A graduate certificate in power systems reinforces your career and allows you to take on responsibilities exclusively given to engineers with power-specific education. These specialized power systems graduate certificates will raise your knowledge and competency levels in key disciplines like protection and controls or power transmission.
Other online graduate programs in Power Systems
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Power Systems Info Session
View our on-demand webinar to be introduced to WPI's online graduate programs in Power Systems. Get an overview of program logistics, what online learning looks like, the application process, and more!
Graduate Studies Series
Learn from our enrollment team members and other guests by attending quick and convenient 30-minute webinars we designed to highlight popular topics when starting grad school. Take a deep dive into specific areas of interest such as how to funding, how to ace your application, student services, and more!
Admission Qualifications for Online Power Systems Graduate Certificates
Excellent candidates have an ABET accredited undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Engineers from other disciplines may be successful in Power Systems with coursework in AC Circuits and Signals as well as significant mathematics including Linear Algebra and Differential Equations.
If you do not have a bachelor's degree, please view our list of undergraduate programs.
For specific application requirements, visit our admissions for online programs page. Have additional questions? Please contact our WPI Online team to review individual situations.
Graduate Certificate Options
Extraordinary Student Service
A graduate certificate in Power Systems Engineering: Protection and Control will prepare you to:
- Analyze steady state and transient power flows
- Design power delivery networks
- Design protection & control systems
Program Requirements
You must complete four technical power system courses (12 credits total):
Certificate in Renewable and Distributed Power Systems
A graduate certificate in Renewable and Distributed Power Systems will prepare you to:
- Analyze steady state and transient power flows
- Design power delivery networks
- Design protection & control systems
- Analyze and design electric delivery systems that support renewable and distributed power generation
Program Requirements
You must complete five or six technical power system courses (15-18 credits total):
National Scholarship
A graduate certificate in Power Systems Management will prepare you to:
- Analyze power flows in delivery networks--both for steady state and transients
- Design power delivery networks--both Transmission and Distribution
- 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
Program Requirements
You must complete six courses (18 credits total):
- ECE 5500. Power System Analysis
Choose two or three of the following power systems courses:
- ECE 5511. Transients in Power Systems
- ECE 5512. Electromechanical Energy Conversion
- ECE 5520. Power System Protection and Control
- ECE 5521. Protective Relaying*
- ECE 5522. Advanced Applications in Protective Relaying*
- ECE 5523. Power System Dynamics
- ECE 5530. Power Distribution
- ECE 5531. Power Systems Operations and Planning
- ECE 5540. Power Transmission
- ECE 523. Power Electronics
*Credit cannot be awarded for ECE 5521 & 5522 if credit for ECE 5520 has been earned.
Choose two or three Management courses. For additional course offerings to satisfy your degree requirements, click here.
- John Sonnelitter
- Protection & Controls Engineer
- Florida Power & Light
Learn from Power Industry Experts
WPI students work closely with WPI’s renowned Power Systems faculty: real-world, power industry experts who enrich the curriculum with decades of experience.
See all the events and webinars that the Graduate Studies team are hosting and attending.
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Looking to Gain a Foundation in Management? Explore Our Online Master's in Power Systems Management
If you’re interested in gaining a business edge, our online master’s in Power Systems Management may be just the degree for you. Students work with industry experts and learn about the business side of the power industry. Learn about power system operations, operational risks, control systems, and more.
Looking to Gain Deep Technical Knowledge? Explore Our Online Master's of Engineering in Power Systems Engineering
Our master’s in power system engineering online graduate program prepares electrical engineers for professional practice in the electric utility industry. The program is a great option for experienced engineers or those who want to reshape their careers with a program composed entirely of technical power systems engineering courses.
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.