Master in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure

The master's program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure provides students with the tools to solve future environmental problems and prepare for careers as environmental engineers. Students will increase their understanding of the properties and functions of water and ecosystems, learn how to assess the local and global environmental impact of human activities, and apply advanced methods, techniques and modeling tools to describe, quantify and solve environmental problems. The scope of the program is international and interdisciplinary.

Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure at KTH

The program has no tracks and there is, in general, a large degree of freedom for the students to select courses within the program, given that the specific course prerequisites are fulfilled. The courses offered within the program are based on a combination of theoretical and practical approaches, both in the field as well as in the laboratory, using tools like GIS, different computer models and tools for decision support. Seven different competence profiles are meant to be advice on the choice of courses and course sequences for competitive specializations. In each competency profile, there is an inherent progression. The different competence profiles are:

• Water Technology: water systems, hydropower, effects of climate change.
• Environmental Geotechnology: contaminated areas, environmental geology, geotechnical aspects.
• Water and Wastewater Engineering: managing our water resources (drinking water and wastewater).
• Environmental Management and Information: environmental monitoring, measurement techniques.
• Sustainable Infrastructure: managing infrastructure and natural resources in a sustainable way.
• Environmental Systems Analysis: environmental assessment, life cycle assessment.
• Sustainable Societies: social and economic mechanisms that affect sustainable development.

The program ends with a degree project that gives students the opportunity to investigate a problem in-depth, under the supervision of experienced practitioners and researchers. The topic for the degree project should be within the scope of the program and relate to knowledge acquired through the courses. The thesis work is carried out in Sweden or abroad, and can be oriented towards research, technological development at a company or organization, or a combination of both.

This is a two-year program (120 ECTS credits) given in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The program is given mainly at KTH Campus in Stockholm by the School of Architecture and Built Environment (at KTH).

Career

Our society has major challenges in managing a changing climate, developing and securing good water quality, developing systems for recycling materials and nutrients, and developing renewable and environmentally smart energy solutions. The needs for environmental engineering expertise are, therefore, almost endless, and the labor market is very diverse. Students will be able to work privately and publicly – in environmental consultancies, with contractors, water- and wastewater companies or government agencies; internationally, nationally or locally.

There are also graduates from the program who go on the doctoral studies at KTH or other universities nationally and internationally. Some examples of employers of program graduates are SWECO, Stockholm Vatten, WSP, Swedish EPA, Tyréns, Geosigma, COWI, Vattenfall, and SIDA, as well as a number of international agencies.

Students

Find out what students from the program think about their time at KTH.

Lucas Veldkamp, the Netherlands: "Halfway through my master's degree, I can say that I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to study at KTH, and I am very sure that coming to Stockholm has been the best decision of my life so far."

Sustainable development

Graduates from KTH have the knowledge and tools for moving society in a more sustainable direction, as sustainable development is an integral part of all programs.

The three key sustainable development goals addressed by the master's program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure are:

• Clean Water and Sanitation
• Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• Sustainable Cities and Communities

The program is transdisciplinary and includes both courses that build on natural science and technology as well as courses that build on social science and planning. Thus, it covers to a varying degree several of the UN SDGs.

The courses in the EESI program

The courses in the EESI program have many more links to each other than described here. Further, they can be grouped according to their scientific content. The blue and purple fields embrace the courses that build on natural science and technology, the yellow field embraces the courses that build on social science, while the green field in the middle represents courses that are based on systems analysis, impact assessment and sustainability science, and/or has the ambition to bridge the science-policy interface in different ways.

Courses

The two-year master's program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure consists of three terms of courses and one final term dedicated to the master's degree project. Each term consists of approximately 30 ECTS credits. The courses presented on this page apply to studies starting in autumn 2020.

Year 1

Conditionally elective courses

• Environmental Measuring and Monitoring (AE2104) 7.5 credits
• Environmental Dynamics/Physical Processes (AE2201) 7.5 credits
• Water and Wastewater Handling (AE2304) 7.5 credits
• Environmental Impact Assessment (AE2501) 7.5 credits
• Environmental Data (AE2503) 7.5 credits
• Strategic Environmental Assessment (AE2507) 7.5 credits
• Applied Hydrology (AE2610) 7.5 credits
• Hydraulic Engineering (AE2612) 7.5 credits
• Governance of Land and Water (AE2707) 7.5 credits
• Environmental Chemistry and Risk Assessment (AE2801) 7.5 credits
• Foundation Engineering (AF2609) 7.5 credits
• Urban Infrastructure (AG2141) 7.5 credits
• Political Economy for Environmental Planners (AG2142) 7.5 credits
• Sustainable Rural and Urban Development (AG2143) 7.5 credits
• Ecosystem Support and Environmental Justice (AG2803) 7.5 credits
• Natural Resources Management Tools (AL2300) 7.5 credits

Year 2

Mandatory courses

• Research Methodology and Theory of Science (MJ2673) 7.5 credits

Conditionally elective courses

• Modeling of Water Systems (AE2107) 7.5 credits
• Water Treatment Processes and Technology (AE2302) 7.5 credits
• Engineering Geology (AE2401) 7.5 credits
• Degree Project in Hydraulic Engineering, Second Cycle (AF283X) 30.0 credits
• Degree Project in Urban and Regional Planning, Second Cycle (AG212X) 30.0 credits
• Life Cycle Assessment (AG2800) 7.5 credits
• Applied Hydrogeology (AL2301) 7.5 credits
• Degree Project in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure, Second Cycle (AL230X) 30.0 credits
• Degree Project in Strategies for Sustainable Development, Second Cycle (AL250X) 30.0 credits
• Resilience Thinking in Sustainable Planning (AL2511) 7.5 credits

Admission requirements

To be eligible for the program, you must have been awarded a bachelor's degree, be proficient in English and meet the program-specific requirements.

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish bachelor's degree, or equivalent academic qualifications from an internationally recognized university, is required. Students who are following longer technical programs, and have completed courses equivalent to a bachelor's degree, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

English proficiency

English language proficiency equivalent to (the Swedish upper secondary school) English course B/6 is required. The requirement can be satisfied through a result equal to, or higher than, those stated in the following internationally recognized English tests:

• TOEFL Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1-6) in written test, a total score of 575. TOEFL ITP is not accepted.
• TOEFL iBT internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0-30) in written test, a total score of 90
• IELTS Academic: A minimum overall mark of 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5
• Cambridge ESOL: Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) Certificate in Advanced English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB): Minimum score of 90
• The University of Michigan, ECPE (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• Pearson PTE Academic: Score of 62 (writing 61)

Specific requirements for the master's program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure

A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in the field of civil engineering, environmental engineering or another subject with clear relevance to the program. In addition, at least two of the following prerequisites (A-D) must be met:

A) Fluid Mechanics, 5 ECTS credits and Hydrology, 5 ECTS credits
B) Macroeconomics or Urban and Regional Planning, 7,5 ECTS credits
C) General Chemistry and/or Environmental Soil Chemistry, 7,5 ECTS credits
D) Earth Science, 6 ECTS credits

Note that some courses within the program require a basic knowledge of mathematics corresponding to at least 20 ECTS and numerical methods, programming or equivalent corresponding to at least 6 ECTS credits.

Application documents

1. Certificates and diplomas from previous university studies
2. Transcript of completed courses and grades included in your degree
3. Proof of English proficiency
4. A copy of your passport including personal data and photograph, or other identification documents

Specific documents for the master's program in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure

• Letter of motivation
• Documentation of relevant work experience