Undergraduate Energy Certificate Program at CU-Boulder
A visitor inspects an electric motorcyle that was designed and built by a CU team, including Lennon Rodgers, in back, during the 2008 Energy Initiative Research Symposium. Faculty, researchers and scientists displayed their novel ideas for new energy and related climate change or sustainability research. (Photo by Glenn J. Asakawa/University of Colorado)
"There is a clear and growing societal need for experts in energy, with skills and knowledge that transcend traditional disciplines. What's needed is not just technical expertise, but rather technical competence combined with a broader understanding of the business, policy, economics, and institutional aspects of energy."
-CU-Boulder, Energy Education Committee, Final Report, May 2007
CU-Boulder's undergraduate energy certificate program provides a broad exposure to energy issues, with an emphasis on renewable and sustainable energy. Required coursework on energy science and technology, policy, and economics; coupled with electives on energy and environment, journalism, ethics, and other topics, give students the skills and knowledge to tackle society's pressing energy problems.
Solving society's energy-related problems is not just a technical challenge. It will require contributions from law, business, humanities, journalism, and other disciplines as well. This undergraduate certificate program is intended to supplement, not replace, undergraduate students' degree programs. Graduates from this certificate program—regardless of their undergraduate major—will have a strong understanding of energy science and technologies, energy alternatives, energy markets and business, and energy policy. They will be well-prepared to apply their disciplinary knowledge to the energy challenge.
Paul Komor, Energy Education Director and Lecturer in Environmental Studies, directs and manages this program. Decisions about the program, including those related to course requirements and admissions, are made by the Energy Certificate Committee. Members of this Committee are:
The complete list of participating faculty:
- Len Ackland, Journalism
- Bernard Amadei, CEAE
- Linnea Avallone, ATOC and Academic Advising
- Sam Fitch, ENVS
- Lakshman Guruswamy, Law
- Michael Hannigan, Mechanical Engineering
- Paul Komor, Environmental Studies and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute
- Carl Koval, Chemistry and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute
- Steve Lawrence, Leeds School of Business
- Lucy Pao, ECE
- Jerry Peterson, Physics
- Roger Pielke, ENVS, CSTPR
- Tom Yulsman, Journalism
- Michael Zimmerman, Philosophy, Center for Humanities and Arts
The certificate program requires 18 hours of coursework: 9 for core courses, and 9 for electives.
The core courses cover the essentials of renewable and sustainable energy:
The first required course (ENVS/PHYS 3070) provides an understanding of energy science and technology: resources, units of measurement, physical principles and limits, conversion technologies, and environmental impacts.
The second required course (ENVS 3621) provides an understanding of energy politics, policy, and economics: how society makes decisions about energy, what are the policy tools that can influence energy use and how do they work, how stakeholders interact to yield energy policy decisions.
The third required course (ENVS 4100) is a projects course, in which students’ energy knowledge is applied to a specific energy challenge or problem.
These core courses are followed by electives, which allow students to focus on specific areas that are of interest. These electives are varied, however they all share a focus on energy.
Students must take the three courses listed below, and achieve a grade of C or better in all three courses.
ENVS/PHYS 3070
Energy and the Environment. Contemporary issues in energy consumption and its environmental impact, including fossil fuel use and depletion; nuclear energy and waste disposal; solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources; home heating; energy storage; fuel cells; and alternative transportation vehicles. Included are some basic physical concepts and principles that often constrain choices. No background in physics is required. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science. Offered Fall and Spring semesters.
NOTE: ENVS 4100-003 ‘Energy Science and Technology,’ offered Fall 2008 only, can be substituted for ENVS/PHYS 3070. ECEN 2060 can also be substituted for ENVS/PHYS 3070
ENVS 3621
Energy Policy and Society. Examines how society makes decisions about energy, and how these decisions affect the environment and the economy. Uses tools from policy analysis, economics, and other disciplines to build an in-depth understanding of energy’s role in U.S. contemporary society. Offered Spring semester.
