Program Overview

Why Earn a Certificate in Energy?

The certificate develops technical skills for a unique career path in energy engineering and equips students with various aspects of the broad energy field including social/environmental studies, energy policy, economics and management for a rewarding professional career.

Energy Certificate Courses

• Energy: A World Perspective (3 hrs)
  • Role of energy in the growth of civilization, living conditions and economy; energy, environment and sustainability; energy issues
• Renewable Energy (3 hrs)
  • Introduction to the physics, systems and methods of energy conversion from non-conventional energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, ocean-thermal, biomass, tidal, hydroelectric, wind and wave energy. Advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources and engineering challenges for the harnessing of such forms of energy; energy storage; fuel cells.
• Nuclear Energy (3 hrs)
  • Atomic physics and the structure of the atom; radioactivity; interactions of neutrons with matter; nuclear cross-sections; nuclear fuels and fuel elements; elements of nuclear reactors; components and operation of nuclear power plants. Notable accidents of nuclear reactors. Breeder reactors.
• Solar Energy (3 hrs)
  • Fundamentals of radiation processes, blackbody and gray-body; and gray-body radiation; solar radiation flat-plate and parabolic collectors; concentration optics and practical solar concentration devices; central receivers, solar ponds, power cycles of solar plants; thermal storage subsystems and system design.
• Energy: The Fundamentals (3 hrs)
  • Concept of energy and energy conversion; fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas; thermal power plants; energy distribution; direct energy conversion; nuclear energy; renewable energy: hydroelectric power, solar energy and photovoltaics, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, biomass fuel, hydrogen energy and fuel cell; energy storage and battery; and future technologies.

Related Programs

• Mechanical and Energy Engineering Master's
• Engineering Management Master's

Similar Areas of Study

• STEM
• College of Engineering
• Department of Mechanical Engineering