MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Power Engineering Concentration

MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Power Engineering Concentration

Advance Energy Technologies

The world wants more energy while eliminating fossil fuels. Electric power consumers want smart grids that distribute power and communicate with homes and businesses, equipment and appliances and even electric cars as they recharge. How can we build energy infrastructures that meet these demands? Clarkson University's Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in power engineering prepares you to address these important challenges.

Why Study Power Engineering at Clarkson?

As a graduate of our Power Engineering program, you'll develop a solid professional foundation and learn to apply advanced computer, communications, electronics, control and signal processing technologies to the power industry. Our department instills the willingness to work hard and contribute to areas including research and development, planning, design, operations, field services and construction. We conduct cutting-edge research in our labs, such as our Smart Power Systems and Controls Laboratory. Electric power systems are moving toward the vast integration of distributed energy resources, which include renewable resources, energy storage devices and electric vehicles. This lab's research focus is to explore advanced control and management algorithms for smart power systems to promote the sustainable development of communities.

This approach equips you for a career influencing the development of renewable energy technologies and sustainable energy systems.

Our program is flexible, with hybrid, online and on-site options available.

What You'll Learn

The power engineering graduate concentration consists of 30 total credit hours and at least six electrical engineering courses, four of which are in power engineering subjects. Coursework accounts for 21-27 credits, a seminar accounts for two credits and a project accounts for one to seven credits.

You'll choose from such power engineering courses as:

  • Data Analytics for Power System Applications
  • Dielectrics
  • Electric Power Distribution Systems
  • Interconnection of Renewable Energy Resources to the Power System
  • Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Systems
  • Microgrid Design and Control
  • Power System Planning
  • Power System Protection
  • Power Systems I and II

Power Area Course Offerings:  Clarkson currently has seven graduate-level electric power engineering courses that are offered regularly in the distance format.  These courses are:

  • EE 534 Market Operation of Power Systems (even spring)
  • EE 430/530 High-Voltage Techniques and Measurements (even fall)
  • EE 537 Power System Protection (even fall)
  • EE 531 Power System Planning (odd spring)
  • EE 532 Advanced Electric Machines (odd fall)
  • EE 533 Operation and Control of Electric Power Systems (odd spring)
  • EE 439/539 Dielectrics (odd fall)


The tentative semester of offerings is also included in this list. The graduate power course offerings will be updated from time to time.  However, the number of graduate power courses and frequency of their offerings will be maintained.

Courses can be selected to meet ME degree requirements, with approval of the student’s academic advisor. Examples of distance ECE courses that may be of interest to distance power students includes EE 552 Optimization Techniques in Engineering, EE 553 Linear Systems, and EE 555 Nonlinear Systems.

The Clarkson School of Business offers a number of courses of potential interest to students in the Distance Power Engineering ME program. These courses may be offered on a different schedule and in a different format than the engineering courses.  Some will be offered during the summer. Courses of interest include:

  • OS 666  Negotiations (Prerequisites OS 608 or OS 602 waived for Professional Power Engineering ME degree candidates.)
  • OS609  Organizational Behavior and Performance Management (requires on-campus weekend)
  • ES510/OM680  Project Management
  • EC605  Managerial Economics (Permission of instructor granted for Distance Power Engineering ME degree candidates)
  • FN608  Financial Management (Permission of instructor granted for Distance Power Engineering ME degree candidates)

With approval from their advisor, students can transfer up to 10 credits from other institutions.

Double Numbered Courses: The distance offerings include certain courses appropriate for both advanced undergraduate students and graduate students. These courses carry a senior level course number as well as a graduate level course number (i.e., EE 439/539 Dielectrics). Students with credit for this course material in their undergraduate programs cannot also get graduate credit for the same topical material. However, it is important to be able to offer these courses to ME students who do not have this background.

Students can apply to switch to the thesis based Masters of Science program if they have identified a power engineering faculty member who has agreed to advise their thesis research.

Schedule of studies. Distance course offerings will be scheduled so that students who wish to do so are able to complete the distance ME degree in power engineering in 2 years. A typical program of study could involve students taking 2 courses per semester in both fall and spring semesters of each year, a summer business course, and completing a 1 credit hour project in the summer. Students planning to complete their studies in 3 years could, for example, take 1 engineering course each fall and spring semester, a business course in each of two summers, and complete a 4 credit hour project during their final year of study.

Online course offerings are scheduled so that part-time students with a concentration in power engineering can complete their degrees in two and a half years. A typical program of study includes one course per quarter for 10 quarters.

This 2.5-year, cohort-based program of study in electric power engineering leads to an MSEE degree and meets the requirements of Clarkson’s Advanced Certificate in Power Systems Engineering at the completion of the full program.

For students planning to complete their studies in three years, you'll take one engineering course each fall and spring semester, enroll in a business course for both summers in the program and complete a four-credit-hour project during your final year.

Career Possibilities

Earning a master's in electrical engineering degree with a concentration in power engineering can boost your job prospects, creating new career opportunities and the potential for higher earnings. Today, all electrical engineers are in demand throughout many areas of the economy, including:

  • Commissioning and operations engineering
  • Distribution system planning
  • High voltage engineering
  • Photovoltaic power
  • Power electronics converter design
  • Power equipment and control design
  • Transmission system planning
  • Wind energy systems

Below are common job titles for our graduates:

  • Bulk power system operator
  • Commissioning engineer
  • Congestion analyst
  • Consulting engineer
  • Control and protection engineer
  • Data center project manager
  • Distribution planning engineer
  • Electric power systems engineer
  • Market design specialist
  • Power supply engineer
  • Product development engineer
  • Substation design engineer
  • Transmission engineer

Recent Employers

Our MS in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in power engineering alumni have gone on to work with companies such as:

  • Avangrid/NYSEG/RGE
  • Burns & McDonnell
  • California ISO
  • Central Hudson Gas & Electric
  • CHA Consulting
  • Consolidated Edison (Orange and Rockland Utilities)
  • Constellation Energy
  • Dominion Energy
  • Eversource Energy, Inc.
  • General Electric
  • ISO New England
  • Knowles Atomic Power Lab
  • National Grid
  • New York ISO
  • New York Power Authority
  • O’Connell Electric
  • Orsted
  • Northeast Power Systems, Inc.
  • Plug Power
  • Power Engineers, Inc.
  • Siemens Energy
  • TRC Companies

Scholarships

A limited number of one-year and/or partial-year tuition scholarships are available for qualified full-time students. A limited number of stipends are also available. Most scholarships and/or stipends are associated with department assistantships or completion of a master’s thesis as part of the qualified applicant’s plan of study.

Partial tuition scholarships are also available to our part-time students,

Learn more about all of our scholarships and how to apply by contacting the Coulter School of Engineering's graduate division via email at enggrad@clarkson.edu.

Contact Us

Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@clarkson.edu
Phone: 518-631-9831

Interested in learning more about the MS in Electrical Engineering with a Concentration in Power Engineering? Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions today with your questions.

MSEE with a Concentration in Power Engineering Distance Learning Cohort Program

Phil Barker, the director of our Power Engineering Cohorts Program, explains our 2.5-year, cohort-based MSEE program, which also meets the requirements of our Advanced Certificate in Power Systems Engineering upon completion.

Power Up Your Future

Sharpen your technical skills and establish yourself as an expert in this in-demand field with a master's degree in power engineering from Clarkson.