Wayne State To Offer Alternative-Energy Degrees

Engineering students interested in pursuing research in alternative energy technologies will soon have a new option at Detroit's Wayne State University. The school is developing a new master's degree program, to be in place fall 2005, focusing on alternative energy, and is also planning graduate certificate and undergraduate concentration programs in the subject area.

School officials say they will be using Wayne State's longstanding research relationships with Michigan's automotive industry as a foundation for these efforts. Funding is coming from a $300,000 grant provided by NextEnergy, a nonprofit organization established by the state of Michigan to develop new products and markets for alternative-fuel technologies in the state.

The first course in the program, Fundamentals of Alternative Energy I, will first be offered in the Winter 2004 term. Coursework is planned to incorporate multiple engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering and materials science, electrical and computer engineering, civil and environmental engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering.