Power Systems Engineering Online (MEng)

WPI’s Online Master of Engineering in Power Systems Engineering prepares electrical engineers for professional practice in the electric utility industry. The program is also a great option for experienced engineers or those who want to reshape their careers.

Composed entirely of technical courses, this program brings together a wide variety of analytical and practical subjects, both classical and current, that are necessary for engineering success in today's power industry. Through course topics in analysis, rotating machinery, transmission and distribution systems, protection and controls, and more, you will be prepared to:

Analyze power flows in delivery networks – both for steady state and transients
Understand electro-mechanical energy conversion and power system operations and planning
Design power delivery networks – both transmission and distribution
Analyze dynamic system response to disturbances
Design protection and control systems
Evaluate design alternatives, including both technical and economic analysis
Lead projects using a full suite of management tools
Understand group and individual dynamics leading to more effective interactions
Identify and mitigate operational risks

Learn from Industry Experts

WPI students work closely with WPI’s renowned Power Systems faculty: real-world, industry experts who enrich the curriculum with decades of experience.

Read the faculty biographies

Whitepaper: Securing the Grid - Today and Tomorrow

Other online graduate programs in Power Systems:

Courses

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

10 courses, 30 credit hours. All courses include use of modeling and each course normally utilizes one specific application. You will work with a faculty advisor to develop a customized and relevant plan of study selected from the courses below. A thesis is not required.

REQUIRED COURSES

At least 21 total credit hours in ECE with at least 15 credit hours in ECE Power Systems Engineering courses
- Must include ECE 5500. Power System Analysis
Up to 9 credit hours from engineering, mathematics, science or business.

*Credit cannot be awarded for ECE 5521 & 5522 if credit for ECE 5520 has been earned.

**Note that not all courses shown in the graduate catalog are available online. Please check the current course schedule listings.

COURSE SCHEDULE

FALL TERM

ECE 5500. Power System Analysis
ECE 5511. Transients in Power Systems
ECE 5523. Power System Dynamics
ECE 5521. Protective Relaying (not be taken with ECE 5520)
OIE 541. Operations Risk Management
Technical Elective and/or Business Elective

EARLY SPRING TERM

(January Start)

ECE 5500. Power System Analysis
ECE 5511. Transients in Power Systems
ECE 5520. Protection and Controls (not to be taken with ECE 5521)
ECE 5522. Advanced Applications in Protective Relaying
ECE 5531. Power System Operations and Planning
OIE 541. Operations Risk Management or
MIS 576. Project Management

LATE SPRING TERM

(April Start)

ECE 5500. Power System Analysis
ECE 5511. Transients in Power Systems
ECE 5532. Distributed and Renewable Power Generation
ECE 5521. Protective Relaying (not to be taken with ECE 5520)
OIE 541. Operations Risk Management or
MIS 576. Project Management
Technical Elective and/or Business Elective

SUMMER TERM

OIE 541. Operations Risk Management or
MIS 576. Project Management
ECE 5522. Advanced Applications in Protective Relaying (as needed)
Business Elective (as needed)

TECHNICAL ELECTIVES

ECE 523. Power Electronics
ECE 5512. Electromechanical Energy Conversion
ECE 5530. Power Distribution
ECE 5540. Power Transmission
CS 525S. Special Topics- Computer Network and Security (with the NERC CIP standards included)
SD 550. System Dynamics Foundation: Managing Complexity

BUSINESS ELECTIVES

OIE 598. Engineering Economics
OBC 500. Group and Interpersonal Dynamics in Complex Orgs
BUS 598. IS Energy Management

Prerequisites

Students must have an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from an ABET accredited university with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Some graduate engineers from other disciplines may be successful in power systems; however they may need an additional foundation in mathematics (e.g. WPI's MA 501 Engineering Mathematics course).

Have additional questions about admissions or program requirements? Please contact our WPI Online team to review individual situations.

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Graduate Course Catalog

Explore average salaries of power systems engineers, companies that have hired WPI power systems engineering graduates, sample job titles, and more.

Career Outlook

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Energy Education Program

WPI and the Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE) are partners in providing quality online education to the energy industry. If you work for an organization that is a member of EPCE, you receive a 10% discount on your online WPI tuition. Contact EPCE to determine if you qualify.

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