Certificates

Expand your knowledge and refine your skills. 

Certificates can help you develop, complement or enhance specialized expertise in areas like embedded systems engineering, power electronics and more. 

Our graduate certificate programs are available to both enrolled graduate students and non-degree-seeking students through CU Boulder's Continuing Education division.

Admission & Registration

  • Admission to the Graduate School is not required for students pursuing only a certificate.
  • Upon completion of certificate requirements, contact our ECEE Graduate Advisor for final steps.
  • Certificate credit hours may be applied towards a full master’s degree, provided the student is admitted to a degreed program in our department. Credit hours may not count towards both a BS and a master’s degree.

ECEE Graduate Certificate Application Deadlines:

Fall 2025:  Apply March 17 - Aug 20 / Classes Aug 21 - Dec 5 / Final Exams end Dec 12 (Too late, now:  This concluded on 08/20/2025)

Spring 2026:  Apply Oct 3 - Jan 7 / Classes Jan 8 – April 24 / Final Exams end May 1. (Applications start 10/03/2025)

Summer 2026:  Apply Feb 3 – May 25 / Classes May 26 - Jul 31 / Final Exams end Jul 31 (see course details)

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Embedded Systems Engineering Power Electronics Electric Drivetrain Technology Radio Frequency Engineering for Aerospace
Embedded Systems Engineering

A Professional Certificate in ESE requires successful completion of 9 credit hours (with no lower than a B- in any of these three courses):

  • Two of these three ESE core courses plus one other ESE course (core or elective) OR all three of these:
    • ECEN 5613 Embedded System Design
    • ECEN 5623 Real-Time Embedded Systems
    • ECEN 5803 Mastering Embedded Systems Architecture
  • Graduate students pursuing an ESE Certificate are not required to matriculate into the ESE program sub-plan through a master's degree, although degree-seeking students enrolled in the ESE program will be given ESE course registration priority.
  • All non-degree students must be admitted as Professional Certificate students to enroll in ESE courses.

For more information, visit the website here.

Students must complete the following sequence of three courses, with a grade of C or higher in each course, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for all three courses:

  • ECEN 5797 Introduction to Power Electronics (Offered every fall. Prerequisite: completion of basic undergraduate courses in circuits and electronics)
  • ECEN 5807 Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Systems (Offered in alternate springs. Prerequisite: ECEN 5797)
  • ECEN 5817 Resonant and Soft Switching Techniques in Power Electronics (Offered in alternate springs. Prerequisite: ECEN 5797. ECEN 5807 is not prerequisite for this course)

Each semester-long course requires completion of 10 to 12 homework assignments, a midterm exam and a final exam. The graduates of this program will have successfully demonstrated their abilities in the subjects of all three courses listed above, to the satisfaction of the faculty of the Colorado Power Electronics Center. Please note that transfer credit is not accepted in lieu of the above requirements.

For more information, visit the website here.

Required Pre-requisite Knowledge

  1. Technical undergraduate degree: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering from an accredited university, or Bachelor's degree in a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited university plus completion of all necessary course pre-requisites to the certificate courses with a grade of "B" or better.
  2. Evidence of mathematical maturity equivalent to completion with a grade of "B" or better for the all of the following college-level coursework:
    • Calculus III, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations
    • Physics III (calculus based) and General Chemistry I
    • Circuits II, Electronics I, and Linear Systems
  3. An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 or better.

Certificate Completion

A grade of "B" or better in each course must be achieved.

Course Requirements

Students must complete the follow four courses in the graduate certificate either at the campus listed or through online study:

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This certificate is based in the Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, with courses offered by aerospace and  electrical, computer & energy engineering.  

Learn more on the aerospace website