice independently, and those licensing requirements vary from state to state. Prospective water systems engineers can read up on the precise details of any state’s requirements by visiting the website of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
Several states require engineers to earn an engineer in training (EIT) or an engineering intern (EI) license by passing an exam on the fundamentals of engineering (FE). This exam ensures that candidates have the foundational engineering and safety knowledge necessary to practice. The test runs twice a year and might be taken more than once. Prerequisites vary from state to state, but undergraduate programs often prepare their students for the exam. Further information can be found through the program’s website or by contacting an academic advisor.
The NCEES offers FE exams in many subdisciplines. The most appropriate test for a water systems engineer is environmental engineering. The six-hour test covers math, probability, ethics, engineering economics, materials science, environmental science and chemistry, risk assessment, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, water resources, water and wastewater, air quality, solid and hazardous waste, groundwater, and groundwater soils.
Once a water systems engineer has met their state’s practice requirements, including earning an EIT or EI license, they can enter the field and work under the direction of Professional Engineers (PEs). Relevant work experience at this level prepares water systems engineers to become PEs.
Further professional-level and board certifications will also require multiple years of work experience at this stage.
While it is not a requirement, earning a professional engineering (PE) license is a valuable step for water systems engineers. It often leads to higher earning potential, career advancement, and wider responsibility. Water systems engineers can start their own private firms, bid on government contracts, manage major projects, and mentor EITs and EIs.
To earn a PE license, water systems engineers generally need a degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program, a passing score on the FE exam, several years (typically four) of relevant work experience, and a passing score on the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, offered by the NCEES.
The PE exam tests for competency in a particular engineering discipline. The one most relevant to his profession is the Water Resources and Environmental Engineering PE exam. The nine-hour test covers both breadth and depth. This covers project planning, soil mechanics, analysis and design, hydraulics–closed conduit, hydraulics–open channel, materials, groundwater and wells, hydrology, water quality, drinking water, and wastewater collection and treatment, among others.
Board and professional certifications are a voluntary but valuable addition to a water systems engineer’s career. These certifications demonstrate expertise and mastery in a subspecialty and can position professionals at the top of their field. Water systems engineers who attain these levels of certification often go on to steer the profession in new directions.
Through the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES), a water systems engineer can earn the title of Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE), specializing in water supply and wastewater engineering.
To apply, candidates must be of good moral standing, hold a degree in environmental engineering, possess a valid license to practice, have eight years of progressively responsible professional experience, and be engaged on a full-time basis with the environmental engineering community. If all requirements are met, then the candidate may take written and oral exams to become board certified—and those exams may be waived in place of extensive (16 years or more), progressively responsible work experience.
Engineers can also receive a board certification through the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers (AAWRE) as a diplomate of water resources engineering (D.WRE)—the highest level of advanced certification offered in the water resources engineering profession.
Requirements include being able to demonstrate active engagement in the professional community, a valid license to practice, an undergraduate degree in engineering, and a completed graduate-level engineering program in a relevant sub-discipline. Furthermore, applicants will need to have eight years of work experience as a licensed PE and pass an oral examination. Please note that this examination may be waived if a candidate has extensive experience and superior qualifications.
The types of challenges water systems engineers face cannot be tackled alone. These are community-sized issues that require a cohesive community to solve. As such, there is a slew of resources available for aspiring and working water systems engineers to get together and collaborate:
Matt Zbrog is a writer and researcher from Southern California. Since 2018, he’s written extensively about a wide range of engineering disciplines, with a particular focus on the potential impacts of major technological breakthroughs. His work largely centers around conversations with engineeri...
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