2023-2024 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2023-2024 Cal Poly Humboldt Catalog

Environmental Systems, Energy Technology and Policy Concentration, M.S.


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This program is administered by the coordinator of the environmental systems graduate program of the College of Natural Resources and Sciences.

The Energy Technology and Policy Concentration is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in issues ranging from renewable energy engineering to climate change mitigation, and from international development to energy policy in California. The program offers a rigorous curriculum for students who are interested in making a difference in these important areas of work. Career opportunities include, energy engineer, energy policy analyst, environmental projects manager, international development worker. 

Graduate Coordinator

Margaret Lang, Ph.D. 
707-826-3619 
HGH 119

Program Prerequisites

Students must meet general admission requirements and:

  • Hold an approved bachelor’s degree for the selected concentration. An appropriate undergraduate degree and sufficient preparation is required. Prior coursework in areas including elementary statistics and probability, calculus, physics, and chemistry is expected. Engineering, math, and natural science students will benefit from having had at least 6 semester units of sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, or another related social science. Students who aspire to work inter-nationally should have at least one year of training in a language other than English, or equivalent experience. Students with deficient preparation will be expected to satisfy background coursework prior to beginning the program. Deficiencies may be made up concurrently with prior approval in some cases, but this may extend time in the program.
  • Submit a statement of objectives, including reasons for pursuing a master’s degree with a particular concentration

Requirements for the Degree (30 Units)


For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below see, “Master’s Degree Requirements 

Complete an environmental systems program of courses arranged with a graduate advisor and approved by the faculty graduate committee. The program requires 16 units of core courses and 14 units of concentration specific coursework.



Core Requirements (16 Units)


Thesis / Independent Study (9 Units)


Complete a combination of thesis and independent study units for a total of 9 units. Select courses in consultation with advisor and committee members.

All students are required to enroll in at least 1 unit of ENGR/GEOL 690 or 699 every semester. A written thesis or project and public oral presentation are required. Thesis or project research is the central component of the master’s degree, and these courses are intended to build students’ competence in developing and implementing fundamental or applied research, and successfully reporting results. This is accomplished through mentoring with their faculty advisor and committee members

  

Energy Technology and Policy Concentration Requirements


Complete the following concentration specific coursework.

Elective Requirement


Complete approved upper division and graduate level electives to bring total degree units to no fewer than 30 units. At least half of these 30 units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level. The following courses are approved electives, substitutions require pre-approval of your advisor and the program coordinator.

Non-Engineering Design Approved Electives


Program Learning Outcomes


Students completing this program will have demonstrated:

  1. expertise in their selected specialty through their master’s thesis or project and be able to identify how their work will contribute to the field.
  2. the ability to design an investigation or project according to standards of the discipline
  3. the ability to investigate an original hypothesis or develop an original project using appropriate methods and scientific discipline
  4. the ability to present the results of their investigation or project using accepted structure, format, and visual aids for scientific presentations in the discipline 
  5. the ability to write a thesis or project technical report using accepted structure, style, and format in accordance with the discipline.

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