The following is a partial listing of course offerings at CU-Boulder that relate to renewable and sustainable energy. Please note that this list does not contain information on the semesters or years in which these courses are offered. That information can be found through CU Boulder Class Search. We update this list continuously, and invite students and faculty to submit additional courses for inclusion in the list.
- AREN 3010 Energy Efficient Buildings
- AREN 3130 Building Energy Laboratory
- AREN 4890 Sustainable Building Design
- ATOC 3050 Principles of Weather
- AREN 5001 Building Energy Systems: Thermal, Electrical & Lighting Systems
- AREN 5020 Building Energy Audits
- AREN 5890 Sustainable Building Design
- ATOC 4770/5770 Wind Energy Meteorology
- CHEM 5061 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry 2
- BADM 6930 Commercializing Sustainable Energy Technologies
- CHEN 3660 Energy Fundamentals
- COEN 3210 Climate Change and Engineering
- ECEN 1500 Sustainable Energy
- ECEN 2410 Renewable Sources and Efficient Electrical Energy Systems
- CVEN 5830 Sustainable Building Design
- CVEN 5830 Distributed Energy Systems
- ECEN 2410 Renewable Sources and Efficient Electrical Energy Systems
- ECEN 3170 Electromagnetic Energy Conversion
- ECEN 2060 Renewable Energy Systems
- ECEN 4005 Special Topics: Organic Electronics
- ECEN 4517/5517 Power Electronics and Photovoltaic Power Systems Laboratory
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Data Analytics for Power System
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Optimization for Energy Systems
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Power Systems Analysis
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Power Electronic/Elec Drive Vehicles
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Power Systems Planning & Ops
- ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Renewable Energy Future of Power
- EDUC 1580 Energy and Interactions
- EMEN 4200 Engineering and Entrepreneurship for the Developing World Section
- ENEN 4600 Interdisciplinary Energy Engineering Projects
- ENEN 4840 Special Topics: Wind Energy Systems
- ENST 4150 Energy Policy Project
- ENVM 5005 The Business of Sustainable Energy
- ENVM 5006 Energy Policy in the 21st Century
- ENVM 5007 Energy Systems and Technologie
- ENVM 6100 Special Topics for Master of the Environment Program:
- ENVS 1150 First-Year Writing in Energy, Environment and Sustainability
- ENVS 3070 Energy and the Environment
- ENVS 3621 Energy Policy and Society
- ENVS 5820 Energy Policy in the 21st Century
- ENVS 6301 Environmental and Energy Economics
- GEOL 1150 Water, Energy and Environment: An Introduction to Earth Resources
- LAWS 6722 Energy Law and Regulation
- LAWS 6732 Renewable Energy Project Finance and Development
- MCEN 1024 Chemistry for Energy and Materials Science
- MCEN 4032 Sustainable Energy
- MCEN 4194/5194 Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage
- MCEN 5032 Sustainable Energy
- PHYS 1580 Energy and Interactions
- PHYS 3070 Energy and the Environment
- SOCY 6007 Foundations of Environmental Sociology
AREN 3010 Energy Efficient Buildings
Lecture course on the analysis and design of buildings and their systems to satisfy the requirements for a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Examines psychometrics, thermal comfort, building heating and cooling loads, fluid flow basics, and HVAC components and systems. Prerequisites vary. Restricted for College of Engineering
AREN 4010 Energy System Modeling and Control
Engineering course devoted to building automation and control systems. Topics include HVAC control technology and strategies, measurement and device technologies, analysis and modeling of dynamic systems, simulation of conventional and advanced control approaches, assessment of control loop performance and hands-on direct digital control (DDC) programming exercises as used in current building control practice. Prerequisite: Aren 4110.
AREN 4890 Sustainable Building Design
Introduces green building design procedure/approach and provides insight into evolving design principles; explores aspects of building thermal/energy performance, indoor/outdoor environmental quality, occupant comfort and climate relevant to building design (structures not covered); emphasizes both comprehensive understanding and practical applications of sustainable building design strategies; applies prevailing simulation tools to assist green building design. Prerequisite: Aren 3010. Restricted to students with 87-180 credits(senior) in the College of Engineering.
