Environmental engineering was a branch of civil engineering and was variously called sanitary engineering and public health engineering. Environmental engineering is a multidisciplinary subject that borrows ideas from a number of different sciences as well as fields of engineering to understand environmental issues and engineer design solutions for these, for example, by creating a landfill or a waste water plant. A program in this discipline will include concepts from physics, chemistry, and biology as well as civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering. Apart from this, students will also learn about impact assessment, environmental management, and audit. However, most modules will be geared towards developing a comprehensive understanding of different forms of pollution, managing environmental resources and controlling waste.
Environmental Engineering is an emerging branch of study which has become one of the most sought after career options, due to the growing concern about unpredictability of the environment. It was only at the end of the twentieth century that this field was recognised as a separate engineering discipline. Environmental Engineering applies the knowledge of science and engineering principles to improve the environment to train technical experts to cope with environmental issues. The major task of environmental engineers is to protect public health by preserving and enhancing the environment.