Program Overview

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Power Conversion and Control, Capstone Certificate

The Power Conversion and Control capstone certificate addresses the learning goals of practicing engineers by providing further study with senior, highly respected faculty in the UWMadison College of Engineering. Engineers are able to gain specialized expertise, including technical knowledge of power electronics, drives, and controls. The capstone certificate also provides a pathway for students wishing to apply for admission to the university's online Master of Science: Electrical Engineering named option in Power Engineering.

The capstone certificate was developed in response to needs identified by more than 80 corporate sponsors of the renowned Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC).

The capstone certificate is completely online to accommodate working professionals. It is designed for completion in three consecutive terms.

How to Get in

Applicant Requirements

• A BS degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or the equivalent.
  • A BS in electrical engineering is recommended.
  • Students who do not have a BS in electrical engineering need to have completed fundamental coursework in electrical engineering including circuit theory, Fourier analysis, AC circuit analysis using complex impedances, transfer function analysis and evaluation including Bode plots, transformer equivalent circuits, piecewise continuous analysis of nonlinear circuits, and magnetic theory.
• A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a masters degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.
  • Applicants from an international institution must have a strong academic performance comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or masters degree. All GPAs are based on a 4.00 scale.
• International degree-seeking applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by providing official results of an English proficiency exam. Scores must be within two years of the anticipated start of enrollment.
  • TOEFL: 92 internet (iBT)
  • IELTS: 7.0
  • Duolingo English Test: 125

Equivalency to an ABET-accredited program: Applicants who do not have a bachelors degree from an ABET-accredited program may also qualify for admission to the program. Such applicants must have a BS in science, technology, or a related field with sufficient coursework and professional experience to demonstrate proficiency in engineering practice.

Admission

Applications are accepted for admission to all three terms (fall, spring, summer).

• Fall deadline: August 1st
• Spring deadline: December 1st
• Summer deadline: June 1st

The admissions process has been designed to conduct a holistic review of likely success in the program. Decisions are based on academic and professional background.

Requirements

Grade Requirements

• Students must complete all courses with a minimum GPA of 2.00 to continue to the next class.

Required Courses

Students must complete 9 credits from the curriculum below. | Course List Code | Title | Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | E C E 411 | Introduction to Electric Drive Systems | 3 | | E C E 412 | Power Electronic Circuits | 3 | | E C E 427 | Electric Power Systems | 3 | | E C E 504 | Electric Machine & Drive System Laboratory | 3 | | E C E 511 | Theory and Control of Synchronous Machines | 3 | | E C E 512 | Power Electronics Laboratory | 3 | | E C E 711 | Dynamics and Control of AC Drives | 3 | | E C E 712 | Solid State Power Conversion | 3 | | E C E/M E 732 | Dynamics of Controlled Systems | 3 | | M E 446 | Introduction to Feedback Control | 3 |

Minimum Requirements for Capstone Certificate Completion

• Students must earn a minimum grade of C in each course used to meet Capstone Certificate requirements.
• Courses in which a student elects the pass/fail or audit option will not count toward completion of Capstone Certificate requirements.
• All of the Capstone Certificate credits must be earned "in residence" (which includes on campus and distance-delivered courses) at UW-Madison.
• All of the Capstone Certificate credits must be earned while enrolled in the Capstone Certificate program.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyze how torque and speed are controlled in the major classes of electric machines.
2. Evaluate how power electronics is used to perform electrical power conversion from one form into another.
3. Complete preliminary designs of automatic controlled systems using power electronics circuits.