AREN 5001 Building Energy Systems: Thermal, Electrical & Lighting Systems
Prepares graduate students with general knowledge and skills that are required by advanced AREN technical courses. Covers three parts of materials: 1) building thermal systems, 2) building lighting systems, 3) building electrical systems. Requisites: Graduate students only.
ATOC 3500 Air Chemistry and Pollution
Engineering course devoted to building automation and control systems. Topics include HVAC control technology and strategies, measurement and device technologies, analysis and modeling of dynamic systems, simulation of conventional and advanced control approaches, assessment of control loop performance and hands-on direct digital control (DDC) programming exercises as used in current building control practice. Prerequisite: Aren 4140
AREN 5010 Energy System Modeling and Control
Engineering course devoted to building automation and control systems. Topics include HVAC control technology and strategies, measurement and device technologies, analysis and modeling of dynamic systems, simulation of conventional and advanced control approaches, assessment of control loop performance and hands-on direct digital control (DDC) programming exercises as used in current building control practice. Prerequisite: Aren 4140
AREN 5020 Building Energy Audits
Analyzes and measures performance of HVAC systems, envelopes, lighting and hot water systems, and modifications to reduce energy use. Emphasizes existing buildings. Restricted to graduate students only. Prerequisites: Aren 3010
AREN 5890 Sustainable Building Design
Introduces green building design procedure/approach and provides insight into evolving design principles; explores aspects of building thermal/energy performance, indoor/outdoor environmental quality, occupant comfort and climate relevant to building design (structures not covered); emphasizes both comprehensive understanding and practical applications of sustainable building design strategies; applies prevailing simulation tools to assist green building design. Prerequisite: Aren 3010. Restricted to graduate students only.
BADM 6930 Commercializing Sustainable Energy Technologies
Addresses the opportunities and problems of commercializing new renewable energy technologies. Focuses on energy markets, opportunity identification, life cycle analysis, policy economics, project financing and economic analysis as they relate to bringing renewable energy technologies to market. Prerequisites: Varies. Restricted to College of Engineering majors/
CHEN 3660 Energy Fundamentals
Explains the most important energy technologies and systems; provides tools to analyze performance using science and engineering principles. This course will investigate important energy concepts from sources and extraction to utilization, storage and efficiency. Topics include fossil fuels, hydropower, renewable energy, biofuels, carbon capture and waste disposal.Prerequisites: Varies. Restricted to College of Engineering majors
CHEM 4271/5271 Chemistry of Solar Energy
Chemical principles of conversion of solar energy into electricity and fuels in molecular and semiconductor-based systems. Overview of solid-state electronic structure of materials and interfaces, light-matter interactions, principles of harvesting photoexcited currents and useful chemical species. Description of processes utilized in established and emerging solar energy technologies.
ECEN 1500 Sustainable Energy
Explores how energy is generated and used in today's society. Through collaborative discussion and hands-on data collection, students will analyze the engineering challenges, fundamental limits, and potential solutions to meeting our energy needs sustainably. Students will learn to analyze numerical data, estimate orders of magnitude, and apply mathematical methods in their own lives and in the ongoing energy debate. Basic algebra required. College of Engineering excluded from course.
ECEN 2410 Renewable Sources and Efficient Electrical Energy Systems
Introduces electrical power generation and renewable energy, including solar, wind, micro, hydro, coal, nuclear and natural gas and some of the issues in integrating renewable energy sources in the grid.Prerequisite:PHYS 1120.Corequisite: ECEN 2250. Restricted to College of Engineering majors.
