Energy Resource Science Program Information

Energy and environment are integral to global communities and to society.  The need for exploiting all forms of energy resources (fossil fuels, renewables, and alternatives) to meet growing energy demands while protecting the environment has become more urgent in recent years.

Society faces many difficult decisions regarding production and consumption of energy, and the consequent impacts on the global environment.  Pressing questions include:  To what extent should we exploit natural resources for energy production?  Do we have sufficient energy resources to meet skyrocketing global demands for energy in the future?  What must we do to develop sustainable energy programs and policies in light of the increasingly complex interactions of economic needs and environmental imperatives?  The School of Energy Resources (SER) is facilitating development of interdisciplinary academic programs on campus to address these and other critical energy-related issues.

SER is collaborating with the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, Agriculture, Business, Education, and Law, as well as the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, to offer an interdisciplinary B.S. degree program in  Energy Resource Science (ERS).  The goal of the ERS degree is to offer a diverse curriculum that combines engineering, science, business, law, and natural resources content to build a fundamental understanding of interaction and tradeoffs between energy, environment, policy, and the economy.

Why an interdisciplinary Energy Resource Science major?

• Energy is a global priority that has strong interactions with climate, water, and the economy
• We face severe workforce shortages in energy-related fields
• The program provides a rigorous education in the fundamentals of energy, climate, water, economics, and policy

What are we preparing students for?

• Critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving skills through multidisciplinary course content
• Team- and network-building concepts
• Cross-cutting exposure to basic energy resources issues
• Future employment in energy and related fields
• Graduate studies in energy disciplines

Read more information about the curriculum, electives, and potential employment opportunities.

Last Updated on 9/15/2009 1:51:27 PM