The PhD in Environmental Engineering is a doctorate-level course in environmental engineering. The PhD in Environmental Engineering is a two-year environmental engineering doctorate program. A Master’s degree is required for the position, and some subjects also require an M.Phil. Some colleges offer candidates direct admission based on their performance on the Master’s degree exam.
Environmental engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on the application of scientific and technological principles to protect the environment from issues such as air and water pollution, climate change, global warming, hazardous wastes, and other environmental concerns.
The course focuses on using engineering principles to improve and maintain the environment for the protection of human health, the preservation of nature’s beneficial ecosystems, and the enhancement of human life’s quality as it relates to the environment.
Graduates with a PhD in Environmental Engineering can work for TE Connectivity Limited, Aarvi, Johnson & Johnson PVT Ltd, and other companies. Such candidates can pursue a variety of job titles after completing the course. Lecturer/Professor, Project Assistant/Associate, Research Assistant, Project Coordinator, Environment Specialist, Technical Test Engineer, Health and Safety Administrator, Environmental Officer, Environmental Engineer, and Bioresearch Assistant are just a few of the job titles.
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PhD in Environmental Engineering: An Overview
| Level of Course | Doctorate Program |
| Course Duration | 2 years |
| Type of Examination | Both Semester and Annual |
| Eligibility Criteria | Have a Master degree |
| Process of Admission | Entrance exam based |
| Fee for the Course | – |
| Average Salary in the beginning | INR 3 Lakhs to INR 10 Lakhs |
| Positions of Job | Project Assistant/Associate, Research Assistant, Project Coordinator, Lecturer/Professor, Environment Specialist, Technical Test Engineer, Health and Safety Administrator, Environmental Officer, and Environmental Engineer, Bioresearch Assistant. |
PhD in Environmental Engineering Eligibility
- To be admitted to a doctoral program, candidates must have completed a master’s degree. In some fields, completing a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) is required before beginning a PhD program.
- For admission, the candidate must pass the university’s common entrance exam.
PhD Environmental Engineering Curriculum and Syllabus
A list of PhD in Environmental Engineering syllabuses that have been mandated by various universities and colleges is provided below.
| Sr. No. | Subjects of Study |
|---|---|
| 1 | Land Degradation |
| 2 | Environmental Planning and Policy |
| 3 | Composting |
| 4 | Waste Auditing, Management, and Waste Minimisation |
| 5 | Wastewater Treatment |
| 6 | Sludge Digestion, Groundwater Resource Management |
| 7 | Hydrodynamics and Stochastic Modelling |
| 8 | Eutrophication of Waterways |
| 9 | Water Conservation and Recycling |
| 10 | Life Cycle Analysis |
| 11 | Corrosion in Sewerage Systems |
| 12 | Climate Change |
| 13 | Sustainable Systems |
| 14 | Air Pollution |
| 15 | Transport Modelling and Simulation |
| 16 | Intelligent Transport Systems |
| 17 | Traffic Engineering |
PhD Environmental Engineering Admission Procedure:
Admissions procedures differ between institutions. Some colleges and universities offer students immediate admission based on their Master’s degree examination results. Some institutions also take into account a student’s overall academic performance. In some colleges, passing a college/university-sponsored entrance exam or a comparable common entrance exam is required. Some of the well-known PhD in Environmental Engineering admission examinations include the CSIR-UGC NET, DBT JRF, ICMR JRF, and NCBS.
Based on Merit
- At the top universities, a merit-based admissions process is used to admit students to PhD programs in Environmental Engineering.
- In order to do so, the institution may require candidates to submit an outline of their research project.
- This is primarily for the purposes of analyzing candidates and notifying the selected candidates at the conclusion of the process.
- Candidates must also achieve a minimum qualifying grade of 50–55 percent in their postgraduate program.
Based on Entrance
- For admission to PhD programs, entrance exams are held at both the national and institutional levels.
- Several universities conduct personal interviews in addition to entrance examinations for admission to PhD programs.
- Some of the well-known PhD in Environmental Engineering entrance examinations include the CSIR UGC NET, DBT JRF, ICMR JRF, and NCBS.