COEN 3210 Climate Change and Engineering
Explores the fundamentals of climate change science, but from an engineering perspective. After learning the fundamentals, the relationship between climate change and different engineering disciplines will be discussed. Topics covered include geoengineering, renewable energy, sustainable engineering, coastal engineering, building design, etc. Career options and entrepreneurial opportunities will also be discussed. Prerequisites: Phys 1110 and Appm 1350. Restricted to College of Engineering
ECEN 1500 Sustainable Energy
Explores how energy is generated and used in today's society. Through collaborative discussion and hands-on data collection, students will analyze the engineering challenges, fundamental limits, and potential solutions to meeting our energy needs sustainably. Students will learn to analyze numerical data, estimate orders of magnitude, and apply mathematical methods in their own lives and in the ongoing energy debate. Basic algebra required.College of Engineering students excluded
ECEN 2410 Renewable Sources and Efficient Electrical Energy Systems
Introduces electrical power generation and renewable energy, including solar, wind, micro, hydro, coal, nuclear and natural gas and some of the issues in integrating renewable energy sources in the grid. Requisites:Varies. Restricted to College of Engineering students.
ECEN 3170 Electromagnetic Energy Conversion
Real and reactive power in single phase circuits, power triangle, balanced three-phase circuits, wye and delta connections, introduction to electromagnetic machines, transformers (single and three-phase) and their equivalent circuits, AC-machinery fundamentals, synchronous generator from a magnetic field point of view, synchronous motors and condensers, three-phase induction motors, DC machinery fundamentals, DC motors, single phase motors. Matlab/Simulink will be used. Prerequisites: Varies. Restricted to College of Engineering students
ECEN 4005 Special Topics: Organic Electronics
Examines a special topic in Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering.
GEOL 1150 Water, Energy and Environment: An Introduction to Earth Resources
Explores how geological processes and human populations together affect the quantitfy, quality and availability of Earth resources. Includes examination of the water cycle and how humans use and modify water; fossil-fuel and mineral resources, and renewable energy options. Sustainable versus non-sustainable use and population growth is considered.
EMEN 4200 Engineering and Entrepreneurship for the Developing World Section
engineering and problem solving skills, combined with market/industry research, customer interviews, design for manufacturability, stakeholder management and financial modeling to promote entrepreneurship and sustainable change in the developing world. Explore alternative energy, medical devices, phones, internet, recycling, cook stoves, clean water, sanitation and infrastructure.College of Engineering students only. Restricted to students with 57-180 credits
ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Power Systems Analysis
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ECEN 4167 Energy Conversion 2
Studies the derivation of the dynamic equations of motion of electromechanical systems, linear and rotary motion machines based on variational principles and basic force laws. Looks at equivalent circuits in abc and dqo coordinates for AC and DC machines. Discusses conditions under which an electromagnetic torque can be produced. Applies theory to the most important modes of steady-state and transient operation of electrical energy converters. Prereq., ECEN 3170.
ECEN 5007 Special Topics: Power Systems Planning & Ops
ENVM 5005 The Business of Sustainable Energy
Addresses the business of renewable energy, including opportunities and challenges with renewable electricity, renewable transportation fuels and energy efficiency. Topics include energy markets, opportunity identification, life cycle analysis, economic analysis, policy impacts and project financing of sustainable renewable energy business models. Formerly ENST 5002. Restricted to Graduate and Non-Degree Graduate students.
EDUC 1580 Energy and Interactions
Engages non-physics majors in hands-on, minds-on activities and labs to investigate the physical world, the nature of science, and how science knowledge is constructed. This introductory course is especially relevant for future elementary and middle school teachers although it will meet the needs of most non-physics and non-science majors. Physics content focuses on interactions and energy.
EMEN 4200 Engineering and Entrepreneurship for the Developing World Section
Use your engineering and problem solving skills, combined with market/industry research, customer interviews, design for manufacturability, stakeholder management and financial modeling to promote entrepreneurship and sustainable change in the developing world. Explore alternative energy, medical devices, phones, internet, recycling, cook stoves, clean water, sanitation and infrastructure.Restricted to College of Engineering students with 57-180 credits(Junior or Senior)
ENEN 4600 Interdisciplinary Energy Engineering Projects
Prepares students to analyze energy systems from technical, economic, and policy perspectives with project topics varying by semester. Provides historical and contemporary context of the energy landscape. Emphasizes application of engineering fundamentals for the design and evaluation of real world energy systems. Projects will be completed by working in interdisciplinary teams.Restricted to Energy Engineering minor students with 87-180 credits(Senior)
ENEN 4840 Special Topics: Wind Energy Systems
Explores topics related to energy engineering. Content will vary by semester and instructor. Restricted to College of Engineering.
