Clarkson University offers a minor in sustainable energy systems engineering to all students who meet the prerequisite requirements.
Our reliance on energy-rich sources of fossil fuels has enabled growth of modern society, increasing our mobility, industrial growth, domestic comfort, abundant food supply and economic prosperity. This fossil fuel combustion though also generates over three-quarters of the worlds’ carbon dioxide emissions and contributes to other air pollutants that are harmful to public health. Engineers are among the many types of professionals that need to understand the limits of our present energy systems and lead us to a future in which we can continue to provide reasonable energy resources for human quality of life.
This minor emphasizes that all engineering disciplines are necessary to develop and assess technologies to both increase the efficiency of our energy use and advance renewable and alternative energy sources.
Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering Minor Core I
Students are required to complete the following courses:
Energy
- ES238 Introduction to Energy Systems
- ES340 Thermodynamics or CH260 Thermodynamics & Energy Balances
Capstone Design
Students are required to complete one of the following Capstone Design Course or energy related research:
AE451, CE490, CE491, CE492, CH420, EE412, EE416, EM456, ME446, or ES443
Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering Minor Core II
Students must complete one course from each of the following areas:
Policy Choice
- POL375 Environmental Law
- POL470 Environmental Policy
- EC360 Environmental Economics
- POL471 Energy Policy
- PHIL370 Environmental Ethics
- CE316 Earth's Dynamic Climate: Science & Impacts
- CE486 Industrial Ecology
- ES436 Global Climate Change: Science Engineering and Policy
- EV305 Sustainability and the Environment
Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering Minor Core III
Students must complete two of the following courses, with one with a focus in energy technologies:
- CE409 Fundamentals of Building Systems*
- CE410 Sustainable Infrastructure and Building
- CE486 Industrial Ecology (1)
- CM/CH413 - Carbon Capture and Sequestration
- EE331 Energy Conversion*
- EE333 Power Systems Engineering
- EE438 Alternative Energy Systems*
- ES436 Global Climate Change: Science Engineering and Policy (1)
- Energy technology as related research project e.g. ES443*
- ES459 Electrochemistry for Sustainability
- EV3902 Sustainability Project Experience* (2)
- ME310 Thermodynamic System Engineering*
(1) If this class is not taken as an environmental impacts choice.
(2) Applicability of this class changes annually based on specific class topic
*at least one of the two technology choice classes must have this designator
