Sustainable Energy Management Bachelor of Science

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The Sustainable Energy Management (SEM) program is structured to introduce students to a wide range of energy markets and resources (fossil fuels, electricity, renewable and sustainable energy resources) while maintaining substantial flexibility for student-centered learning in understanding and managing energy systems.

The Sustainable Energy Management program is based on a vision that combines professional competency in management skills with a strong foundation in the social and biophysical sciences. The study of responsible energy resources use, and the development of sustainable sources of energy, has become a critical national and global issue. Energy issues include concerns about the quality and quantity of the different potential resources, energy security, and potential impacts of each on the environment and human health. It is essential that our society and energy professionals gain an understanding of production and conversion of different forms of energy, their current and future supplies, the markets and policy mechanisms that regulate their supply, and the associated impacts on the environment for each fuel.

Students interested in this program typically have a strong interest in energy use and the impacts that has on our natural resources and environments. This major will expose students to views from a variety of disciplines as they wrestle with a wide array of issues related to current and future energy supply and use. Students likely have an interest in exploring sustainable uses of energy and resources and want to develop the professional knowledge and skills needed to conserve, steward and manage energy resources and the environment. ESF provides a wide variety of opportunities to meet student needs utilizing a significant number of sustainable and renewable energy demonstration projects, significant research in energy topics, and ESF’s adoption of energy efficient and renewable energy projects to make the College carbon neutral by 2015.  Experiential field learning is combined with learning concepts and skills in the classroom and laboratory on ESF's Syracuse campus.

The Sustainable Energy Management program develops professional skills that employers tell us are the most important traits they look for in new employees. These traits are developed through a broad base of classes in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, communication, and quantitative and qualitative problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The majority of work scheduled during the first two years (lower division) is in these areas. This major prepares students to be well-rounded managers in the energy field and prepares them with a foundation for future graduate degree work. Energy resource management offers a wide variety of employment opportunities. Graduates work for public agencies, private industry, and nonprofit organizations.