Education Programs in Global Engineering

Online Graduate Certificate Overview:

12 credits | 100% online
Per credit: $1,293/in-state or $1,662 out-of-state/country
Out-of-pocket cost as low as $250/per credit with scholarship
9-12 credits transfer into the Professional MS programs
Complete in one calendar year from anywhere in the world!

You will get:

Access to CU faculty with real-world experience in the areas of study, advising support and career services.
Connection to 80+ international NGOs, Government Organizations and Agencies via our extensive Practicum Partner Network.
Skills employers are hiring for now.

Course Examples:

Global Development for Engineers: Understand the legacy of colonization, become familiar with the stakeholders that shape the global development agenda, explore development sectors, increase awareness of global development problems and improve critical thinking in order to produce policy memos, technical briefs and present evidence-based analysis.
Global Development Practicum: Engage in a significant field-based experience in a low- or middle-income context. Synthesize and integrate knowledge and skills gained in our other courses.
Introduction to Humanitarian Aid: Understand the opportunities and challenges of the humanitarian-development nexus,
Introduction to Humanitarian Aid: Learn how humanitarian aid is organized and delivered around the world, how emergency response and long-term development efforts work together, and what it takes to prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.
Data Analytics for Development: Learn to use common data science tools—including R, RStudio, tidyverse, and Quarto—to analyze data and communicate solutions to challenges in water, sanitation, air quality, and global health. They will also develop skills in open and collaborative research practices by using Git and GitHub to manage, share, and reproduce data analysis projects.

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Working engineers seeking sustainability credentials
International professionals preparing for a US graduate degree
Career changers pivoting into climate, water, sanitation, hygiene, renewable energy, humanitarian assistance or carbon markets
Anyone who wants a low-cost way to test a graduate school before committing, not just engineers

Timeline

Summer: Begin one-credit modules (3 credits total)
Fall: Global Development for Engineers (synchronous; 3 credits)
Spring: Continue with one-credit modules (3 credits total)
Summer: Global Development Practicum

Scholarship Details

Scholarships can reduce tuition to as low as $250/credit or $3,000 total for all 12 credits
Applicants will be invited to apply after their application is reviewed and accepted

Overview Course Examples Global Practicum Who's It For? Tuition & Funding

On-Campus Graduate Certificate in Global Engineering

On-Campus Graduate Certificate Overview:

Open to all CU Boulder engineering graduate students
12 credit hours (these fulfill the option area credits in Mechanical Engineering)
Includes a hands-on, field-based global practicum with one of our 80+ partners spanning government and non-government agencies, charities and the commercial sector

You will get:

A way to enhance your current engineering degree, deepen your knowledge in your area of interest, and stand-out to future employers.
Access to CU faculty with real-world experience in the areas of study, advising support and career services.
Connection to 80+ international NGOs, Government Organizations and Agencies via our extensive Practicum Partner Network.
Skills employers are hiring for now.

View all courses

Global Practicum

Global Practicum

The Global Practicum is an important component of our program and provides students with an opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in Mortenson Center coursework and other learning experiences, and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice in engineering and international development. The practicum is designed to help students:

Understand the meaning and importance of global engineering practice
Understand the purpose of field methods including community-based needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation, and household surveys
Understand and observe common elements among planning models and be able to develop a plan for an engineering intervention addressing a global issue, e.g. water supply, housing, energy
Understand major implementation issues, common barriers to implementation, and strategies for minimizing barriers to implementation
Identify and observe strategies for scaling up and sustaining engineering solutions
Apply planning, monitoring and evaluation skills to real-world problem solving; and
Enhance practice skills of leadership, effective teamwork, and the mastery of competencies in global engineering

You will:

Receive funding support to travel for your Practicum
Be placed with an agency or organization, that is doing work you are interested in, utilizing our network of over 80+ partnerships
Work within an agency or organization, typically for three months over the summer
Build your skills with real-world experience
Build your network and job opportunities

It is for all on-campus engineering students who want to:

Engage in meaningful work that makes a difference in the world
Solve some of the world's most pressing challenges
Expand their skill set and competencies
Become more marketable to employers
Work globally or in low-resource settings.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition

Meet with our advisor to find out how this Certificate can work into your existing course load.
Mechanical Engineering students can take the certificate for their 12 option area credits.

Funding Opportunities

Fellowships
Practicum travel support
Assistantships

Overview Course Examples Global Practicum Who's It For? Tuition & Funding

Professional Master's in Global Resilience & Sustainability Engineering (CivEng)

PMP in Resilience & Sustainability Engineering (Civil) Overview

30 total credit hours
9-12 credits from the Online Global Engineering Certificate can transfer into the PMP and reduce the total program cost
Paid master's projects are available | 3 credits with an average of $5,000-$15,000 stipend
Work with world-class faculty with real-world experience

You will get:

Global Practicum: 2-3 month placement, often international, with one of our 80+ partner organizations across 30 countries. Partial funding is provided.
Career ready skill in water, sanitation & hygiene, climate adaptation, GIS, data analytics, AI tools, project management, renewable energy and more.
Direct relationships with Tetra Tech, AECOM, Jacobs, Arcadia, Deloitte, WSP. Our alumni network opens doors.
Live and study in one of America's top college towns. 300 days of sunshine, world-class outdoor recreation, local sustainability jobs abound.

