Sustainable Energy covers the full range of sustainable energy options and technologies today and those projected to potentially play a role in the future. There is widespread discussion in society about an ongoing energy transformation from traditional fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and other sources. A key rationale for this transition lies in the concern about the formidable societal challenge that climate change poses for society.
Fortunately, this transformation of our energy sector is well underway, domestically, and internationally, with substantial increases in deployment of renewable energy across Europe, the US, China, and developing countries. Yet the identification of what is sustainable is complicated. For example, forest-based biomass energy is considered carbon neutral by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change accounting methods, yet is heavily debated by policy makers in the US and Europe. In Ohio, the proposed expansion of wind and solar has raised many questions about land use, community decision-making, and local externalities.
The Certificate in Sustainable Energy and the Economy is a 13-credit undergraduate program that will help current and future professionals understand the emerging sustainable energy sector and learn skills to evaluate the benefits, costs, and sustainability elements of a range of energy options and choices. By combining the required and elective courses, students will gain critical analytical skills that will help them enter the sustainable energy sector and advance their careers.
Those completing the certificate will be able to analyze the economics of sustainable energy alternatives, including solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear, fossil-based energy with offsets or carbon capture and storage, as well as emerging energy sources like hydrogen. This certificate also will provide individuals in a variety of majors and professions, with important economic and business skills to assess within the broader context of the sustainability of various energy sector alternatives.
Curriculum
The Certificate in Sustainable Energy and the Economy is a 4-course, 13-credit program. Students enrolled in the certificate program are required to take the following 3 courses and 1 elective course:
- AEDE/ENR 2501: Introduction to Sustainability (4 cr.)
- AEDE/IS 4320: Energy, the Environment and the Economy (3 cr.)
- AEDE 4321: Sustainable Energy (3 cr.)
Choose 1 elective from:
- AEDECON 3114 – Commodity Futures and Options Markets (3 cr.)
- AEDECON 3103 – Principles of Agribusiness Finance (3 cr.) or
BUSFIN 3120 - Foundations of Finance (3 cr) - AEDECON 4310 – Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (3 cr.)
- AEDECON 4330 – The Sustainable Economy: Concepts and Methods (3 cr.)
- AVIATN 3000 – Aviation Management and Marketing (3 cr.)
- BUSML 4255 – Sustainability Marketing for Consumers, Firms & Society (3 cr.)
- BUSOBA 4253 – Sustainable Operations (3 cr.)
- BUSOBA 4254 – Projects in Sustainable Supply Chains (3 cr.)
- CRPLAN 2000 -Introduction to City and Regional Planning (3 cr.)
- CRPLAN 3400 - Planning for Sustainable Economic Development (3 cr.)
- ENVENG 3200 – Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
- ENVENG 5600 – Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (3 cr.)
- ENR 4450 – Climate Change Policy (3 cr.)
- ENR 5210 – US Environmental Impact Assessment (3 cr.)
- ENR 5211 – International Environmental Impact Assessment (3 cr.)
- GEOG 3900 – Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences (3 cr.) or
GEOG 3900.01 – Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences (3 cr.) or
GEOG 3900.02 – Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences (4 cr.) - GEOG 5301 – Sustainable Transportation (3 cr.)
- HIST 2911 – The Climate Crisis: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Mitigation (4 cr.)
- PUBAFRS 3000 – Public Policy Analysis (3 cr.)
Want to learn more? Contact Dr. Brent Sohngen, Professor
Ready to apply? Schedule time with Jamel Chamberlain, Academic Advisor