Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering

Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering

How to Apply for the Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering gives you a broad, multi-disciplinary introduction to international development and prepares you to work in global development, sustainability, humanitarian engineering and in low-resource settings regardless of your background.Ìý

Any student pursuing a relevant graduate degree at CU Â鶹ӰԺ may apply for enrollment in the Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering.Ìý

The program includes a hands-on, in-person Practicum where you will be placed with one of our 80+ partner programs to further your knowledge and experience and to contribute to their mission.Ìý

  • Complete thisÌýCertificate Enrollment FormÌýsigned by yourÌýacademic advisor prior to being able to register for Mortenson Center courses.
  • Earn the certificate by satisfactorily completing 12 credit-hours approved by the Mortenson Center, with a grade of B- or higher in each course or module.
  • Synthesize what you learn in aÌýfield-based Practicum. Most placements are international.Ìý

Certificate Overview

Overview Course Examples Global Practicum Who's It For? Tuition & Funding
Overview

On-Campus Graduate Certificate Overview:

  • Open to all CU Â鶹ӰԺ engineering graduate students
  • 12 credit hours (these fulfill the option area credits in Mechanical Engineering)
  • Includes a hands-on, field-based global practicum with one of our 80+ partners spanning government and non-government agencies, charities and the commercial sector

You will get:

  • A way to enhance your current engineering degree, deepen your knowledge in your area of interest, and stand-out to future employers.
  • Access to CU faculty with real-world experience in the areas of study, advising support and career services.
  • Connection to 80+ international NGOs, Government Organizations and Agencies via our extensive Practicum Partner Network.Ìý
  • Skills employers are hiring for now.


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Course Examples

CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers (required) Understand the legacy of colonization, become familiar with the stakeholders that shape the global development agenda, explore development sectors, increase awareness of global development problems and improve critical thinking in order to produce policy memos, technical briefs and present evidence-based analysis.
CVEN 5939: Global Engineering & Hazard Resilience Practicum (required) A true understanding of global engineering requires students to engage in a significant field-based experience in low- or middle-income context.
Option Areas: One-credit modules in Humanitarian Aid, Disaster Risk Reduction, Global Health, Study Design and Impact Evaluation, Data Analytics for Development and much more!

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Global Practicum

The Global Practicum is an important component of our program and provides students with an opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in Mortenson CenterÌýcoursework and other learning experiences, and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice in engineering and international development.Ìý The practicum is designed to help students:

  • Understand the meaning and importance of global engineering practice
  • Understand the purpose of field methods including community-based needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation, and household surveys
  • Understand and observe common elements among planning models and be able to develop a plan for an engineering intervention addressing a global issue, e.g. water supply, housing, energy
  • Understand major implementation issues, common barriers to implementation, and strategies for minimizing barriers to implementation
  • Identify and observe strategies for scaling up and sustaining engineering solutions
  • Apply planning, monitoring and evaluation skills to real-world problem solving; and
  • Enhance practice skills of leadership, effective teamwork, and the mastery of competencies in global engineering

You will:

  • Receive funding support to travel for your Practicum
  • Be placed with an agency or organization, that is doing work you are interested in, utilizing our network of over 80+ partnerships
  • Work within an agency or organization, typically for three months over the summer
  • Build your skills with real-world experience
  • Build your network and job opportunities

Who's It For?

It is for all on-campus engineering students who want to:

  • Engage in meaningful work that makes a difference in the world
  • Solve some of the world's most pressing challenges
  • Expand their skill set and competencies
  • Become more marketable to employers
  • Work globally or in low-resource settings.Ìý

Tuition

  • Meet with our advisor to find out how this Certificate can work into your existing course load.Ìý
  • Mechanical Engineering students can take the certificate for their 12 option area credits.Ìý

Funding Opportunities

  • Fellowships

  • Practicum travel support

  • Assistantships

Apply NowÌýÌý

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Certificate Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Two Required Courses (6 credits):

Certificate students startÌýwith Global Development for Engineers, which introducesÌý the complexities of the international development industry, providing a survey approach to understanding major historical outcomes, theories, institutions, policies, alternatives and critiques.

CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers (Fall only - open to all engineering graduate students on a space available basis. 3 credits)

The Global DevelopmentÌýand Hazard Resilience Field Practicum provides students with a field-based opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in Mortenson CenterÌýcourses and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates professional practice in global engineering.ÌýStudents typically fulfill theÌýField Practicum requirement the summer after the first academic year in the program.Ìý

CVEN 5939: Global Development and Hazard Resilience Practicum (3 credits)

Modules (6 credits):

The remaining six credit hours are toÌýbe completed as approved courses or one-credit modules offered by the Mortenson Center or Affiliate Faculty (listed below). The Mortenson CenterÌýoffers courses as sequences of 5-week modules, with each module worth one credit-hour.Ìý

Completion:

Upon completion of all twelve credits, students must request the certificate be added to their transcriptÌýby contacting Mortenson Center Program Coordinator Sarah GoodroadÌýat sarah.goodroad@colorado.edu. Mortenson Center staff will check to ensure that the requirements have been met and will then notify the Registrar's office so that the designation is added to the student's transcript.

Module & Course Options

ÌýÌýThe Mortenson Center is a unique meeting of academia and practice, where students are given a broad, multi-disciplinary introduction to international development.Ìý

The Center recognizes the importance of giving engineers a broad knowledge base, including economics, policy, and of course engineering and we are fortunate to have faculty and staff who can teach about the complexity of these issues:Ìý

Students leave the program understanding that there's more to being a Global Engineer than good intentions and a technical skill set. The problems the species faces will require systems-level thinkers, and that's what the Mortenson Center works to enable.ÌýÌýÌý - T.ÌýSharpe, PhD, EnvEng'23