Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering

Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering

Any student pursuing a relevant graduate degree at CU Boulder may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Mortenson Center Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering. The Certificate gives you a broad, multi-disciplinary introduction to international development and will prepare you to work globally and in low-resource settings regardless of your background. 

The program includes a hands-on, in-person Practicum where you will be placed with one of our 80+ partner programs to further your knowledge and experience and to contribute to their mission. 

  • Submit a Certificate Enrollment Form signed by your academic advisor prior to being able to register for Mortenson Center courses. 
  • Earn the certificate by satisfactorily completing 12 credit-hours approved by the Mortenson Center, with a grade of B- or higher in each course or module.
  • Synthesize what you learn in a field-based Practicum. Most placements are international. 

 
Certificate Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Two Required Courses (6 credits):

Certificate students start with Global Development for Engineers, which introduces  the complexities of the international development industry, providing a survey approach to understanding major historical outcomes, theories, institutions, policies, alternatives and critiques.

CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers (Fall only - open to all engineering graduate students on a space available basis. 3 credits)

The Global Development and Hazard Resilience Field Practicum provides students with a field-based opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in Mortenson Center courses and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates professional practice in global engineering. Students typically fulfill the Field Practicum requirement the summer after the first academic year in the program. 

CVEN 5939: Global Development and Hazard Resilience Practicum (3 credits)

Modules (6 credits):

The remaining six credit hours are to be completed as approved courses or one-credit modules offered by the Mortenson Center or Affiliate Faculty (listed below). The Mortenson Center offers courses as sequences of 5-week modules, with each module worth one credit-hour. 

Completion:

Upon completion of all twelve credits, students must request the certificate be added to their transcript by contacting Mortenson Center Program Coordinator Sarah Goodroad at sarah.goodroad@colorado.edu. Mortenson Center staff will check to ensure that the requirements have been met and will then notify the Registrar's office so that the designation is added to the student's transcript.

Module Options

A. Principles

B. Project Management

C. Field Methods

D. Humanitarian Aid

  • Introduction to Humanitarian Aid
  • Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Refugees & Displacement 

E. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

  • Drinking Water
  • Sanitation and Hygiene
  • Water Quality Lab 

F. Household Energy

  • Household Energy Use and the Services Provided
  • Combustion of Solid Fuels
  • Heat Energy Conversion Technology 

Students Studying

"The Mortenson Center is a unique meeting of academia and practice, where students are given a broad, multi-disciplinary introduction to international development. The Center recognizes the importance of building engineers with a broad knowledge base, including economics, policy, and of course engineering. We're fortunate to have faculty and staff who can teach about the complexity of these issues: students leave the program understanding that there's more to being a Global Engineer than good intentions and a technical skill set. The problems the species faces will require systems-level thinkers, and that's what the Mortenson Center works to enable." - Taylor Sharpe, PhD, Mortenson Center alumni