Degree Options and Courses

 

Degree Options

If you are seeking a funded M.S. or PhD research position, please apply for admission to the MIE graduate program, and faculty will contact students directly regarding funded positions.

If you interested in a course-based program, then there are two other options for you to consider, neither of which is funded. The first is our course-only Master's Degree with a Concentration in Wind Energy, and the second is our Wind Energy Certificate.

The course-only M.S. in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering with a Concentration in Wind Energy option requires 30 credits of graduate course work, and can be completed in 2-3 semesters. You would receive an identical degree to a thesis-based M.S. degree, but instead of completing a Master's thesis as part of the degree requirements, the course work would satisfy all of the degree requirements.

Wind Energy focused courses that students can take for this option include:

MIE 573 Engineering of Windpower Systems Engineering aspects of windpower systems including aerodynamic analysis, mechanical design, support structure design, wind field analysis, system concepts and analysis, and economics.

MIE 673 Wind Turbine Design Students will become experts in wind turbine technology via a semester-long design project, which will utilize modern wind design and analysis codes.

MIE 674 Offshore Wind Energy Engineering  Technical and social aspects of offshore wind energy including external design conditions, wind farm aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, support structures, installation, and economics.

It is possible to complete this option in 1 calendar year, during 2 semesters and 1 summer, by taking 2 online courses in the summer. MIE 573 is offered online in the summer. Options for the second course include business and statistics courses in the Isenberg School of Management. Visit the Continuing and Professional Education course listings for all summer courses. Questions regarding approval of online courses can be directed to wec@ecs.umass.edu.

If you choose the course only option initially, and then later on receive a research assistant position that will involve writing a thesis, the courses already completed will apply to the degree requirements for the thesis option. Please also see the MIE Graduate Program webpage for more information

Graduate Certificate Program

The Wind Energy Certificate is 15 credit graduate certificate program. The 15 credits will also be applicable to the 30 credit M.S. requirements, so if you decide to pursue an M.S. as well, you will only need to take 15 more credits. For more details: Graduate Certificate Page