Course Examples

CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers (required) Understand the legacy of colonization, become familiar with the stakeholders that shape the global development agenda, explore development sectors, increase awareness of global development problems and improve critical thinking in order to produce policy memos, technical briefs and present evidence-based analysis.
CVEN 5939: Global Engineering & Hazard Resilience Practicum (required) A true understanding of global engineering requires students to engage in a significant field-based experience in low- or middle-income context.
CVEN 5837: Fieldwork Methods for Development Engineers Learn conceptual and methodological field tools that can be employed by engineers in different phases of international development and research projects, and prepare students to undertake a field study in a foreign country.
CVEN 5109: Intro to Environmental & Development Economics for Engineers: Topics covered include: an understanding of the difference between growth and economic development; the meaning and measurement of economic development; major growth theories; sustainability; poverty and income distribution; inequality; significance of agriculture in developing countries; poverty and population issues; international trade; and the importance of foreign aid; the role of geography and institutions; fertility and population growth; social and environmental impacts; the role of credit markets and microfinance; health and nutrition; education; female empowerment.

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Global Practicum

Global Practicum

Understand the meaning and importance of global engineering practice
Understand the purpose of field methods including community-based needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation, and household surveys
Understand and observe common elements among planning models and be able to develop a plan for an engineering intervention addressing a global issue, e.g. water supply, housing, energy
Understand major implementation issues, common barriers to implementation, and strategies for minimizing barriers to implementation
Identify and observe strategies for scaling up and sustaining engineering solutions
Apply planning, monitoring and evaluation skills to real-world problem solving; and
Enhance practice skills of leadership, effective teamwork, and the mastery of competencies in global engineering

You will:

Receive funding support to travel for your Practicum
Be placed with an agency or organization, that is doing work you are interested in, utilizing our network of over 80+ partnerships
Work within an agency or organization, typically for three months over the summer
Build your skills with real-world experience
Build your network and job opportunities

Who's it For?

Students who want career-ready skills employers are looking for in: carbon markets, climate adaptation, WASH systems, GIS, data analytics, AI tools, project management
Students who want access to our network of industry partners such as Tetra Tech, AECOM, Jacobs, Arcadis, WSP, Deloitte, government agencies and NGOs including. Open more doors with access to our alumni network.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition & Funding Opportunities

$1,699/credit (in-state) or $2,068/credit (out-of-state)
Reduce the total program cost: If you start with the Online Certificate you pay for less on-campus credits because 9-12 credits transfer in.
Paid MS project opportunity in 3rd semester
Fellowship opportunities
Practicum financial travel support
Assistantship opportunities
Conference & travel grants

Overview Course Examples Global Practicum Who's It For? Tuition & Funding

Professional Master's in Global Environmental Engineering (EnvEng)

PMP in Global Environmental Engineering (Environmental) Overview

30 total credit hours | Elective courses determined with advisor
Reduce the total program cost: 9-12 credits from the Online Global Engineering Certificate can transfer into the PMP
Up to 9 hours of graduate level coursework may be transferred to meet the course requirements
Paid master's projects are available | 3 credits with an average of $5,000-$15,000 stipend
Work with world-class faculty with real-world experience

You will get:

Global Practicum: 2-3 month placement, often international, with one of our 80+ partner organizations across 30 countries. Partial funding is provided.
Career ready skill in water, sanitation & hygiene, climate adaptation,
Direct relationships with Tetra Tech, AECOM, Jacobs, Arcadia, Deloitte, WSP. Our alumni network opens doors.
Live and study in one of America's top college towns. 300 days of sunshine, world-class outdoor recreation, local sustainability jobs abound

Course Examples

CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers (required) Understand the legacy of colonization, become familiar with the stakeholders that shape the global development agenda, explore development sectors, increase awareness of global development problems and improve critical thinking in order to produce policy memos, technical briefs and present evidence-based analysis.
CVEN 5939: Global Engineering & Hazard Resilience Practicum (required) A true understanding of global engineering requires students to engage in a significant field-based experience in low- or middle-income context.
EVEN 4969/5969: Water, Security, Sanitation & Hygiene Learn the key elements of water security and emerging concepts in water bankruptcy, the social, economic, institutional, and environmental benefits and challenges of providing access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation, WASH technical options and service delivery approaches for a variety of settings, ways to connect to vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations and more.
See the EVEN Graduate Program Handbook for more detailed information on coursework and requirements.

View all courses

Global Practicum

Global Practicum

Understand the meaning and importance of global engineering practice
Understand the purpose of field methods including community-based needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation, and household surveys
Understand and observe common elements among planning models and be able to develop a plan for an engineering intervention addressing a global issue, e.g. water supply, housing, energy
Understand major implementation issues, common barriers to implementation, and strategies for minimizing barriers to implementation
Identify and observe strategies for scaling up and sustaining engineering solutions
Apply planning, monitoring and evaluation skills to real-world problem solving; and
Enhance practice skills of leadership, effective teamwork, and the mastery of competencies in global engineering

You will:

Receive funding support to travel for your Practicum
Be placed with an agency or organization, that is doing work you are interested in, utilizing our network of over 80+ partnerships
Work within an agency or organization, typically for three months over the summer
Build your skills with real-world experience
Build your network and job opportunities

Who's it For?

Students who want career-ready skills employers are looking for in
Students who want access to our network of industry partners such as Tetra Tech, AECOM, Jacobs, Arcadis, WSP, Deloitte, government agencies and NGOs including. Open more doors with access to our alumni network.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition & Funding Opportunities

$1,699/credit (in-state) or $2,068/credit (out-of-state)
If combined with the Online Certificate you pay for only 15 on-campus credits
Paid MS project opportunity in 3rd semester
Fellowship opportunities
Practicum financial travel support
Assistantship opportunities
Conference & travel grants