Are You Ready?
The RESS program is designed to prepare students to lead the transformation of the world economy toward a more renewable, sustainable basis by developing successful projects in renewable energy and sustainability. This section of our website will help you to examine your background and decide what (if anything) you need to “brush up” on in order to succeed.
There are many topics and skills that you will master as a RESS student. In general, you need strong communication and analytical skills, as well as either formal training or experience in the energy and sustainability sectors. This could come in the form of an engineering degree, work experience in the energy sector, or long-standing involvement in renewable energy as a personal interest and area of study. Since the courses are delivered online, you definitely need to be comfortable using a computer, including a web browser, a word processor, and a spreadsheet.
The specific skills needed to succeed as a RESS student do vary a bit, depending on the track you decide to pursue.
Renewable Energy Track / Solar Energy Certificate
The MPS-RESS Renewable Energy track is a technical program in project design and development that requires strong math and science skills to integrate interdisciplinary information. Several disciplines converge in the renewable energy project development, including:
- energy science and resource
- geographic information science
- meteorology
- physics, chemistry, and materials
- mechanical and electrical engineering
- architecture and architectural engineering
- economics and finance
- policy and social science
We expect that students would have a background in some of those areas, but not all. Strong math and science skills are needed to learn across disciplines.
Good starting credentials:
- A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in any of the above fields;
- Professional experience in energy sectors (following an alternate bachelor’s degree); or
- 3-5 years of prior experience working in the field of renewable energy project development or installation, having learned practical skills in the line of work.
Core technical skills in:
- Applied math background
- To incorporate the fundamentals of solar energy into applied project design, students will need strong math skills, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus.
- Proficiency with data processing and plotting software (Excel) is highly required; familiarity with computer scripting and basic programming skills is also a plus.
- Applied understanding of electricity, including current/voltage relationships, energy and power, understanding of AC and DC power, circuits, and supporting technologies.
- Applied understanding of heat transfer and storage, including thermal transfer by conduction and convection, heat capacity, and an understanding of specific and latent heat in materials.
- Fundamentals of chemistry and physics, structure and property of materials, principles of electrochemistry.
A candidate student will also have a strong desire to become a leader in the field, contributing to renewable project design, deployment, and policy development. The resulting integrated skills of a master’s-level graduate will include resource assessment for specific locales; technical competency; stakeholder analysis; economic, market, and policy knowledge; and effective communication—both verbal and written.
Sustainability Management and Policy Track / SMP Certificate
The Sustainability Management and Policy (SMP) Option focuses on building analytical skills grounded in case-based investigations into sustainability theory, systems analysis, environmental assessments, technical evaluations, public policy, and energy markets. Students entering the SMP Option will most likely have education and/or applied experience in one of the related areas, such as project management, supply chain management, energy engineering, energy policy, environmental regulation, regional planning, or decision-making in complex systems. In courses within the option, students will encounter the need for sharp skills in critical thinking, statistical analysis, technical selection, energy science, systems thinking, political-economic analysis, and policy-making processes.
Good starting credentials:
- A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree related to one of the above fields,
- 3–5 years of professional experience applying a related field of knowledge (following an alternate bachelor’s degree), or
- 3–5 years of prior experience working in a field such as energy management, supply chain management, environmental regulation, or a related technical field, while having learned several applied and practical skills in the line of work.
Core skills in:
- Aptitude for complex systems management
- Energy and sustainability systems require a multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach to management.
- Familiarity with working with statistical models and datasets
- Sustainability systems generate extensive numbers of models and large amounts of data that need to be interpreted, communicated, understood, and acted upon.
- Ability to comprehend economic arguments and technical policies
- Renewable energy and sustainability systems are shaped significantly by regulation and finance and are guided by long-term development goals, all of which require significant technical planning alongside social policies.
- A mathematical, technical, and scientific background is sufficient to serve your goals
- A strong background in energy, physics, statistics, and/or management theory will all help to improve what you will be able to get out of the SMP Option.
The SMP Track is designed to enhance career opportunities in sustainability management, as much for students with strong technical backgrounds in energy engineering as for those with proven experience in management. The SMP option is intended to produce students who, as employees or advisors, can work from their strengths to enhance the sustainability portfolios of companies, firms, and governmental enterprises.