ENST 4150 Energy Policy Project
Provides students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge of energy technologies, systems and policies to current issues. Specific topical coverage varies by semester. Examples include natural gas fracking, automotive fuel economy standards and natural gas exports. Students work in teams to research, prepare and present a detailed and specific energy project proposal. Intended for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Certificate students. Formerly RSEI 4150.Restricted to Renewable Sustainable Energy students only. Prerequisites ENVS/PHYS 3070 and ENVS 3621
ENVM 5005 The Business of Sustainable Energy
Addresses the business of renewable energy, including opportunities and challenges with renewable electricity, renewable transportation fuels and energy efficiency. Topics include energy markets, opportunity identification, life cycle analysis, economic analysis, policy impacts and project financing of sustainable renewable energy business models. Formerly ENST 5002.Restricted to Graduate and Non-Degree Graduate students.
ENVM 5006 Energy Policy in the 21st Century
Examines energy policy and the problem of sustainability through a variety of disciplinary and topical perspectives: historical, political, behavioral, techno-economic and legal. A critical approach is applied to arguments about energy policy processes, systems, and desired outcomes, with special emphasis on the role of renewable and sustainable energy in the changing global energy system. Restricted to Graduate and Non Degree students.
ENVM 5007 Energy Systems and Technologie
Examines the basics of energy technologies and energy delivery systems. Covers both conventional energy sources (oil and gas, coal, nuclear and hydroelectric) and renewable/sustainable energy technologies (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and end-use efficiency). Investigates individual technologies as well as integration of multiple technologies on energy systems such as the electricity grid and liquid and gas fuels infrastructures. Formerly ENST 5000. Restricted to Graduate and Non-Degree Students
ENVM 6100 Special Topics for Master of the Environment Program:
Energy Nexus A variety of topics not currently offered in curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand.
ENVS 1150 First-Year Writing in Energy, Environment and Sustainability
Provides development of effective writing skills, knowledge and habits for success in the campus culture using topics related to the environmental sciences, energy, sustainability and academic/career interests. Focuses on the processes in rhetoric, emphasizing skills in creative, analytical and critical thinking, as well as research and presentation using digital and "old fashioned" methods and materials.Restricted for students with 0-56 credits (Freshmen or Sophomore)
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ENVS 3070 Energy and the Environment
Examines contemporary issues in energy consumption and its environmental impact, including fossil fuel use and depletion; nuclear energy and waste disposal; solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources; home heating; energy storage; fuel cells; and alternative transportation vehicles. Includes some basic physical concepts and principles that often constrain choices. No background in physics is required.
ENVS 3621 Energy Policy and Society
Examines how society makes decisions about energy, and how these decisions affect the environment and the economy. Uses tools from policy analysis, economics, and other disciplines to build an in-depth understanding of energy's role in U.S. contemporary society. Fulfills Cornerstone requirement of ENVS majors. Prerequisite: ENVS 1000 and 3070 or PHYS 3070
ENVS 5820 Energy Policy in the 21st Century
Examines energy policy and the problem of sustainability through a variety of disciplinary and topical perspectives: historical, political, behavioral, techno-economic and legal. A critical approach is applied to arguments about energy policy processes, systems and desired outcomes, with special emphasis on the role of renewable and sustainable energy in the changing global system.Requisites: Graduate students only.
ENVS 6301 Environmental and Energy Economics
Introduces non-economists to the study of energy markets, environmental externalities, economic regulation and public policy. This applied course uses examples from electricity generation, renewable energy, manufacturing, transportation and other energy intensive industries. A variety of policy instruments will be studies, including: technology standards, subsidies, environmental mandates, rate-based policies, emissions taxes and cap-and-trade systems.
