Graduate Study
Sustainable Engineering
Program Overview
Rochester Institute of Technology has launched a new graduate program in sustainable engineering becoming the first university in the nation to offer a masters level program in the discipline!
Sustainable engineering refers to the integration of social, environmental, and economic considerations into product, process and energy systems design methods.
Additionally, sustainable engineering encourages the consideration of the complete product and process lifecycle during the design effort. The intent is to minimize the total of the environmental impacts across the entire lifecycle while simultaneously maximizing the benefits to social and economic stakeholders.
The multidisciplinary program features a Master of Science and a Master of Engineering and, building on RITs work in sustainability research and education, offers students the flexibility to develop tracks in areas such as renewable energy systems, systems modeling and analysis, product design, and engineering policy and management.
The programs are offered on-campus, and both full-time or part-time study options are available.
Technical in nature, the programs will equip engineers with the tools they need to meet the challenges associated with delivering goods, energy and services through sustainable means.
In addition to basic course work in engineering and classes in public policy and environmental management, students in the sustainable engineering programs will be required to complete a capstone project or thesis directly related to sustainable design challenges impacting society. Many of these projects will be incorporated into sustainable research by RIT faculty in the areas of fuel-cell development, life-cycle engineering and sustainable process implementation.
Curriculum Review
Students must successfully complete a total of 45 credit hours through coursework, participate in three quarters of the seminar series and complete a thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Sustainability Engineering. This research oriented program is designed to be completed in two years. Courses include:
Core (20 credit hours):
Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering
Life Cycle Assessment and Costing
Design for the Environment
Product and Process Design and Development
Engineering Electives (8 credit hours)
Two graduate courses from Kate Gleason College of Engineering in an area of interest. Examples: Energy, Modeling Manufacturing and Materials; Transportation and Logistics; Product Design and Development.
Contextual Electives (8 credit hours)
Choose one from each group:
Social Context Group
Energy Policy
Technical Innovation and Public Policy
Managing for Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Technology Group
Resource Reduction
Product Stewardship
Industrial Waste Water Management
Air Emissions
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Sustainable Engineering Seminars
Three quarters of graduate seminars in Sustainable Engineering
Thesis (9 credit hours)
Admission Requirements
Fulfill general criteria for graduate admission;
Successful completion of a baccalaureate degree in engineering, mathematics, science, or technology at a regionally accredited college or university. For students with a bachelors degree in an area other then engineering, some bridge coursework in the basic engineering sciences may be necessary prior to full admission. If necessary, a bridgework plan will be based on a detailed transcript review process;
A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 in undergraduate work;
Submission of scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE);
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination to demonstrate strong English language skills. A score of at least 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (internet-based) is required.