This is a named option within the Engineering MEng.
The named option Sustainable Systems Engineering is an online master's degree designed to prepare students to understand and apply principles of engineering, science, policy, and economics to current and future environmental sustainability issues. Through objective, reliable, and cost-effective engineering methods, students will create sustainable solutions for society's energy and resource challenges.
In this program, you will:
- Apply sustainability principles to engineering practices and renewable/sustainable energy system design;
- Gain expertise and knowledge of the environmental, social and economic aspects, and design interplays of sustainability frameworks and renewable energy systems;
- Position yourself to create and lead sustainability and renewable/sustainable energy project initiatives through your organization and for your clients.
The program is tailored for working engineers, offering:
- Knowledge and skills that can immediately be applied to work situations;
- Project-based learning with experienced professionals;
- Award-winning distance-learning design.
More information about this graduate degree can be found here.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | July 1 |
| Spring Deadline | November 1 |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required but may be considered if available. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
The degree may be earned by engineers who have:
- A BS degree in engineering from an ABET-approved program
- A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master's degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
Applications are accepted and reviewed after the deadline dates on a rolling admission basis for fall and spring terms.
Applicants are recommended to submit GRE scores if they have already taken the exam.
Interested applicants with BS degrees in related fields should contact the graduate programs coordinator for more specific admission information at gradadmissions@interpro.wisc.edu. Prior coursework should include significant science and math courses. For more details, see the program website.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Information
Students enrolled in this program are not eligible to receive tuition remission from graduate assistantship appointments at this institution.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | Yes | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Must retake any courses for which a grade below C is recorded. |
| Assessments and Examinations | No formal examination required. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Capstone Course | 3 | |
| Sustainable Systems Engineering Capstone | ||
| Science and Sustainability Courses (Minimum 9 credits from these courses) | 9 | |
| Renewable Energy Systems | ||
| Energy Principles of Environmental Engineering | ||
| Environmental Sustainability Tools | ||
| Plastics Recycling and Sustainability | ||
| Core Competencies of Sustainability | ||
| Energy Resources | ||
| Engineering and Design Courses (Minimum 9 credits from these courses) | 9 | |
| Wind Energy Balance-of-Plant Design | ||
| Electromechanical Energy Conversion | ||
| Special Topics in Engineering Professional Development (Distributed Renewable Systems Design; Sustainable Microgrids) | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Sustainable Facilities | ||
| Energy Efficiency in Buildings | ||
| Elective Courses (9 credits from the courses below or the two lists above) | 9 | |
| Special Topics in Environmental Engineering | ||
| Sustainable Energy Challenges and Solutions | ||
| Engineering Economics and Management | ||
| Fundamentals of Technical Project Management | ||
| Project Management Essentials | ||
| Leading and Managing Technical Teams | ||
| Leading Teams | ||
| Technical Project Management | ||
| Writing for Professionals | ||
| Professional Presentations | ||
| Organizational Communication and Problem Solving | ||
| Change Management | ||
| Creating Breakthrough Innovations | ||
| Ethics for Professionals | ||
| Financial and Business Acumen | ||
| Marketing for Non-Marketing Professionals | ||
| Effective Negotiation Strategies | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Students in this program may not take courses outside the prescribed curriculum without faculty advisor and program director approval. Students in this program cannot enroll concurrently in other undergraduate or graduate degree programs.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
- Good standing (progressing according to standards; any funding guarantee remains in place).
- Probation (not progressing according to standards but permitted to enroll; loss of funding guarantee; specific plan with dates and deadlines in place in regard to removal of probationary status).
- Unsatisfactory progress (not progressing according to standards; not permitted to enroll, dismissal, leave of absence or change of advisor or program).
Advisor / Committee
Refer to the Graduate School: Advisor policy.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Grievance Procedures
Students who feel that they have been treated unfairly have the right to a prompt hearing of their grievance. Such complaints may involve course grades, classroom treatment, advising, various forms of harassment, or other issues. Any student or potential student may use these procedures.
Procedures for proper accounting of student grievances:
- The student should speak first with the person toward whom the grievance is directed. In most cases, grievances can be resolved at this level.
- If that does not resolve the grievance, the student should contact the program's director.
- Should a satisfactory resolution not be achieved, the student should contact one of the Interpro's Grievance Advisors to discuss the practice. The Interpro Grievance Advisors are:
Susan Ottman
Graduate Program Director
608-262-3516
sottmann@wisc.edu
Ed Borbely
Associate Dean
608-263-0982
borbely@wisc.edu
If the student perfers to talk with someone outside of Interpro, contact:
David Noyce
Executive Associate Dean
College of Engineering
danoyce@wisc.edu
608-265-1882
The Grievance Advisor is responsible for facilitating any complaints or issues of students. The Grievance Advisor first attempts to help students informally address the grievance prior to any formal complaint. Students are also encouraged to talk with their advisors regarding concerns or difficulties if necessary.
University resources for sexual harassment concerns can be found on the UW Office of Equity and Diversity website and are included in the next section.
4. If the issue is not resolved to the student's satisfaction, the student can submit the grievance to the Grievance Advisor in writing, within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
5. On receipt of a written complaint, a committee will be convened by the Grievance Advisor to manage the grievance. The program committee will obtain a written response from the person toward whom the complaint is directed. This response will be shared with the person filing the grievance.
6. The committee will determine a decision regarding the grievance. The Grievance Advisor will report on the action taken by the committee in writing to both the student and the party toward whom the complaint was directed within 15 working days from the date the complaint was received.
7. At this point, if either party (the student or the person toward whom the grievance is directed) is unsatisfied with the decision of the committee, the party may file a written appeal. Either party has 10 working days to file a written appeal to the College of Engineering.
8. Documentation of the grievance will be stored for at least seven years. Significant grievances that set a precedent will be stored indefinitely. The Graduate School has established policies governing student conduct, academic dishonesty, and sexual and racial harassment. The Graduate School also has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision made at the College of Engineering level.
The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision made at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School's Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/
Other
Students are strongly discouraged to pursue positions as Project Assistants, Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants during their time in this program. Students in this program will not receive the tuition remission that is typically part of the compensation package for a graduate assistantship.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.