Getting a bachelor’s degree in solar energy might sound like an impossible dream, but with the right amount of dedication and courses taken out of your usual curriculum, it’s possible. In this article, we’ll cover the requirements for a solar energy graduate degree, including what subjects you’ll need to study and what knowledge and skills you’ll need to have acquired by the time you complete your studies.
Minimum Bachelor’s Degree Requirements
In order to study solar energy, you’ll first need to have a bachelor’s degree in a comparable field. According to the website solarscience.school, you can use either the bachelors in Chemical Engineering (B.ChemE.) or Physics (B.Phy.) or the bachelors in Mechanical Engineering (B.MechE.) or Materials Science (B.MatSci.) to study solar engineering. The website also suggests that it would be beneficial to have a minor in either mechanical or chemical engineering. Finally, you’ll need to pass at least four years of college (preferably more) as a non-STEM major before you can apply for these degrees.
Once you have your bachelor’s degree in hand, you can move on to the next step of your journey towards a masters degree in solar energy. According to the website solarscience.school, you can use either the masters in Photovoltaic Engineering (M.Photovolt.) or Solar Thermal Engineering (M.SolarThermal.) or the masters in Systems Engineering (M.SysEng.) or Thermal Engg (M.ThermalEngineering.) to study solar energy. Again, the website suggests that you’ll need to study either thermal or photo-voltaic (PV) systems, and that you might not want to choose the former without careful consideration. Additionally, you’ll need to register with the graduate school as a prospective student prior to even applying for admission. You’ll also need to create a username and password and make sure you use that information whenever you log in to the Solar Graduate School — it’s the best way to make sure you can get the most out of your use of their services.
What Are The Recommended Courses For a Bachelors In Solar Energy?
As you begin your studies at solarscience.school, you’ll find that there are numerous elective courses you can take that will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in your studies and in your job search. According to the website, you can use these courses to build upon your basic understanding of electronics, mechanical engineering, and chemistry, and create specialized knowledge in solar energy. Below is a partial list of the courses (bold text indicates a required course, * indicates a recommended course).
- 3D Design
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Agricultural Chemicals
- Analytical Chemistry
- Applied Mechanics
- Assembling
- Automotive Electronics
- Bioproducts
- Bioproteins
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Building Physics
- Business
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Chemical Engineering
- Chromatography
- Collaborative R&D
- Community Health
- Computer Networks
- Computer Programming
- Computer Science
- Construction Management
- Corporate Finance
- Critical Thinking
- Database Systems
- Degree Audit
- Diesel Engine Technology
- Dietetics
- Digital Photo Imaging
- Disease Management
- E-Commerce
- Economic Analysis
- Electrical Circuits
- Electrical Engineering
- Electrical Machines
- Environmental Engineering
- E-Learning
- Ergonomics
- European History
- Evolutionary Biology
- Financial Management
- Food Production
- Foundations of Biochemistry
- French
- Functional Anatomy
- Functional Genomics
- General Chemistry
- General Engineering
- German
- Game Theory
- Hair Styling
- Health Management
- Health Technology
- Health Economics
- HIV Medicine
- Hispanic Business
- History of Science
- Human Anatomy
- Human Biology
- Human Factors
- Hygiene
- Imaging Technology
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Italian
- Japanese
- Keyboarding
- Khan Academy
- Kinesiology
- Laser Technology
- Latin American Studies
- Law
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Microbiology
- Middle Eastern Studies
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Genetics
- Molecular Techniques
- Morphology
- Nanoengineering
- Nanoscience
- Native American Literature
- Nursing
- Operations Management
- Organic Chemistry
- Package Design
- Paediatric Dentistry
- Pain Management
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Physics
- Photovoltaic Materials
- Physical Education
- Physiotherapy
- Planetary Sciences
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Production Management
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Quantitative Analysis
- Recovery Management
- Renewable Energy
- Rheumatology
- Russian
- Scandinavian Studies
- Seismology
- Sustainability
- Systems Analysis
- Sustainable Energy
- Spanish
- Sustainability in Practice
- Technology Management
- Teaching English
- Textiles
- Toxicology
- Tracking Technologies
- Tropical Fruit
- United Kingdom
- Vietnamese
Knowledge And Skills Requirements
Now that you have a bachelor’s degree in solar energy, you can begin your search for a graduate program that will prepare you for a successful career in this field. According to the website solarscience.school, to study solar energy at the graduate level, you’ll need to complete either a masters in Photovoltaic Engineering or a masters in Solar Thermal Engineering. Below is a brief list of the knowledge and skills you’ll need to possess before you even begin applying for graduate programs.