UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENERGY ENGINEERING
ENERGY ENGINEERING
The undergraduate program in Energy
Engineering is designed to address the growing
impact of and demand for energy and equip
students with the necessary knowledge and
skills to address society’s energy needs. It
prepares students to be successful leaders in
advancing the technology and management of
energy; innovators and entrepreneurs in the
energy sector; and educators, practicing
engineers, and national leaders in the energy
and associated environmental health and
safety, policy, and economic fields.
The program trains students to be lifelong
learners, problem solvers, and energy industry
leaders. The curriculum is sufficiently flexible,
broad, and diverse to enable students to tailor
their educational experience to particular
interests, background, and expected role in
society. The flexibility allows students in
energy-related programs such as agricultural,
biological, chemical, electrical, environmental,
mechanical, nuclear, and petroleum
engineering; materials science and
engineering; industrial health and safety; and
business and finance to have dual or
concurrent degrees, minors, or options.
The first two years of the program are similar
to traditional engineering disciplines.
Thereafter, one takes a series of specialized
courses that introduce energy engineering
concepts. Fundamental energy engineering
principles involve material and energy
balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics,
heat and mass transfer operations, and physical
and chemical processing as applied to energy
industries. In addition to these engineering
principles, students enroll in required courses
in renewable/sustainable energy. Students will
be trained in basic chemistry of fuels—coal,
petroleum, natural gas, and biomass;
combustion; petroleum and natural gas
processing; electrochemical energy
conversion; and energy conversion processes
including chemical, nuclear, biological, and
catalytic.
Students also choose departmental electives
from courses such as green energy
engineering and environmental compliance,
hydrogen and fuel cell technology, materials
for energy applications, physical processes
in energy engineering, and air pollutants
from combustion sources. Professional
electives allow students to gain exposure to
business, legal, and ethical issues related to
energy. Technical electives can be chosen to
provide specialization or breadth and depth
in renewable or nonrenewable energy and
mechanical or chemical aspects of energy.
Students will also have opportunities to
conduct independent research and participate
in capstone design team projects with
students from other engineering disciplines.
—
Contribute in designing/developing
novel catalytic/biological/chemical
processes and/or maintaining upstream
technologies for petroleum and natural
gas processing industries or
unconventional fuels such as coal to
liquids or oil shale/tar sands processing
industries.
— Join automobile manufacturing
industries to work in traditional internal
combustion engines or develop novel
fuel-cell-based vehicles.
— Join major power companies in
designing/maintaining/developing
environmentally sound renewable power
systems such as wind, solar, hydro, and
geothermal or coal-, oil-, or gas-based
power generation systems.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
— Become valuable contributors in
addressing society's energy needs and
demands, successful leaders in
advancing the technology and
management of energy, and innovators
and entrepreneurs in the energy sector.
— Join the workforce or continue for
advanced degrees in various areas of
energy science, engineering, and
business/management.
— Enter private or public sectors as energy
engineers to evaluate and recommend
energy generation, production, and
processing methods and strategies.
— Address critical energy management
issues of various process industries,
especially extraction, production, and
conversion industries; design
engineering systems to address energy
production, processing, and utilization.
PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
The knowledge and skills you acquire as a
graduate of Penn State’s Energy Engineering
program will enable you to:
— Acquire data and define, analyze, and
solve energy and associated
environmental problems.
— Integrate professional, ethical, social,
and environmental factors in energy
engineering design and problem solving.
— Develop the ability to effectively
communicate and interact in teamwork.
— Acquire the desire for lifelong learning
to maintain technical competence and
keep abreast of new developments in the
field.