PhD in Environmental Engineering: Focus Areas
- The PhD in Environmental Engineering is a two-year doctoral program in environmental engineering. The position requires a master’s degree, and some subjects also require an M.Phil. Some colleges and universities offer students immediate admission based on their Master’s degree examination results.
- It’s an environmental sciences-focused doctoral program. Students in this program receive specialized training in important natural science areas such as sustainable energy, geo-energy systems, and natural engineering.
- Under the supervision of a faculty adviser and a doctoral committee, students in the PhD in Environmental Engineering program must complete research and a combination of courses.
- The course emphasizes the application of engineering concepts to improve and preserve the environment in order to protect human health, preserve vital ecosystems, and improve the environmental quality of life.
- Some of the courses students can expect to take while in the program include environmental sustainability and renewable energy, sustainable transportation systems, hydrology, civil infrastructure materials, and modelling.
PhD Environmental Engineering: Important Documents Required
- Documentary proof of the date of birth
- passing/degree certificate of the last qualifying degree examination.
- Mark-list of the last qualifying degree examination
- No objection certificate from the employer (if employed)
- Migration Certificate (No objection certificate from the university last attended)
- Gap certificate (if applicable)
- A character certificate (from the head of the institute from which the student has obtained his qualifying degree)
- Research Proposal
Students are requested to note that their application will not be considered for admission if the above certificates are not enclosed with their application.
PhD Environmental Engineering: Preparation Plan
In hopes of gaining admission to top PhD environmental engineering colleges, the following considerations must be made:
- Taking the CSIR UGC NET, ICMR JRF, NCBS, and DBT JRF entrance exams is the quickest way to get into a good PhD program.
- Students are admitted to the course based on their performance in a relevant entrance exam, which is followed by a round of personal interviews.
- To be admitted to a suitable college for the PhD Environmental Engineering program, candidates must perform well on the relevant entrance examinations.
- Competitions with above-average grades can also help applicants gain admission to prestigious universities.
- The entrance exam for PhD environmental engineering will differ from one college to the next. The majority of tests, on the other hand, are geared toward the development of technologies that aid in environmental protection, such as soil and water.
- Because some of these exams are solely based on environmental development technologies, students should be familiar with the full syllabus of the entrance test they will be taking.
- In order to be well prepared, candidates should consider purchasing study materials or previous year’s PhD entrance test question papers and practicing them for PhD Environmental Engineering entrance examinations.
- Textbooks on environmental engineering are also good resources for studying for these exams.
PhD Environmental Engineering: Suitable Candidates
- They should be able to solve complex problems, such as identifying problems and reviewing related information in order to develop, evaluate, and implement solutions.
- Students can also perform operations analysis, such as analyzing customer needs and product specifications in order to create a design.
- Critical thinking skills include the ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems using logic and reasoning.
PhD in Environmental Engineering: Top Institutes
| Institute Name | Average Fees (Annually) |
|---|---|
| Gauhati University | INR 42,270 |
| University Of Delhi | INR 20,000 |
| National Institute Of Technology, | INR 38,820 |
| Indian Institute Of Technology (Ism), Dhanbad, Jharkhand | INR 12,099 |
| Pondicherry University | INR 9,233 |
| Birla Institute Of Technology – [Bit Mesra], Ranchi | INR 75,000 |
| Indian Institute Of Technology – [Iit], Guwahati | INR 18,150 |
| Chandigarh University, Chandigarh | INR 70,000 |
| Aligarh Muslim University (Amu) | INR 12,285 |
| Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University School Of Technology (Pdpu Sot), Gujarat | INR 65,000 |
| Subharti Institute Of Technology And Engineering – [Site], Meerut | INR 1,65,000 |
| University Voc College Of Engineering, Anna University, Thoothukudi | INR 35,250 |
| Shivaji University, Kolhapur (Suk) | INR 16,398 |
| Central Building Research Institute (Cbri), Roorkee | INR 17,000 |
| Sambalpur University, Sambalpur | INR 42,500 |
| Iit Bombay – Indian Institute Of Technology | INR 24,000 |
| Sri Jayachamarajendra College Of Engineering, Mysore | – |
| Pes College Of Engineering, Mandya | – |
| D. Y. Patil College Of Engineering, Pune | – |
| Jss Science And Technology University, Mysuru | – |
Future Trends in Environmental Engineering
As the world becomes more aware of the state of the environment and international agencies become more involved, the demand for trained professionals has nearly doubled in the last decade. National-level NGOs and private companies that promote sustainable resource consumption are the main contributors in this field. The following are some of the most recent outbreaks in the field of environmental engineering:
- Biofiltration Systems
- Green Star Program
- Accessible potable water.
- Wind Energy Production
- petroleum and diesel substitutes by creating hybrid vehicles.
- Scientific forestry
- UV light germ eradication systems.
PhD in Environmental Engineering and PhD in Chemical Engineering Difference
PhD Chemical Engineering entails both the discovery of new chemicals and the analysis of unknown compounds’ properties. PhD Environmental Engineering entails the development of technologies that aid in the protection of the environment, such as soil and water, while this course covers a thorough examination of numerous reaction mechanisms and chemical processes. Many Indian universities choose to include both courses in their academic programs. See the table below for more comparison information.
| Basis of Comparison | PhD Chemical Engineering | PhD Environmental Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Also referred as | Doctor of Philosophy, Chemical Engineering | Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Engineering |
| Highlight | This course involves investigating new chemicals as well as examining the properties of unknown compounds. This course also examines a variety of reaction mechanisms and chemical processes in depth. | This course focuses on the creation of technologies that aid in environmental protection, such as soil and water. |
| Duration of Course | 3 years | 3 years |
| Eligibility Criteria | A postgraduate degree in Chemical Engineering | Master’s Degree for a recognized institute |
| Type of Examination | Both Semester-based and Annual | Both Semester-based and Annual |
| Process of Admission | Entrance-Based followed by Interview | Merit-based / Entrance Examination |
| Profiles of Job | Chemical Analyst, Production Manager,Testing Engineer, etc. | Research Assistant, Technical Test Engineer, Project Assistant/Associate, Health and Safety Administrator, Environment Specialist,Lecturer/Professor, Environmental Officer, Bioresearch Assistant, Project Coordinator,and Environmental Engineer. |
| Employment Areas | Government or Private Research Laboratories, Food Industry, etc. | Colleges & Universities, Talific Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd, Sahara India Pariwar, TE Connectivity Ltd.,Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd., ERM India Pvt. Ltd, etc. |
| Average Annual Fees | INR 50,000 to INR 4,00,000 | INR 3,000 – INR 2,00,000 |
| Average Salary Per Annum | INR 7,00,000 to INR 20,00,000 | INR 3,00,000 – INR 10,00,000 |
PhD Environmental Engineering: Top Foreign Institutes
| Institute Name | QS Ranking |
|---|---|
| Harvard University | 5 |
| University of Toronto | 25 |
| Kaunas University of Technology | 801 |
| Clarkson University | 751 |
| University of Surrey | 272 |
Important Skills Required
Every job requires a certain skill set besides academic knowledge and a degree. Candidates pursuing Environmental Engineering with the below-mentioned skills are preferred in the recruitment process as they fit better into the job profiles. Students can increase their selection chances by forming some of the following skills:
- When making professional decisions, one should be able to use logic and reasoning to guide them.
- Attentive Listening: Taking in information while also interpreting it necessitates attentive listening. The candidate’s level of professionalism can be seen in his or her attentive listening.
- Complex Problem Solving: The ability to get stuck with a complex problem and come up with creative solutions by re-evaluating the information is a complex problem-solving skill.
- Coordination – When multitasking, task coordination is critical, or candidates will fail to complete any of the tasks.
