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Humanitarian Engineering, Minor

Learn how to develop sustainable access to water, food, shelter, energy and healthcare in a way that is attuned to the needs, desires, and capabilities of the individuals or communities served.

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About this Program

Explore how to address global challenges through both technical and non-technical means by studying Humanitarian Engineering. Focus on developing sustainable solutions in areas of need like food, water, shelter, energy and healthcare, while engaging with ideas surrounding global development, ethics, community engagement and sustainability. You might even develop some foreign language skills along the way. 

Humanitarian Engineering can play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development, so you’ll learn how to address environmental and social concerns along with technical ones. Topics to explore include renewable energy technologies, methods to reduce carbon emissions and ways to adapt to climate change. You’ll learn how to think critically about the environmental impact of engineering and how to mitigate concerns by creating long-term sustainable solutions.

Prioritizing community empowerment and engagement is also key to learning how to bridge gaps in access and promote equity in service delivery. By addressing racial injustice and economic inequality, you’ll find how to ensure that technological solutions truly benefit those who need them the most. You’ll also learn how to create solutions designed to address the needs, desires and capabilities of the individuals or communities you aim to serve. Plus, you may have a service-learning opportunity that will prepare you for real-world humanitarian engineering challenges and ensure you’re ready to make an impact.

Humanitarian Engineering Minor At A Glance

Upon completion of the Humanitarian Engineering minor, students will be able to: 

  1. Understand the factors affecting the appropriateness of an engineered solution in the context of sustainable development.
  2. Design appropriate engineering solutions that are attuned to the needs, desires, and capabilities of an underserved community.
  3. Design, analyze, evaluate engineered solutions that are relevant to the development context.
  4. Be prepared to understand, navigate, engage with, or bridge cultural, societal, economic, environmental, ethical, linguistic, historical, political, legal, or religious differences in areas or regions of particular humanitarian engineering interest.

What You’ll Learn

Learn about the classes you’ll take as a student here.

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Get in Touch

We’re here to help. For information about Humanitarian Engineering at Seattle University, contact:

Henry Louie, PhD

Professor and Program Director for Humanitarian Engineering Minor

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