Graduate Certificates
Why obtain a graduate certificate from the University of Colorado Boulder's Department of Mechanical Engineering?
- Working professionals can obtain a credential in a focused area of interest by taking only three or four graduate courses.
- You'll receive customized guidance on curriculum selection from the professors who built these certificates.
- You can leverage your newly gained network and credential when seeking career growth opportunities.
Applying for a Certificate
- Fall deadline: August 1
- Spring deadline: December 1
If you are not a degree-seeking student at the university, you may apply for a graduate certificate by submitting a Nondegree Graduate Certificate Application. To be eligible, you must hold an undergraduate degree in engineering, sciences, or mathematics from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You will be asked to submit: 1) a one-page personal statement, 2) resume/CV, and 3) unofficial undergraduate transcript. International applicants must submit language scores. Our preferred minimum GPA is 3.0.
Internal applicants who are currently-enrolled graduate students or BAM students in graduate standing at CU Boulder in engineering, sciences, or mathematics and have a 3.0 CGPA or higher are eligible to apply. Please complete the mechanical engineering certificate application form. We accept applications on a rolling basis.
Completing a Certificate
In the semester that you plan to complete your certificate requirements, please email megrad@colorado.edu with the list of courses that you would like to be applied to your certificate. After graduation, you will receive a certificate at the address on your account.
Certificate Options
- Advanced Mechanics & Failure Analysis
- Biomedical Engineering
- Food Engineering
- Mechanical Design & Product Development
About the Program
The certificate provides training in engineering mechanics that goes beyond the typical undergraduate curriculum in several aspects.
- Students who complete this certificate will have the necessary knowledge and skills for a broad range of industrial sectors that involve structural design and reliability assessment.
- Students will have the opportunity to establish systematic fundamental knowledge in advanced engineering mechanics through the courses on solid mechanics, finite element analysis and continuum mechanics.
- Students will be able to learn specialized methods in failure analysis, composite materials, soft materials, and vibration to address challenging problems in engineering design.
Contact
If you have questions about certificate admission, completion or administration, please email megrad@colorado.edu.
If you have questions about coursework, please email faculty director Franck Vernerey at franck.vernerey@colorado.edu.
Coursework
Nine graduate credits (3 graduate courses) are required to complete the certificate program with grades of at least a B in each course. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in good academic standing. Courses offered each semester will depend on the availability of faculty. At least one relevant course will be offered each fall and spring semester to ensure that students are able to make progress toward completion of the certificate.
Required Courses
Students must take two of the following courses:
Electives
Other electives may be considered in consultation of the certificate director, Franck Vernerey.
About the Program
The Biomedical Engineering Certificate trains next-generation professional engineers to interface engineering and medicine with design and problem solving to improve human health.
- Apply knowledge and skills to a broad range of biomedical fields, from the establishment of disruptive imaging technologies or fabrication of new biomimetic tissue replacements to conception of innovative medical devices
- Engage with clinical, veterinary and entrepreneurial partners at cutting edge institutions along the Front Range such as CU Anschutz, Colorado State University for veterinary medicine and local companies, such as Allosource, Medtronic and Terumo, among others
- Gain unique experience in translational and applied medicine
Contact
If you have questions about certificate admission, completion or administration, please email megrad@colorado.edu.
If you have questions about coursework, please email faculty director Maureen Lynch at Maureen.Lynch@Colorado.EDU.
Coursework
Nine graduate credits (3 graduate courses) are required to complete the certificate program with grades of at least a B in each course. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in good academic standing.
About the Program
This certificate introduces students to the local food industry in Colorado and potential career opportunities in the food industry. Students will learn key scientific concepts and engineering principles of food products. The certificate focuses on the science and engineering of foods like specialty coffee and chocolate. Students will receive both a broad overview and in-depth content on food engineering and food product design, in addition to learning about food sustainability.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Be introduced to potential career opportunities in the food industry.
- Be introduced to the local food industry in Colorado.
- Learn the key scientific concepts and engineering principles of food products.
- Focus on the science and engineering of specialty coffee, food engineering and food product design.
- Understand the role of food at the intersection of science, engineering and culture.
Contact
If you have questions about certificate admission, completion, or administration, please email megrad@colorado.edu.
If you have questions about coursework, please email faculty director Carmen Pacheco at Carmen.Pacheco@Colorado.EDU.
Coursework
Nine graduate credits (3 graduate courses) are required to complete the certificate program with grades of at least a B in each course. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in good academic standing. Courses offered each semester will depend on the availability of faculty. However, at least one relevant course will be offered each fall and spring semester to ensure that students are able to make progress toward completion of the certificate.
Required Courses
Students must take two of the following three courses:
Strongly Recommended Electives
Studies development of equations governing transport of heat by conduction, convection, and radiation, and their solution. Includes analytical and numerical solution of initial and boundary value problems representative of heat conduction in solids. Describes heat transfer in free and forced convection, including laminar and turbulent flow. Also involves radiation properties of solids, liquids, and gases and transport of heat by radiation.
Electives
About the Program
This certificate provides training in mechanical design and product development. Students will build on methods from across the field of design to create learning experiences that will directly influence their potential career path in product design and development. Students will be challenged throughout the certificate coursework with complex, ambiguous design problems with solutions that are uncertain, and they will be challenged to solve those issues creatively and communicate those solutions to others effectively. Students who complete this certificate will have the necessary knowledge and skills for a broad range of industrial sectors that involve product design and development.
Learning Outcomes
Educational and scholarly goals of the certificate:
- To introduce students to potential career opportunities in the mechanical design and product development industry.
- To introduce students to industry tools and expectations for product development.
- To teach students the key concepts and engineering principles of mechanical design and product development.
- To understand the role of engineering design at the intersection of science, engineering, and culture.
Contact
If you have questions about certificate admission, completion or administration, please email megrad@colorado.edu.
If you have questions about coursework, please email faculty director Dan Riffell at Daniel.Riffell@Colorado.EDU.
Coursework
Twelve graduate credits (4 graduate courses) are required to complete the certificate program with grades of at least a B in each course. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to remain in good academic standing. Courses offered each semester will depend on the availability of faculty. At least one relevant course will be offered each fall and spring semester to ensure that students are able to make progress toward completion of the certificate.
Required Courses
Elective Option 1
Elective Option 2
Choose any two: