2023-2024 Course Catalog

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Green Engineering (GREN) Minor

To complete a minor in Green Engineering, a student must take the 6 hours of required courses, 6 hours of engineering elective courses, and 6 hours of interdisciplinary elective courses for 18 hours total from the approved courses below.

Required Minor Courses
ENGR 3124Introduction to Green Engineering3
Select one of the following:3
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment 1
Environmental Sustainability - A Systems Approach 1,2
Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Global Society 1
Subtotal6
Elective Courses
Engineering
Select 6 hours of the following:6
Fluid Flows in Nature 2
Wind Turbine Technology and Aerodynamics 2
Small Watershed Hydrology 2
Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment and Control 2
Bioprocess Engineering 2
Introduction to Watershed Modeling 2
Water Supply and Sanitation in Developing Countries (Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States) 2
Biological Process Plant Design 2
Separation Processes 2
Introduction to Environmental Engineering (Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States) 2
Water and Wastewater Treatment Design 2
Fundamentals of Public Health Engineering 2
Environmental Sustainability - A Systems Approach 1,2
Air Resources Engineering 2
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management 2
Sustainable Land Development 2
Hydrology 2
Groundwater Resources 2
Hydraulic Structures 2
Water Resources Planning 2
CEE 4354
2
Coastal Engineering 2
Urban Water Sustainability 2
Natural Disaster Mitigation and Recovery 2
Microgrids
Alternate Energy Systems 2
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment 1
Manufacturing Processes Laboratory 2
Global Issues in Industrial Management 2
Principles of Industrial Hygiene 2
Risk and Hazard Control 2
Fundamentals of Materials Engineering 2
Materials Selection and Design I and II 2
Bio-Inspired Technology 2
Energy Systems for Buildings 2
Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Global Society 1
Internal Combustion Engines 2
Advanced Technology for Motor Vehicles 2
Engineering Acoustics 2
Energy and Raw Materials: Geopolitics and Sustainable Development
Mineral Processing Laboratory 2
Fundamentals of Nuclear Engr 2
Fundamental of Nuclear Engr 2
Radiation Detection, Protection and Shielding 2
Interdisciplinary
Select 6 hours of the following:6
Environmental Law
Environment and Sustainable Development Economics (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences ; Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States)
Environmental Economic Analysis and Management
Sustainable Development Economics
Animal Agriculture and the Environment
Environment and Building Systems 2
Environment and Building Systems 2
Building Physics and Environmental Systems
Building Performance and Energy Management
Sustainable Building Performance Management
Ecology 2
Freshwater Ecology 2
Environmental Toxicology 2
Global Change Ecology 2
Plant Ecology 2
Chemical Ecology 2
Green Chemistry
Principles and Practice of Agroforestry
Managed Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services, and Sustainability
Land-based Systems for Waste Treatment
Environmental Economics 2
Literature and the Environment (Pathway 1a or Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities)
Fundamentals of Environmental Science (Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States)
Physics of Pollution
Reclamation of Drastically Disturbed Lands
Insects and Human Society (Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Pesticide Usage
Aquatic Entomology 2
Freshwater Biomonitoring 2
Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation (Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Fish, Fishing, and Conservation
Fish Ecology
Forest Ecosystems (Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Ecology of Appalachian Forests (Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Forests, Society & Climate (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences or Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Leadership for Global Sustainability (Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities or Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences)
Principles of Watershed Hydrology
Climate Science
Watersheds and Water Quality Monitoring
Environmental Problems, Population, and Development (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences)
Geography of Resources
Elements of Geology
Environmental Geosciences
Oceanography
Environmental Geochemistry
Groundwater Hydrology
American Environmental History (Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities or Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences)
Plants and Greenspaces in Urban Communities (Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences)
Watershed Sensitive Site Design and Construction
Evolution of the American Landscape (Pathway 1a or Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities)
Global Ethics (Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities)
Human Behaviors and Natural Environments (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences ; Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States)
Environmental and Sustainability Issues in Housing (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences ; Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States)
Structure and Properties of Sustainable Biomaterials
Circular Economy Analytics for Sustainable Systems (Pathway 5a)
Global Forest Sustainability
Sustainable Nature-Based Enterprises
Green Building Systems
Chemistry and Conversion of Sustainable Biomaterials
Sustainable Biomaterials and Bioenergy
Society, Sustainability Biomaterials and Energy
Sustainable Biomaterials Enterprises
Plant Polymers & Biocomposites
Future of Cities (Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences or Pathway 6a ; Pathway 6d) 4,9
Science, Techology, and Environment (Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities)
Energy and Society (Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities or Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences) 4,6
Global Environmental Issues: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning
Land Use and Environment: Planning and Policy
Community Renewable Energy Systems
Planning of the Urban Infrastructure
Subtotal12
Total Credits18
1

These courses count either as a Core Requirement or Engineering Elective, but not both

2

Prerequisites and non‐major enrollment restrictions are particularly limiting for these courses for non‐majors

General Notes

  • Many courses that count toward the minor have prerequisites. Please consult the University Course Catalog or check with your Academic Advisor.
  • Confirm the semester information above since these change and some classes are not offered every year. In planning your schedule, consider carefully the prerequisites associated with each class as well as which semester(s) the class is offered.
  • All courses must be taken with the letter grade (A/F) option.  A minor GPA of 2.00 for the 18 credits of the minor is required.
  • 1xxx level courses will not be considered for substitution for the minor.
  • Senior Capstone Design projects and Undergraduate Research in engineering departments are eligible as engineering electives if the project focuses on the environmental impacts. See program advisor for advance approval of projects.
  • Other courses, including Study Abroad, may be substituted on a case‐by‐case basis with approval from the Green Engineering Director and College of Engineering Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. For instance, NR 3954 Study Abroad/GEOG 3954 Study Abroad may be substituted if the Study Abroad trip is concerned directly with the environment and sustainability.
  • Dr. Sean McGinnis, Director of Green Engineering (2090 Torgersen Hall), will act as an advisor for all students pursuing a Green Engineering Minor. (Email – smcginn@vt.edu, Website – www.eng.vt.edu/green)