The Wind Energy Graduate Certificate (WEGC) is a program designed to give students the training necessary for careers in the wind energy industry. Wind energy is now a mainstream power conversion technology, with prospects to grow substantially in the future. Along with this growth will come the need for many new businesses and professionals working in the industry.
The WEGC is a 15-credit program that will be available to both on-campus students and to students that are fully online. Two graduate, wind-energy specific courses concentrating on the fundamental electrical, mechanical and wind flow aspects of wind energy, and are required for all students. These courses provide students with the foundational material necessary to understand wind energy conversion systems. Three additional courses, selected from several possible course topics and disciplines, may be selected by the student to tailor their certificate toward the specialty in which they wish to work. Students enrolled in the program may complete the requirements concurrent with their M.S. or Ph.D. degrees, or as non-degree seeking students that intend only to earn the graduate certificate.
Students that complete the graduate certificate in wind energy will be prepared for professional practice in the wind industry. This includes the ability to design wind turbines and wind turbine components, as well as understand the salient aspects of wind power plant design, including project economics, interactions with the electrical grid and environmental impacts.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 15 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Wind Energy is to prepare students for professional, technical careers in the wind industry and in wind energy research and development. Students will learn in-depth how to analyze and design wind turbine mechanical, electrical, and control systems, including: wind turbine electrical generator topologies; wind turbine aerodynamics and rotor blade design; wind energy resources and wind resource assessment; interconnection and integration of wind power plants to the grid; power converters for wind turbines, fixed- and variable-speed induction generator based wind energy systems, design and control of wind energy conversion systems, transient and steady-state analysis of wind energy systems, including issues specific to on-shore and off-shore applications. Beyond these technical topics, students will also become conversant in the broader societal, environmental, regulatory and economic aspects of wind energy necessary for professional practice. Recipients of a graduate certificate will have depth of knowledge in their discipline applied to wind energy, and a broad understanding of the multi-disciplinary nature of wind energy. Courses are taught by faculty with experience and expertise in wind energy applications and research.
The certificate program is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in an engineering discipline or a closely related field. Students may earn a certificate concurrently with their MS or PhD degrees at NAU, or as non-degree seeking students only intent on earning the graduate certificate. The certificate has two core classes (6-credit hours) that all students take, plus three elective courses (9-credit hours). These electives may be selected from a wide array of approved course that are of direct relevance to wind energy, allowing students the flexibility to tailor the certificate to their specific interests.
Due to its low cost and environmentally desirable characteristics, wind energy is rapidly being adopted around the world and is now a mainstream energy generation technology. Thus, it is a quickly growing field with many professional opportunities for certificate recipients both in the United States and abroad. Though an established technology, wind energy continues to evolve as turbines grow ever larger and more sophisticated for utility applications, and ever more practical and reliable for off-grid and microgrid applications. This program seeks to inspire innovation and creativity in its graduates, grounded in the principles of good engineering practice.
According to the 2018 U.S. Energy and Employment Report, nearly 107,000 workers are employed in the wind energy industry, which is the third highest among electrical energy generation technologies. It is interesting to note that 26% employers in this sector reported extreme difficulty hiring qualified workers. This graduate certificate addressing the design fundamentals will provide students with the necessary theoretical and practical background to enable them to become renewable energy engineers capable of meeting today’s renewable energy industry needs. This graduate certificate will introduce students to the breadth of wind energy systems from the mechanical and electrical engineering perspectives.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the certificate program, students will:
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Take the following 15 units:
This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Federal financial aid cannot be used if the certificate is completed as a stand-alone certificate.
If pursued concurrently with a graduate degree, the graduate degree program must decide which, if any, certificate courses can also count toward the graduate degree.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.