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OU to Offer Interdisciplinary Sustainable Energy Systems Certificate Program

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Students walking on the OU Scholars Walk, with trees, buildings, and a blue sky in the background.

OU to Offer Interdisciplinary Sustainable Energy Systems Certificate Program

March 25, 2024

NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma is offering a new certificate program beginning in the fall 2024. The Sustainable Energy Systems Certificate program will provide OU students of all majors the opportunity for an interdisciplinary energy education.

The program will have a six-hour core in technical areas including energy fundamentals, the carbon cycle, climate change and environmental sustainability. The curriculum offers students the chance to learn about the technical and societal dimensions of energy systems.

Students will also take nine hours of elective courses ranging from carbon management to strategic communications to business. These courses make it possible for students to tailor the certificate program to their interests and area of study.

“The overall goal of the SES certificate is to provide an interdisciplinary education to address complex and pressing challenges in a dynamic energy landscape,” said John Antonio, interim dean of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy.  

The program was developed by a task force of over 30 scholars from across the university. Over a year in the making, the program was approved by the Board of Regents during their March meeting. Two new courses, SES 2113 Fundamentals of Earth Systems Energy and Sustainability and SES 2123 Energy in Society: A Systems Perspective on Energy Transitions, have been approved for this program as part of the core coursework.

The impetus for the development of the program stemmed from a university-wide awareness of the need to pursue advances toward sustainable energy. “The sustainable energy domain is complex and dynamic,” said Antonio. “Our external industry and government partners have confirmed the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in developing practical sustainable energy solutions.”

Students can enroll in the certificate program for the Fall 2024 semester. More information about the program can be found at ou.edu/mcee/ses.

About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information about the university, visit ou.edu.


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