The Mortenson Center, in collaboration with Civil and Environmental Engineering, offers two options for enrollment in Professional Master's of Science Programs (PMP) with an emphasis in Global Engineering: I. Professional Master in Global Engineering, and II. Professional Master in Global Environmental Engineering. Specific course requirements for each and detailed below, but both programs require 30 credit-hours of graduate-level courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00. For students who have undertaken prior graduate study, up to 9 hours of relevant graduate-level coursework may be transferred to meet the course requirements for the M.S. degree, following the rules established by the Graduate School for transfer credit. 

I. Professional Master's in Global Engineering

(Civil Engineering MS Degree)  

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The Professional Master's in Global Engineering is a unique degree offered by the Mortenson Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. This degree is a professional track of the MS program in Civil Engineering. It is designed to offer students exposure to a breadth of knowledge in relevant areas such as global health, development economics, and impact evaluation, while also building technical skills and providing the opportunity for further study in a specific area of interest within global engineering. In addition to classroom-based learning, students are required to complete a field practicum, embedded for 6 weeks to 6 months with a global development organization. These practicum placements have taken place in over 50 countries, partnering with over 80 organizations. Learn more about our practicum partnerships here.

To earn the Professional Master's in Global Engineering, students must complete the following courses:

1. Core Courses

All Global Engineering PMP students start their program with Global Development for Engineers, which introduces students to the complexities of the international development industry, providing a survey approach to understanding major historical outcomes, theories, institutions, policies, alternatives and critiques. The Global Development 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 practicum requirement the summer after the first academic year in the program. These two core courses fulfill six of the required 30 credits for the PMP:

2. Global Engineering Series

The Mortenson Center offers courses as series of 5-week modules, with each module worth one credit-hour. For the Professional Master in Global Engineering, students are required to complete 12 credit-hours from the following series:

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)

    • Sanitation
    • Hygiene 
    • Drinking Water Supply

    F. Household Energy

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

    C. Option Area

    Students work with their faculty advisor to determine which courses to take in order to fulfill the remaining 12 required credits. These can be met through courses that fall under an established theme (e.g. energy, infrastructure, WASH) or that help to strengthen prioritized skills (e.g. project management, data analysis) as identified by the student and their advisor.

     

    II. Professional Master's in Global Environmental Engineering

    (Environmental Engineering MS Degree)

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    The Environmental Engineering Program at CU Boulder, in collaboration with the Mortenson Center, offers the Professional Master's in Global Environmental Engineering. This professional track of the MS program in Environmental Engineering is a 30-credit program that includes 15 credits focused on global engineering. 

    To earn the Professional Master's in Global Environmental Engineering, students must complete the following courses:

    1. CVEN 5464: Environmental Engineering Processes

    2. CVEN 5404: Water Chemistry or CHEM 5151 Atmospheric Chemistry

    3. CVEN 5484: Applied Microbiology & Toxicology

    4. CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers

    ​5. CVEN 5939: Global Development Practicum

    6. WASH or Household Energy series

    7. Pick 6 credits from remaining Global Engineering Series

    8. One of: 

    • CVEN 5524 Water Treatment
    • CVEN 5534 Wastewater Treatment
    • CVEN 5474 Hazardous Waste Management
    • CVEN 5554 Fundamentals of Air Quality Management
    • MCEN 5131 Air Pollution Control

    9. Elective

    Elective courses will be determined in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. More information about the Environmental Engineering Program for prospective students.