Certificate Program

Certificate in Energy Management & Policy

Open the door to a career in energy with a respected credential built on targeted coursework.

Student presenting at the Kleinman Center
Jump start your energy career with a Certificate in Energy Management and Policy

Certificate Design

Penn graduate students who wish to earn the Certificate in Energy Management and Policy must successfully complete ENMG 5020: Introduction to Energy Policy, at least one additional ENMG course, and up to three electives from the preapproved list below. There is a total of five course units required to complete the certificate.

“The journey through academia with the Kleinman Center Certificate has been incredibly enriching, shaping my career and fueling my passion for sustainable energy solutions.”

— Eva Zhou (MES’23)

Candidates

The certificate is available to all of Penn’s currently enrolled graduate students (both Master’s and Ph.D.) The certificate is designed to complement the curricula of your primary degree, providing an understanding of relevant topics in energy policy and the analytic skills necessary for policy development and implementation. Recipients will be well-suited for work in government organizations, think tanks, NGOs, and industry.

Deadlines

  • Spring 2025 Admission: November 1, 2024
  • Fall 2025 Admission: February 3, 2025

Admissions

Complete the certificate program application via the online application.

Note: Students may count courses that they completed prior to admission into the certificate program. However, we encourage you to apply as early as possible during your time at Penn.

“I loved that the certificate program fosters a diversity of thought and pushes you to take classes from other schools to broaden your perspective.”

— Hayley McCurdy (MES’20)

Curriculum

Introduction to Energy Policy

ENMG 5020

Shelley Welton

This course provides an advanced introduction to the design and delivery of energy policy at various levels of government in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Required Course

  • ENMG 5020: Introduction to Energy Policy

ENMG 5020 is only offered in the fall term, and there are no substitutions available. It is recommended that you take this course as soon as possible.

Energy Management and Policy Courses

(Choose at least one)
  • ENMG 5030: Topics in Energy Policy
  • ENMG 5070: Effective Policy for the Energy Transition
  • ENMG 5080: Geopolitics of Energy in Russia and Eurasia
  • ENMG 5100: Societal Grand Challenges at the Interface of Technology and Policy
  • ENMG 5120: Contemporary Trends in European Energy Security and Sanctions Policy
  • ENMG 5300: Energy Justice
  • ENMG 5400: Clean Energy Deployment to Achieve Net-Zero: Decarbonization
  • ENMG 5450: Clean Energy Deployment to Achieve Net-Zero: Greenhouse Gas Removals

Additional Electives

(Choose up to three)
  • BEPP 7640: Climate and Financial Markets
  • BEPP 7630: Energy Markets & Policy
  • EAS 5010: Energy and its Impacts
  • EAS 5020: Renewable Energy and Its Impacts
  • EAS 5030: Energy Systems and Policy
  • EAS 5050: Climate Policy and Technology
  • EAS 5060: Electricity and Systems Markets
  • CPLN 5310: Sustainability and Environmental Planning
  • CPLN 5500: Introduction to Transportation Planning
  • CPLN 7300: Sustainable Cities
  • CPLN 7500: Advanced Transportation Seminar
  • ENVS 6530: Corporate Sustainability Strategies
  • ENVS 6302: Climate Technology: Finance and Policy
  • ENVS 6675: Global Supply Chain Decarbonization
  • ENVS 6840: Energy, Waste, and the Environment
  • LARP 7801: Post Carbon Futures and the Green New Deal
  • LAW 6130: Dealmaking and Strategy for a Changing Climate
  • LAW 6190: ESG: Public Corp ESG Initiatives
  • LAW 9190: Energy Law and Climate Change
  • LAW 9540: Networks, Platforms, and Utilities
  • OIDD 5250: Thinking with Models: Business Analytics for Energy and Sustainability

Your certificate courses can double count with your degree requirements, provided you have approval from your home department.

Petitions

Students may petition to count a course not currently listed on the approved list toward the certificate requirement. All petitions must be submitted in writing to Oscar Serpell and should include the course description and full syllabus, a summary of the main learning outcomes of the class, and a written justification for including the course as part of this certificate (prepared by the student). 

For questions about the certificate program, please contact Oscar Serpell.

The certificate program exposed me to a cross-section of courses from different departments. Being able to think like an engineer, a lawyer, or a designer gives me an interdisciplinary perspective and helps me be nimble.

Miriam Posner (MPA’16)