Curriculum
The Graduate Renewable Energy Certificate (GREC) program is unique in the way that it looks at the topic of renewable energy from several multidisciplinary and related perspectives, science, policy, engineering, community, and business.
To complete the certificate, students must successfully complete 12 credits (four 3-credit courses) of online GREC courses with 6 of those credits in ENGR or CEE courses. ENGR 600 Alternative Energy Fundamentals is the recommended pre or co-requisite course for the other courses. These courses are offered one semester a year (see Semester Schedule of Courses below), with the exception of ENGR 600, which is offered each semester. Plans are under way to add courses in the following topics by Spring 2014: Power Systems, Geothermal Energy, and Media and Renewable Energy. See the following course tabs for more information on existing courses.
MBA Renewable Energy Emphasis
Students enrolled in the Campus MBA program may add an emphasis in renewable energy to their program by completing three of the GREC courses.
See the Campus MBA in Renewable Energy tab (below) for more information.
| Courses | Summer | Fall | Spring |
| ENGR 600 Alternative Energy Fundamentals | X | X | X |
| ENGR 610 Public Policy Analysis | X | X | |
| ENGR 620 Renewable Energy in the Local Community & Home | X | ||
| ENGR 630 Wind Energy | X | ||
| ENGR 650 Solar Energy | X | ||
| ENGR 660 Fundamentals of Biofuels | X | ||
| BUS 600 Sustainability and Renewable Energy | X | ||
| PSC 751 Renewable Energy Policy | X | ||
| CEE 611/PSC 603/NRES 612 Environmental Law | X |
Instructors: Michael Moltz, M.Ed., moltzm@unr.edu, and Christopher Simon, Ph.D., simon@cppa.utah.edu
Course Description: This course introduces the student to alternative energy and public policy, including policy formulation, implementation, and socioeconomic factors of energy production and consumption. It also includes an overview of engineering principles, including fundamentals of thermodynamics and an introduction to alternative energy power systems.
Instructor: Derek Kauneckis, Ph.D., kauneck@unr.edu
Course Description: This course focuses on the key policy instruments utilized to foster use and development of renewable energy. It covers a basic introduction to public policy, reviews the scope of policy instruments, various levels of policy-making, and assesses different policy tools as they relate to renewable energy. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the range and scope of renewable energy policy, develop the analytic framework to understand the variety of policy impacts, and theoretical and practical foundation for understanding renewable energy policy as a professional working in the field.
Instructors: Michael Moltz, M.Ed., moltzm@unr.edu, and Christopher Simon, Ph.D., simon@cppa.utah.edu
Course Description: This course introduces students to small-scale, bottom-up strategies of renewable energy use in the home and local community, including home and business energy auditing, off-grid utilities, and carbon-neutral workplaces.
Instructors: Guadalupe Paredes-Miranda, Ph.D., gpepami@yahoo.com, and Patrick Arnott, Ph.D., patarnott@gmail.com
Course Description: This course begins with an introduction to the history and development of the wind power industry. Students will learn where wind energy is used today and the technology employed. Important issues that will be discussed are the impacts as well as the benefits of this form of environmentally sustainable energy. The course ends with an analysis of where wind energy is headed. The course will focus on the use of case studies to illustrate principles of wind energy.
Instructor: Ravi Subramanian, Ph.D., ravisv@unr.edu
Course Description: This course provides a basic overview of all the ways in which solar energy can be used. It will be an “all you need to know about solar energy” one-stop content for a broad audience of students, teachers, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Students can compare and obtain a perspective of fundamental physical insights, chemistry aspects of solar energy conversion, and engineering potential - all in one course. Students will also gain a perspective of the broad gamut of development related to each solar energy area from this course through ample references and reading materials.
Instructor: Amber Broch, Amber.Brock@dri.edu, and Curt Robbins, Curt.Robbins@dri.edu
Course Description: We are currently facing both energy and environmental challenges. In this course, we will explore how biofuels offer potential solutions to these issues. Biofuels is an interdisciplinary topic, so we will investigate the science and engineering, economics, societal impacts and the political aspects of biofuels including both ethanol and biodiesel. The course will provide a broad understanding of the impacts and implications of biofuels use through an investigation of: the engineering and science of fuel production and use; the economics of biofuels production and use; the environmental impacts of both ethanol and biodiesel; and, the policies and environmental issues driving the use of biofuels as well as the societal impacts.
Instructor: Christopher Lynch, J.D., clynch@unr.edu
Course Description: Renewable energy development has received increased attention in the last decade as government policymakers and entrepreneurs seek opportunities to reduce reliance on fossil fuel usage both for energy security and environmental reasons. This course addresses select topics that business managers and entrepreneurs in the renewable energy field must consider when making the business case for bringing new energy capacity to the market, including: value proposition; market identification; environmental issues, permits and siting; rates and pricing in the market; project financing; transmission and the grid; subsidies, regulatory structures and policy development; and environmental sustainability in business. Emphasis will be placed on electricity systems and markets.
Instructor: Derek Kauneckis, Ph.D., kauneck@unr.edu
Course Description: This course will introduce students to the essential skills of public policy analysis and program evaluation. It is designed to present students with the general theory, analytic frameworks, and techniques necessary to analyze policy alternatives. Policy analysis can be understood as the analytic and methodological toolbox for generalized problem solving. The methods learned in this course are applicable across the private, nonprofit and public sectors and should be thought of as the essential skill set that can distinguishes you a professional policy analyst.
(This course is offered online only in the summer session.)
Instructor: Derek Kauneckis, Ph.D., kauneck@unr.edu
Course Description: The course provides students with a broad pragmatic understanding of environmental law and related institutions. It covers the major environmental legislation at the state, regional, and national levels, and reviews the legal process, how laws are implemented, and the impact of environmental regulations. The course provides a background for understanding how the framework of environmental regulations evolves over time and critical legislation. Students are provided with the fundamental conceptual and hands-on experience to incorporate environmental law into a broad array of fields.
The Campus MBA emphasis in renewable energy requires a total of 9 credits offered through the Online Graduate Renewable Energy Certificate program.
Select any three from the following list of courses recommended for MBA students:
- ENGR 600 – Alternative Energy Fundamentals (recommended pre- or co-requisite for renewable energy courses, offered online each semester)
- BUS 600 – Business Issues in Sustainability and Renewable Energy (offered online each Fall semester)
- ENGR 610 – Renewable Energy Policy (offered online each Summer and Fall semester)
- PSC 751 – Public Policy Analysis (offered online each Fall semester)
- CEE 611/PSC 603E/NRES 612 – Environmental Law (offered online each Summer)
- ENGR 620 – Renewable Energy in the Local Community and Home (offered online each Fall semester)
Other Renewable Energy Courses:
- ENGR 650 – Solar and Renewable Energy Utilization (Fall semester)
- ENGR 660 – Fundamentals of Biofuels (Spring semester)
- ENGR 630 – Wind Energy (Fall Semester)
