Curriculum Changes Resulting In A New B.S. In Renewable Energy Engineering

In 2005, the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) began offering its new Bachelors of Science in Renewable Energy Systems program (BSRES) at its satellite campus in Portland, Oregon. The BSRES degree was the first of its kind in North America, and it was created to prepare graduates for careers in the various fields associated with renewable energy. These include, but are not limited to, energy management, energy auditing, energy systems planning, energy economics, energy policy and development, carbon accounting and reduction, and energy-related research, as stated in OIT’s 2005-2006 catalogue. In 2008, however, the BSRES degree was discontinued and replaced by the Bachelors of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering (BSREE). Analysis of the market place and observed growth in career options across the renewable energy fields revealed significant opportunities for graduates with a solid energy engineering education. This paper discusses these and other motivating factors that convinced the Oregon Institute of Technology to change track and begin offering the Bachelors of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering, another first-of-its-kind in North America. The paper also discusses the program objectives, program outcomes, curriculum, and the current enrollment status of the program.