GEOL 1150 Water, Energy and Environment: An Introduction to Earth Resources
Explores how geological processes and human populations together affect the quantitfy, quality and availability of Earth resources. Includes examination of the water cycle and how humans use and modify water; fossil-fuel and mineral resources, and renewable energy options. Sustainable versus non-sustainable use and population growth is considered.
LAWS 6722 Energy Law and Regulation
Provides an introduction to energy law and regulation in the United States. Covers basic principles of rate regulation and public utilities, the division of jurisdiction between federal and state governments and the key federal statutes and regulatory regimes governing natural gas, electricity and nuclear power. Focuses on the basic federal frameworks for natural gas and electricity regulation, with an emphasis on understanding the messy and uneven transition to wholesale competition in these sectors and, in the electricity context, the experience with state restructuring and retail competition.Requisites: Restricted to Law students.
LAWS 6732 Renewable Energy Project Finance and Development
Examines renewable energy and how legal topics impact financing projects. Reviews structure, regulation, and functioning of electric energy industry and laws applicable to development, ownership and operation of renewable energy projects across technologies. Addresses legal policy, economic and financing issues associated with expansion and improvement of the transmission grid to support renewable energy development. Requisites: Law students only.
MCEN 1024 Chemistry for Energy and Materials Science
Covers the basic physical and chemical fundamentals underlying the disciplines of energy and materials, with a focus on topics relevant to your mechanical engineering education. These fundamentals include atomic structure, stoichiometry, the periodic table, chemical bonding, states of matter, thermochemistry and chemical reactions. Department enforced prerequisite: one year of high school chemistry. Restrictions: Restricted to Mechanical Engineering ,Mechannical Engineering concurrent, MCEN subplan
MCEN 4032 Sustainable Energy
Examines sustainability of our current energy systems, including transportation, using environmental and economic indicators. Uses systems analysis that addresses energy supply and demand. Explores the science and technology as well as environmental and economic feasibility of efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies. Additional emphasis is given to the global nature of the challenges and the potential for locally optimal solutions. Prerequisite: MCEN 3012 and 3022
MCEN 4194/5194 Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage
Presents the fundamentals, principles and experimental techniques of electrochemistry, the background of ionic or electronic conduction of metal, semiconductor, inorganic and polymer materials and applications in the areas of batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical double layer capacitors, electrochemical photonics, sensors and semiconductor electrochemistry. Prerequisite: MCEN 2024 and 3032.Restricted to Graduate students or students with 87-180 credits (Seniors) in the College of Engineering and Applied Science or to Mechanical Engineering concurrent.
MCEN 5032 Sustainable Energy
Examines sustainability of our current energy systems, including transportation, using environmental and economic indicators. Uses systems analysis that addresses energy supply and demand. Explores the science and technology as well as environmental and economic feasibility of efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies. Additional emphasis is given to the global nature of the challenges and the potential for locally optimal solutions.
PHYS 1580 Energy and Interactions
Engages non-physics majors in hands-on, minds-on activities and labs to investigate the physical world, the nature of science, and how science knowledge is constructed. This introductory course is especially relevant for future elementary and middle school teachers although it will meet the needs of most non-physics and non-science majors. Physical content focuses on interactions and energy.
PHYS 3070 Energy and the Environment
Contemporary issues in energy consumption and its environmental impact, including fossil fuel use and depletion; nuclear energy and waste disposal; solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources; home heating; energy storage; fuel cells; and alternative transportation vehicles. Included are some basic physical concepts and principles that often constrain choices. No background in physics is required.
SOCY 6007 Foundations of Environmental Sociology
Provides overview of environmental sociological theory and research including topics such as: public environmental perception, concern, and knowledge; environmentalism as a social movement; environmental justice; energy, technology, and risk; human dimensions of environmental change; and natural hazards and disasters. Restricted to Graduate Students only.