Program Overview

Program Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Energy provides students with a credential demonstrating knowledge and skills in one of the most pressing topic areas facing the world: the energy transition.

Why this topic?

The recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report emphasizes the dire consequences of our current energy trajectory and the critical need for a rapid energy transition. Limiting warming to less than 1.5oC to mitigate the most serious consequences would require renewable energy sources to supply approximately 60% of primary energy and 80% electricity globally by 2050, compared to current values of approximately 15% and 25% respectively. The transition is expected to generate hundreds of thousands of Jobs in MA and millions in the broader US. This certificate will train the workforce to tackle the myriad technical and social problems that arise in the energy transition.

Both technical and social classes were selected with an eye towards emphasizing the importance of equity in the energy transition. To avoid perpetuating historical injustices against marginalized populations, it is essential for students to understand the historical and current systems that have led to deep injustices in who benefits and who suffers under the current energy system. Students who complete this certificate will leave with a strong understanding of how to make the energy system as just and equitable as possible.

How does the certificate work?

This new 15-credit certificate program will offer a broad range of courses from 10 departments across 3 colleges which all provide important education on the transition to sustainable energy.

Course Selection

The program will provide breadth in student learning with 1 course (3 credits) required in each of the following areas: 1) Social Science of the energy transition; and 2) sustainability energy technology and analysis. Additionally, three of the 5 classes must focus on energy systems and the energy transition, with the option to take up to two electives that provide important context or skills but are not focused directly on the transition. The certificate will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to address both the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition. Relevant classes not on the list may be counted towards this certificate at the administrator’s discretion.

Courses must be 500-level or above to count toward the certificate, and at least 9 credits must be at the 600-level. Students cannot use more than 3 of the 5 courses focused on a single technology (e.g. wind, solar, building).

Double Counting

Students may double count up to 2 courses for any other certificate or degree. Students are responsible for confirming their compliance with double-counting limitations and credit limitations.

Course limitations

Per instructor request, and due to seating limitations, students can only take one of the three Offshore Wind Professional Certificate courses. Students may double count up to 2 courses for any other certificate or degree. Finally, not every course included on the Sustainable Energy Certificate list will be open and accessible to all students pursuing the certificate. Some courses have prerequisite requirements or limited seats; those courses with limitations are noted on the course list. In some cases, access to these courses may be granted on a case-by-case basis with permission from the instructor.

Who can get the certificate?

This certificate is interdisciplinary by design, and as such we welcome graduate students from a broad range of disciplines. All matriculated graduate students are welcome to participate. Students must hold a bachelor’s degree when they begin the certificate.

Can I complete the certificate on-line?

How long will the certificate program take?

One-two years, assuming you take one to three classes per semester.

What knowledge will students gain?

Renewable energy technology
Power and grid systems
Building energy tech and sustainability
Social, political and economic contexts of energy
Energy equity
Economics and regulation of energy systems

What skills will students gain?

Communicating across disciplines
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of power systems and policy options
Decision making and planning for sustainability and climate change
Integrative/multidisciplinary problem solving

How do I get the certificate

First, complete the required courses. If you wish to apply a course toward the certificate that is not included on the official course list, please contact the certificate administrator (currently Zoe Getman-Pickering) for approval prior to enrolling. While retroactive approval may be granted, particularly for students who completed courses before the certificate’s creation, obtaining advance approval helps avoid unexpected issues.

Once you have completed the courses, reach out to Zoe Getman-Pickering (zgetmanp@umass.edu) one month before you plan to graduate for the requisite paperwork. You will fill out a brief sheet listing the eligible courses, and you and Zoe will certify that you meet the certificate requirements.

Course options

This is a non-exhaustive list. If you wish to take a course that is not on the list, but is energy relevant, please email the certificate administrator.

Social Science Courses

Energy Focused

ANTHRO 612 Engineering Justice: Technology, Infrastructure, and Power
ECO 611 "Offshore Wind Energy: Envir. Impacts, Siting, Permitting and Stakeholder Engagement"
ECO 612 Offshore Wind Energy: Supply chain logistics, Policy, Finance, Diversity
M&I-ENG 754/654 Economic Decision Making
NRC 562 Clean Energy and Climate Policy in Massachusetts
NRC 589 Responding to Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation
ECON 726 The Political Economy of the Environment
GEOGRAPH 642 Environmental Geography and Sustainability
GEOGRAPH 656 Climate Crisis

General skills and knowledge

ANTHRO 603 Theory and Method in Community-Based Research
ECO 606 Perspectives on Sustainability
ECON 727 Ecological Macroeconomics
GEOGRAPH 694 Water: Sustainability and Action
REGIONPL 585 Planning for Climate Change
REGIONPL 592 Scenario Planning
REGIONPL 643 Economic Development Issues in Planning
RES-ECON 720 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
RES-ECON 721 Adv Envrnmtl & Nat Res Econ

Sustainability Energy Technology and Analysis Courses

Energy Focused

BCT 511 Clean Energy Corps
BCT 520 Energy and Buildings
BCT 525 Solar Energy Syst & Bldg Desgn
CE-ENGIN 519 Transportation Sustainability
CE-ENGIN 530 Offshore Structures
CE-ENGIN 677 Modeling Wind Turbines with the FAST Code
CHEM-ENG 555 Concpt Energy Conversion
E&C-ENG 674 Green Computing
ECO 610 Offshore Wind Energy: Tech, Resources, Grid, Trends
ECO 615 Pathways to Zero
M&I ENG 650 Ocean Renweable Energy
M&I-ENG 777 Energy Markets and Equitable Energy Systems
M&I-ENG 562 Power Systems Design
M&I-ENG 570 Solar&Dir Enrgy Conv
M&I-ENG 673 Wind Turbine Design
NRC 597EC Analytic Methods for Energy and Climate Policy

General skills and knowledge

BCT 521 Environmental Control Systems
CE-ENGIN 501 Computational Methods in Environmental Engineering
CE-ENGIN 566 Climate Change for Engineers: Risk Assessment and Management
M&I-ENG 532 Network Optimization
M&I-ENG 646 Fundamentl/Systems Engineering