SALARY RANGE
Because of the wide range of employment
opportunities, starting salaries can vary greatly
from $36,000 to more than $65,000 with the
highest offers in the private sector of industry.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
CURRICULUM PLAN
3
1.5
15.5
YEAR 2
Third Semester
CHEM 210
MATH 251
PHYS 212
A/H/S Elective 3
A/H/S Elective 4
Semester Total
CR
3
4
4
3
3
17
YEAR 3
Fifth Semester
EGEE 012
MATSE 201
*EME 301 and 303
*EGEE 302
Prof. Elective 1
Semester Total
YEAR 4
Seventh Semester
ENGL 202C
F SC 432
*EGEE 441
*EGEE 451
I E 302 or
P N G 489
Tech. Elective 1
Semester Total
CR
3
1
4
3
Second Semester
CHEM 112
MATH 141
PHYS 211
ENGL 15
A/H/S Elective 2
Semester Total
CR
3
4
4
3
3
17
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Graduates of the Energy Engineering
program will acquire:
— an ability to apply knowledge of
mathematics, science, and engineering
— an ability to design and conduct
experiments, as well as to analyze and
interpret data
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Recent research interests of our faculty
members include: Carbon materials from
fossil fuels; Clean coal and fuel
technologies; Applied catalysis;
Electrochemical energy and electrocatalytic
systems; Hydrogen production, storage, and
fuel cells; Petroleum and natural gas
processing to higher-value products;
Sustainable energy options—wind, solar,
biomass, and geothermal systems;
Subsurface science and hydrology; Carbon
sequestration; Biofuels and bioenergy;
Transportation fuels and their formulation;
Engines, combustion, and flames; Molecular
modeling; Air emissions and their control
during fossil fuel combustion; Multiphase
hydrodynamics and heat transport; Coal to
liquids and coal bed methane; Characterization of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels;
Classification, size, and shape characterization; Power generation systems, fuel cells,
and batteries; Energy policy and economics.
— an ability to design a system, component,
or process to meet desired needs
ACCREDITATION BOARD FOR
Fourth Semester
E E 211
MATH 231
CMPSC 201 or 202
PHIL 103
(A/H/S Elective 5)
A/H/S Elective 6
HPA
Semester Total
CR
3
2
3
3
3
1.5
15.5
CR
1
3
6
3
3
16
Sixth Semester
*EGEE 304
*EGEE 430
F SC 431
*EGEE 411
*EGEE 438
Semester Total
CR
3
3
3
3
3
15
CR
3
3
3
3
Eighth Semester
*EGEE 494A
EGEE 437
*EGEE 464W
EGEE Elective
Tech. Elective 2
Prof. Elective 2
Semester Total
CR
2
3
3
3
3
3
17
3
3
18
Writing Across the Curriculum
(Included in Requirements for the Major)
Requirements for the Major: 101 credits
This includes 30 credits in General
Education courses: 3 credits in GH courses;
9 credits in GN courses; 6 credits in GQ
courses; 3 credits in GS courses; 9 credits of
GWS courses.)
For the bachelor of science (B.S.) in Energy
Engineering, a minimum of 131 credits is
required.
YEAR 1
First Semester
CHEM 110 or 106
CHEM 111
MATH 140
EM SC 100S
or CAS 100
ECON 102 or 14
or ENNEC 100
(A/H/S Elective 1)
HPA
Semester Total
U.S. and International Cultures
(Included in General Education course
selection)
*Required minimum grade of C (2.0)
A/H/S: Arts + Humanities + Social Sciences (GA, GH, GS)
Prof. Elective: Professional Elective
Tech. Elective: Technical Elective (students may also apply up to 6 credits
of ROTC)
General Education: 45 credits
(30 of these credits are included in the
Requirements for the Major)
First-Year Seminar
(Included in Requirements for the Major)
— an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
— an ability to identify, formulate, and
solve engineering problems
— an understanding of professional and
ethical responsibility
— an ability to communicate effectively
— the broad education necessary to
understand the impact of engineering
solutions in a global and societal context
— a recognition of the need for, and an
ability to engage in life-long learning
— knowledge of contemporary issues
— an ability to use techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice
SCHOLARSHIPS
A number of scholarship opportunities are
available for Energy Engineering students,
particularly at the department and college
levels. Awards are made, in part, on the basis
of academic achievement and, for certain
scholarships, on the basis of financial need.
INTERNSHIPS
Students are encouraged to pursue summer
internships, which serve as an excellent
opportunity to enhance their professional
development. The Energy Engineering
program participates in Penn State’s
Cooperative Education Program and the
Learning Factory. Students can also apply to
be a part of the Department of Energy
Technical Careers Internship Program
(http://www.energy.psu.edu/osd/doeintern).
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCREDITATION
The Energy Engineering Program will seek
accreditation as a General Engineering
Program by the Engineering Accreditation
Commission of ABET in the near future. It is
not currently accredited.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CONTACT
Dr. Sarma Pisupati
Energy Engineering Program Officer
John and Willie Leone Family
Department of Energy and Mineral
Engineering
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
The Pennsylvania State University
126B Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802-5000
Phone: 814-865-0874
Fax: 814-865-3248
E-mail: spisupati@psu.edu
www.eme.psu.edu/energyeng/
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Produced by the Penn State Department of University Publications
U.Ed. EMS 08-81
January 2011