PhD in Environmental Engineering: Top Job Profiles
The following is a list of some of the most common PhD environmental engineering job profiles and career options after graduation:
| Profile of Job | Description of Job | Average Salary Per Annum |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | A professor’s primary responsibility is to teach at a university in his or her field of expertise and to counsel students on course-related issues. They are also in charge of supervising student projects, grading assignments and exams, and advising them throughout the course. | 5 to 6 Lacs |
| Technical Test Engineer | The job of a Technical Test Engineer entails monitoring the performance of a variety of goods in accordance with predetermined specifications. They could be asked to provide expert advice on a variety of topics.. | 3 to 4 Lacs |
| Environment Specialist | Environmental specialists are scientists who research the effects of specific pollutants on the environment. They identify the areas that have been harmed and devise solutions to the problem. | 3.6 Lacs |
| Health and Safety Administrator | A Health and Safety Administrator is needed by the health and safety department. He is responsible for making sure the health and safety department runs smoothly and without stumbling blocks, as well as continuing to provide necessary client assistance. | 3 Lacs |
Some other important areas of employment are
- Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd.
- Talific Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd.
- ERM India Pvt. Ltd.
- Colleges & Universities
- Lecturer/Professor
- Environmental Officer
- Aarvi
- Environmental Engineer
- Project Assistant/Associate
- Health & Safety Administrator
- Project Coordinator
- TE Connectivity Ltd.
- Research Assistant
- Sahara India Pariwar
- Technical Test Engineer
- Environmental Specialist
- Bioresearch Assistant
PhD in Environmental Engineering: Benefits and Scope
- This course gives students the skills they need to conduct research, including developing a methodology, a theory, and experimental skills, as well as conceiving and exploring new ideas.
- The PhD in Environmental Engineering program trains students to look at complex environmental issues holistically, taking into account social, economic, ecological, and technological factors.
- It also aids students in developing long-term solutions to these issues.
- The PhD in Environmental Engineering program equips students with the tools they need to practice sustainable practices in a variety of educational sub-fields, including green buildings, renewable energy, and other topics.
- Biological engineering, radioactive engineering, chemical engineering, and even mechanical engineering are all sub-branches of environmental engineering. Professionals with expertise in any of the aforementioned domains have a lot of opportunities in the field of environmental engineering, both in India and abroad. In both the public and private sectors, job and career opportunities are plentiful. There are numerous research institutes and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) where candidates can learn about the future of their fields and current green initiatives.
- Students who complete a Master’s degree in the program have the opportunity to work with government committees on issues such as assessing environmental risks in projects and construction sites. Candidates with a PhD can also teach at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Apart from the pay, these job profiles provide them with the experience and knowledge they need to advance in their careers.
- The employment rate in the field is expected to increase by 15% in 2022, thanks to attractive jobs and high pay packages.
- The course is designed to help students develop research skills such as idea generation and analysis, as well as theory, methodology, and experimental skills.
- The program contributes to the engineering qualification of human resources by preparing them to not only analyze complex environmental problems in a holistic manner, taking into account their ecological, social, economic, and technological aspects, but also, and most importantly, to devise more efficient and long-term solutions to these problems.
- It is beneficial to arm yourself with sustainable practice tools and techniques in a variety of educational disciplines, such as renewable energy, policy, and green building.
- In textile mills, refineries, fertilizer plants, food processing, distilleries, mines, and other industries, many environmental scientists and biologists are employed to monitor pollution levels. Even non-governmental organizations (NGOs) employ a large number of environmentalists.
FAQs
The best institutes and colleges offering the PhD Environmental Engineering program include Gauhati University, the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, the University of Delhi, Pondicherry University, and the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad.
The minimum PhD qualifying criterion is a master’s degree with a minimum aggregate of 55%. Candidates from the SC/ST/OBC and differently-abled groups receive a 5% relaxation.
PhD students typically take 5 to 6 years to finish their studies. The coursework includes a major, two minors (at least one outside the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering), and a thesis. Graduate and research advisers are required for students.
Candidates who pass entrance exams such as DBT JRF, CSIR UGC NET, ICMR JRF, and NCBS are eligible for PhD in Environmental Engineering admission in India.
An average salary package for a PhD holder ranges from INR 4–15 LPA.
Yes, for those interested in pursuing a career in this field, a PhD in Environmental Engineering is a good option. One can work as an Environment Specialist, Health and Safety Administrator,Technical Test Engineer, and so on after completing this course.
No, there are no age restrictions for pursuing a PhD in environmental engineering. Many people study for a PhD in their later years in order to revive or start a new career.