ENVS 4100 Energy Project
This projects course will apply students’ energy knowledge to a particular problem or issue. The specific problem would vary by semester and instructor, however example problems include: Developing a plan for CU to meet its carbon neutrality goals, assessing Boulder’s potential for increased energy efficiency, analyzing options for Colorado to increase its use of renewable energy, and developing recommendations for Colorado’s role in the Western Climate Initiative. Students will be expected to develop a policy-relevant class final report/plan, and present it to decision-makers. Offered Fall semester.
Students must take 9 credits of qualifying electives. The current list of qualifying courses includes:
- ENVS 4800-001 Biofuels
- ECEE 4005 Principles of Energy Systems and Devices
- ENVD 4363 Planning for Environmental Sustainability
- AREN 3130 Building Energy Laboratory
- ASEN 4519 Energy Systems for Earth and Aerospace Applications
- ATOC 3500 Air Chemistry and Pollution
- ATOC 4800 Policy and Climate
- BADM 4820 Business Opportunities in a Resource Constrained World
- CHEN 4838 Energy Fundamentals: Global and Future Perspectives
- CVEN 4838 Sustainability and the Built Environment
- ECEN 2060 Renewable Sources and Efficient Electrical Energy Systems
- ENVD 4035 Solar and Sustainable Design
- EVEN 4830 Technoeconomic analysis for environmental engineering
- ENVS 4100 Carbon Neutral CU
- GEEN 3300 Sustainability and Ethics
- GEOL 3500 Earth Resources and the Environment
- GEOL 3520 Environmental Issues in Geosciences
- JOUR 4871 Topics in Environment, Media, and Culture
- MCEN 4228 Climate Solutions
- MGMT 4080 Sustainable Operations
- HONR 4000 Sustainable Energy
- ENVS 3100 Sustainability Consulting
This list will be modified when new energy-relevant courses are offered. Existing courses can be nominated for this list as well – see the FAQ section below.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students are eligible for the program (although the core courses are open to all students). This includes part-time students, but is limited to students who are in an undergraduate degree program. Students in joint undergraduate/graduate degree programs are not eligible, but should instead consider the graduate energy certificate program.
Applications to the program are accepted during February, with all applications and application materials due by March 1. Admissions decisions are made by April 1. Acceptance will be based on the qualifications of the student, as well as the importance of fostering a diversity of disciplinary representation within the program.
Applicants need to submit the following:
- A current CU-Boulder transcript
- A one-page statement of purpose: Why do you want to enroll in this program?
All materials should be submitted electronically, and should be emailed to Energy_Certificate@Colorado.EDU.
Does successful completion of the certificate program show up on my official CU-Boulder transcript?
Yes.
Is this program open to non-students/working professionals/CU-Boulder staff/etc.?
Not yet. We are assessing non-student demand for this program. If there is sufficient interest, we will open it up. If you are interested, send an email to Energy_Certificate@Colorado.EDU and we'll put you on the list of people to notify when we do expand the program.
Can a specific course be used to satisfy the certificate program requirements and my home department/program requirements - at the same time?
Probably. The certificate program allows for this. However, you should check with your home department/program to ensure that they allow this.
I'm in the Engineering/Music/Business/etc. program at CU-Boulder. Can I apply for the program?
Yes. All CU-Boulder undergraduate students are eligible for this program.
Are there any course prerequisites for the program?
No. The first core course, ENVS/PHYS 3070, provides basic energy knowledge.
There's a course that I think should count as an elective towards the certificate program, but is not on the list of qualifying electives. How do I submit it for consideration as a qualifying elective?
Send an email to Energy_Certificate@Colorado.EDU with details on the course, including a syllabus or web site link if available. We'll review it and let you know if it qualifies.
I have a question that is not addressed in this FAQ. Who can answer it?
Send an email to Energy_Certificate@Colorado.EDU. We'll get back to you.
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