The RESS professional master’s program (MPS-RESS) is an online-interdisciplinary master’s degree program designed to prepare professionals in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability systems to lead the world’s transformation from an unsustainable, fossil energy economy to a renewable, sustainable basis of operation. For example, attaining an ambitious national goal of 25% of energy from renewable resources by the year 2025 in the U.S. requires a tremendous increase in renewable energy production and use in ways that are sustainable, environmentally sound, and reliable. The MPS-RESS program is designed to address the critical need for professionals with relevant expertise in renewable energy and sustainability systems.
The program provides broad coverage of topics related to renewable energy and sustainability systems while providing in-depth coverage of related technologies and policies. Students are required to follow a focused curriculum that combines requisite rigor with flexibility appropriate to a rapidly changing field. Students take a number of core program courses that provide an in-depth understanding of the sustainability framework relevant to energy and sustainability systems and, in consultation with their program adviser, select additional courses from a broad array of electives designed to meet their individual learning goals. While not required to do so, students may choose from one of two program tracks: one which provides specialized technical instruction in various aspects of renewable energy systems while the other focuses on sustainability management and policy. A comprehensive Scholarship and Academic Research Integrity (SARI) plan embeds ethics and integrity training both at the start and at the end of the master’s program. A capstone course or capstone research experience with an EME faculty member is required of all students and serves to aggregate the material learned and provide a summative educational experience within the framework of a semester-long group-based project.
The MPS-RESS degree is conferred upon students who earn a minimum of 33 credits of course work at the 400, 500, or 800 level while maintaining an average grade-point average of 3.0 or better in all course work, including at least 18 credits at the 500 or 800 level (with at least 6 credits at the 500 level), and who complete a culminating experience (capstone course or scholarly paper) in consultation with a graduate adviser. The program curriculum includes:
- 12 credits of core courses,
- 18 credits of electives, and
- a 3-credit capstone course (EME 589) or scholarly Paper (EME 596)
Substitutions for required courses, either with resident-education courses, alternate online courses, or courses from other institutions, will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be petitioned and approved by the Program Chair, with input from the student’s adviser.