Energy Concentrations (Undergraduates)

There are various ways students can get involved in energy education. For undergraduates, select departments within the William States Lee College of Engineering collaborated with EPIC to develop energy concentrations. At the graduate level, energy concentrations exist within the College of Engineering as well as the Belk College of Business. These concentrations develop highly sought-after energy professionals who are more marketable and adaptable to the changing marketplace for engineers.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

B.S.C.E. students may apply for the Concentration in Energy Infrastructure after successfully completing their third semester within the B.S.C.E. curriculum with a GPA of at least 2.5. Concentration students must complete the following core courses:

  • CEGR 4122 Power Plant Design
  • CEGR 4246 Energy and the Environment
  • ECGR 2161 Basic Electrical Engineering I
  • MEGR 3111 Thermodynamics

Additionally, students must complete at least one course from the following electives:

  • CEGR 4090 Air Pollution
  • CEGR 4108 Finite Element Analysis and Applications
  • CEGR 4121 Prestressed Concrete Design
  • CEGR 4146 Advanced Engineering Hydraulics
  • CEGR 4162 Transportation Planning
  • CEGR 4182 Transportation Environmental Assessment
  • CEGR 4222 Structural Steel Design II
  • CEGR 4226 Reinforced Concrete Design II
  • CEGR 4247 Sustainable Design

For more information contact Dr. Milind Khire at mkhire@charlotte.edu or visit Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Electrical Engineering

B.S.E.E. students may apply to the Power and Energy Concentration after successfully completing their sophomore year with a GPA of at least 3.0. Additionally, during the senior year, Power and Energy Systems Concentration students must complete an intensive, two-semester energy-related senior design project. Application for the concentration takes place during the semester that the student is enrolled in ECGR 3142 Electromagnetic Devices.

To be admitted to the program, students must have completed:

  • PHYS 2102 Physics II
  • MATH 1241 Calculus I
  • MATH 1242 Calculus II
  • MATH 2241 Calculus III
  • MATH 2164 Matrices and Linear Algebra
  • ECGR 2112 Network Theory II

Students must enroll in the following prerequisite courses:

  • ECGR 3142 Electromagnetic Devices
  • ECGR 3112 Systems Analysis II

Application for the concentration takes place during the semester that the student is enrolled in ECGR 3142, Electromagnetic Devices. ​

Students must enroll in the following Power and Energy courses in order to earn the concentration:

  • ECGR 4141 Power Systems Analysis I

Concentration Technical Elective Courses (6 hours) – Select two of the following:

  • ECGR 4104 Computational Methods in Power Systems
  • ECGR 4113 Modeling and Analysis of Dynamic Systems
  • ECGR 4123 Analog and Digital Communication
  • ECGR 4142 Power System Analysis II
  • ECGR 4143 Electrical Machinery
  • ECGR 4144 Power Electronics I
  • ECGR 4151 Solar Cell Fundamentals and Technology
  • ECGR 4171 Introduction to Energy Systems
  • ECGR 4172 Energy Markets
  • ECGR 4190 Power Generation Operation and Control
  • ECGR 4191 Dynamic and Transient Analysis of Power System

For more information contact Dr. Robert Cox at robert.cox@charlotte.edu.

Mechanical Engineering

B.S.M.E. students may apply to the Energy Engineering Concentration after successfully completing their third semester within the B.S.M.E. curriculum with a GPA of at least 3.0. Application for the concentration takes place before they can enroll in MEGR 2499: Introduction to Energy Engineering. For the concentration, students take MEGR 2499, as well as focus their four technical electives and senior design project in the area of energy.

Students must take four approved energy technical electives, from the following:

  • MEGR 3210 Automotive Power Plants
  • MEGR 3214 Refrigeration and A/C
  • MEGR 3225 Introduction to Finite Element Analysis
  • MEGR 3237 Introduction to Control Systems
  • MEGR 3282 Statistical Process Control and Metrology
  • MEGR 3451 Stationary Power Plant Systems
  • MEGR 3452 Introduction to Nuclear Engineering
  • MEGR 3260 Clean coal technology
  • MEGR 3261 Sustainable Energy Production
  • MEGR 3262 Turbomachinery
  • PHYS 4110 Nuclear Physics

During the senior year, energy engineering students enroll in MEGR 3455/3456 Energy Senior Design I/II and complete an intensive, two-semester energy-related engineering project. These clinic courses are equivalent to Senior Design I/II in the BSME plan of study.

For more information contact Dr. Kevin Lawton at kmlawton@charlotte.edu, or visit Mechanical Engineering. To apply to add the concentration visit mees.charlotte.edu/current-students/advising-and-program-resources/applying-mees-concentration.

Systems Engineering

B.S.S.E. students may apply to the Energy Systems Concentration at the end of their sophomore year and then take energy systems-related courses in their junior and senior years.

Energy Systems Concentration students take the following four courses:

  • SEGR 4961 Introduction to Energy Systems
  • SEGR 4962 Energy Markets
  • SEGR 4963 Energy Systems Planning
  • SEGR 4964 Case Studies in the Energy Industry

In addition to the above concentration courses, students can take energy-related electives from other departments per approval by their advisor. To apply, please submit a Change of Major/Concentration form.

For more information contact Alexis Jennings, Academic Advisor, at ajenni25@charlotte.edu or visit Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Engineering Technology

B.S.E.T. students who wish to declare the Energy Concentration will need to fill out a change of major form (that includes a place to add a concentration) with their academic advisor.

Mechanical Engineering Technology, Applied Energy Concentration

Select four of the following (12 credit hours):

  • ELET 3141 – Power Systems and Machines (3)
  • ENER 4000 – Special Topics (1 to 4)
  • ENER 4140 – Energy Management (3)
  • ENER 4250 – Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems (3)
  • ENER 4275 – Air Conditioning Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4961 – Introduction to Energy Systems (3) (with approval)
  • SEGR 4962 – Energy Markets (3) (with approval)

Civil Engineering Technology, Applied Energy and Sustainable Systems Concentration

In addition to required courses ETCE 2410 and ETCE 3242, select two of the following:

  • ENER 4140 – Energy Management (3)
  • ENER 4250 – Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems (3)
  • ENER 4275 – Air Conditioning Systems (3)
  • ETCE 3271 – Building Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4961 – Introduction to Energy Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4962 – Energy Markets (3)

Construction Management, Applied Energy and Sustainable Systems Concentration

In addition to required courses ETCE 2410 and ETCE 3242 or ETCE 3271, select three of the following:

  • ENER 4140 – Energy Management (3)
  • ENER 4250 – Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems (3)
  • ENER 4275 – Air Conditioning Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4961 – Introduction to Energy Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4962 – Energy Markets (3)

Electrical Engineering Technology, Applied Energy Concentration

In addition to required courses ELET 3141 and ELET 4142, select two of the following:

  • ELET 4243 – Power Networks (3)
  • ENER 4140 – Energy Management (3)
  • ENER 4250 – Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems (3)
  • ENER 4260 – Hydrogen Production and Storage (3)
  • ENER 4280 – Fuel Cell Technology (3)
  • ETCE 3271 – Building Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4961 – Introduction to Energy Systems (3)
  • SEGR 4962 – Energy Markets (3)
  • Other courses as approved