Curriculum
The undergraduate Energy Engineering minor was established in Phase I and is open to both engineering and science students. For Phase II, CEES will redesign several existing courses to include interdisciplinary enrollments across four colleges (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, and Agriculture & Human Sciences). Additional undergraduate courses will focus on current energy and environmental sustainability topics, including an Energy Systems Design course, where interdisciplinary groups are given academic research and/or industrial design projects and receive guidance from a variety of industry and academic instructors.
Energy Engineering Minor
The Energy Engineering Minor curriculum is designed to prepare students to enter directly into a wide variety of careers in the energy sector serving the greater Houston area, national and the international communities. Students of all majors are encouraged to enroll in the courses offered through the program. The curriculum is designed to work within the structure of the students’ majors.
The Center for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (CEES) is instrumental in developing the Energy Engineering Minor. The goal of this center is to establish research and education focused on energy engineering. The three research themes of the center are biofuels, wind energy and energy and environment.
The Energy Engineering Minor has four focus areas:
- Chemical Engineering – Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Energy Focus
- Civil and Environmental Engineering – Energy and Environment Focus
- Electrical Engineering – Generation and Distribution Focus
- Mechanical Engineering – Renewable Energy Focus
Requirements for Energy Engineering as a Minor Field
Students shall complete the Energy Engineering Minor through satisfactory completion of 18 SCH from the following courses:
| Energy Engineering Minor Requirements | ||
| CHEG 3113 | Introduction to Energy Systems | 3 |
| CVEG 4113 | Energy and Environment | 3 |
| MCEG 3123 | Renewable Energy and Energy Sustainability | 3 |
| Electives (Select 9 hours from the following options) | 9 | |
| CHEG 4103 | Special Topics in Chemical Engineering1 | |
| CVEG 4103 | Special Topics2 | |
| ELEG 4013 | Electromechanical Energy Conversion | |
| ELEG 4023 | Power Systems Engineering | |
| ELEG 4223 | Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices | |
| MCEG 4123 | Energy System Design | |
| MCEG 4163 | Special Topics3 | |
| Other Energy related courses approved by the College | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
1 This course may be repeated when the topic varies. The approved topics for this minor include Intro to Nuclear, Biofuels and Biomass, and Fossil Fuels.
2 This course may be repeated when the topic varies. The approved topics for this minor include Nuclear Waste Management and Energy and Waste Management.
3 This course may be repeated when the topic varies. The approved topics for this minor include Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning and Power Plants.