2020-2021

Building Science, Graduate Certificate

Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering

College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences

Building science is a field of study concerned with the technical performance of buildings, building materials, and building systems that draws upon physics, chemistry, engineering, architecture, and the life sciences. Understanding the physical behavior of the building as a system and how this impacts energy efficiency, durability, comfort and indoor air quality is essential to innovating high-performance buildings. Modern building science employs models of the building as a system (systems theory), and applies empirical techniques to the effective solution of building design problems.
 

    • Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 12 credit hours. Many graduate certificate programs require more than 12 credit hours.
    • No more than one 400-level NAU course (3 - 4 units) may be used on a graduate certificate program.
    • No more than twenty-five percent of the units required for the certificate program may be transferred from another university.
    • A 400-level course (undergraduate course) completed at another university is not eligible for transfer credit.
    • A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved to obtain a graduate certificate. No more than three units of coursework with a Grade of "C" may be used in a certificate program.
    • A graduate student may pursue a graduate certificate concurrently with a graduate degree. Each graduate degree program must decide which, if any, certificate courses can be counted toward the graduate degree.
    • Students who are admitted to a graduate certificate program will be eligible for the official posting of the graduate certificate to their transcripts when all applicable coursework has been successfully completed and approved by the academic unit and the Graduate College.
  • Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates, if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program).  See the “Details” tab for additional information.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 15
Major GPA 3.0
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

Purpose Statement

The Building Science Graduate Certificate program provides students with fundamental, contextual and technical, knowledge of the integrated process used to deliver high-performance buildings. Building science is a field of study concerned with the technical performance of buildings, building materials, and building systems that draws upon physics, chemistry, engineering, architecture, and the life sciences. This program introduces students to the current best-practices used to deliver high-performance/low-impact buildings.
 
This program is designed for NAU graduate students currently enrolled in engineering, environmental or related sciences, including a Graduate degree in Civil, Environmental or Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Science or in a related field.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Identify fundamental components and related problems of building science.

  • Apply knowledge of the historical context of building science to solving contemporary building design problems.
  • Investigate solutions that can be used to improve human comfort parameters,  minimize energy and resource usage, conserve water, and minimize construction waste for a variety of energy-efficient building types.
2. Implement protocols, tools and organizational methods necessary to solve building science problems.
  • Implement solutions that can be used to improve human comfort parameters, minimize energy and resource usage, conserve water, and minimize construction waste for a variety of energy-efficient building types.
3. Analyze and solve fundamental building science problems
  • Apply knowledge of modeling building energy performance, water resource use, and associated carbon emissions using appropriate modeling tools, to fundamental building types.
  • Apply knowledge of environmental economics to the evaluation and selection of building performance alternatives.
4. Document and explain advanced building science solutions to a variety of audiences.
  • Accurately explain the design strategies used to improve building performance.
  • Communicate predicted performance results of the design strategies used to improve building performance.

Additional Admission Requirements

  • 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:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    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.

    • Graduate student in STEM related discipline
Certificate Requirements

  • Take the following 15 units with a Grade of "B" or better in each course:

  • 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.

  • 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.