About the Global Climate, Energy and Environment Certificate Program
The certificate program in Global Climate, Energy and Environment provides participants with the scientific tools to analyze climate patterns based on data and knowledge, independent of prevailing biases. Tailored for practicing engineers in the energy, environment and government sectors, courses are offered both online and face-to-face, primarily in the evenings. Classes are taught by award-winning UH Engineering faculty and world-renowned industry experts in the Houston area.
Why the University of Houston?
The University of Houston, located in the Energy Capital of the World, is home to comprehensive programs tailored to develop engineers and analysts in energy-related technical areas. However, emerging environmental issues require a new type of curriculum that provides students with the knowledge and analytical capabilities to provide solutions to environmental challenges while meeting the ever-growing energy needs of society. The UH Cullen College of Engineering produces informed individuals prepared to take positions that meet the needs of energy, environment and society. Participants in the Global Climate, Energy and Environment certificate program will be able to formulate designs and implementation strategies to address the challenges associated with this topic.
Courses and Curriculum
The certificate in Global Climate, Energy and Environment program will require students to take the three courses listed below. Each course is a 3-credit hour course. Completion of the certificate will require successful completion of the three courses for a total of 9 credit hours. The courses are independent and can be taken in any order.
GCEE 6310 Global Climate: Energy, Environment, and Economy
This course is designed to provide comprehensive information about the status of the environment in the context of climate patterns. The objective is to provide detailed information on the subject using scientific methods of analysis. The topics covered in this course include:
- Historical background
- Earth's atmosphere and its interaction with energy
- Global climate science
- Issues in climate patterns - Environmental Perspective
- Issues in climate patterns - Energy Perspective
- Issues in climate patterns - Economic Perspective
- Natural Cycles
- Greenhouse gases
- Balancing the needs of energy and environment
- Current technologies and their influence on environment
- Solutions and need for development
- Globalization and cooperation between nations
GCEE6320 Global Climate: Physical Models
This course is designed to provide scientific analysis of global climate patterns using mathematical and statistical models. The course will provide analysis of different data sources available in public and private domains. Students will develop different scenarios and analyze projections for climate using different models.
Major topics include:
- Long-term climate patterns
- Near-term climate patterns
- Evaluation of climate models
- Carbon and other cycles
GCEE6330 Global Climate: Economic Models
This course is designed to provide an analysis of climate patterns based on economic conditions in the world. Student groups will be assigned to assess the development patterns and availability of new technologies. Students will examine different scenarios and evaluate the feasibility of each scenario based on economic conditions.
Major topics include:
- Atmosphere, surface, ocean, cryosphere
- Climate phenomena and regional patterns
- Economics of prevention versus non-prevention
In the Fall 2017, these courses will be offered under Special Topics CIVE 7397.
Additional Information
For degree objectives and application information, click here.
For admission requirements, advising, and other information specific to the environmental engineering program, click here.
Application forms and other information related to admission can be obtained by e-mailing environmental [at] egr.uh.edu
To receive additional information regarding this program contact the Program Advisors:
environmental [at] egr.uh.edu
713-743-4254
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Engineering Building 1, Room N107
4226 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-4003
Phone: 713-743-4250
Fax: 713-743-4260