Santa Clara University

Program advisor: Dr. Samiha Mourad, smourad@scu.edu

Students interested in this major must satisfy the standard admissions criteria used by the School of Engineering, which include an undergraduate degree in a field of engineering (physics degrees will also be considered), appropriate GRE scores and (for international students) demonstrated proficiency in English. Both TOEFL and IELTS scores are acceptable for this purpose. All students are expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 while enrolled in the program. They must also develop a program of studies with an academic advisor and file this document with the Graduate Services Office by the end of their first quarter at SCU.

Required Courses

Two foundational classes
ELEN 280/MECH 287 Alternative Energy Systems (2 units)
ELEN 285 Introduction to the Smart Grid (2 units)

Three fundamental sustainability courses (These courses also satisfy the Graduate Core requirements)
CENG 208 Engineering Business and Economics (3 units)
ENGR 271 Social Dimensions of Sustainable Energy (2 units)
ENGR 273 Sustainable Energy and Ethics (2 units)

Eight units in applied mathematics, which are to be selected in consultation with the student's academic advisor.

A set of specialized energy-related courses which are appropriate to the area of engineering in which the student is interested. These four areas are:

Mechanical Engineering
ELEN 281 Power Systems (3 units)
MECH 228 Thermodynamics (2 units)
MECH 287/ELEN 287 Storage Systems (2 units)
MECH 288 Energy Conversion I (2 units)

Electrical Engineering
COEN 282/ELEN 288 Energy Management (2 units)
ELEN 281 Power Systems (3 units)
ELEN 287 Storage Systems (2 units)
ELEN 383 Power Electronics (3 units)

Computer Engineering
COEN 250 Information Security Management (2 units)
COEN 282/ELEN 288 Energy Management (2 units)
ELEN 281 Power Systems (3 units)

Civil Engineering
CENG 213 Sustainable Materials (4 units)
CENG 215 Sustainable Structural Engineering (4 units)
CENG 217 Sustainable Infrastructure for Developing Countries (4 units)

Additional elective courses to complete the forty-five unit requirement, which must be approved by the academic advisor. These elective courses may include a thesis, up to 9 units.

Visit the Renewable Energy Initiative site.