Online Global Engineering Education

Online Graduate Certificate

The Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience at the University of Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder offers a graduate certificate designed for engineers and professionals pursuing careers in global development, humanitarian engineering, sustainable resources and infrastructure, data science and economic development. This online program combines rigorous, graduate-level coursework with applied, real-world experience to prepare students to address complex global challenges.

Start Online. $3,000
Transfer Credits to our MS Program.
Finish on campus. Paid.

How to ApplyÌý Ìý ÌýÌýLearn More

Our scholarships can decrease cost as low as $250/credit. Take the Certificate as a stand-alone career enhancement or transfer 9-12 credits into one of our Professional MS Programs and earn your degree for a fraction of the typical cost.Ìý

student in hardhat standing in front of solar panels

What You’ll Learn in the Global Engineering Graduate Certificate

Global Foundations

Study global health, development economics, humanitarian aid, global development, and impact evaluation—core disciplines shaping global engineering and environmental engineering practice.

Skills That Matter

Develop practical skills in data analytics and project management to create, implement, and evaluate evidence-based solutions that strengthen climate resilience and improve access to essential services.

Capstone Practicum

Collaborate with international development professionals on real-world projects that advance global development practice and sustainable infrastructure solutions.

Online Certificate Overview

Overview Course Examples Who's It For? Timeline Scholarship Details
Overview

Online Graduate Certificate Overview:

  • 12 credits | 100% onlineÌý
  • Per credit: $1,293/in-state or $1,662 out-of-state/country
  • Out-of-pocket cost as low as $250/per credit with scholarship
  • 9-12 credits transfer into the Professional MS programs
  • Complete in one calendar year from anywhere in the world!

You will get:

  • Access Ìýto Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô faculty with real-world experience in the areas of study, advising support and career services.
  • Connection to 80+ international NGOs, Government Organizations and Agencies via our extensive Practicum Partner Network.Ìý
  • Skills employers are hiring for now.

Course Examples:

  • Global Development for Engineers: Understand the legacy of colonization, become familiar with the stakeholders that shape the global development agenda, explore development sectors, increase awareness of global development problems and improve critical thinking in order to produce policy memos, technical briefs and present evidence-based analysis.
  • Global Development Practicum: Engage in a significant field-based experience in a low- or middle-income context. Synthesize and integrate knowledge and skills gained in our other courses.Ìý
  • Introduction to Humanitarian Aid: Understand the opportunities and challenges of the humanitarian-development nexus,Ìý
    Introduction to Humanitarian Aid: Learn how humanitarian aid is organized and delivered around the world, how emergency response and long-term development efforts work together, and what it takes to prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.
  • Data Analytics for Development: Learn to use common data science tools—including R, RStudio, tidyverse, and Quarto—to analyze data and communicate solutions to challenges in water, sanitation, air quality, and global health. They will also develop skills in open and collaborative research practices by using Git and GitHub to manage, share, and reproduce data analysis projects.

    View all courses

Who's It For?

  • Working engineers seeking sustainability credentials
  • International professionals preparing for a US graduate degree
  • Career changers pivoting into climate, water, sanitation, hygiene, renewable energy, humanitarian assistance or carbon markets
  • Anyone who wants a low-cost way to test a graduate school before committing, not just engineers

Timeline

Complete in one calendar year:

  • Summer: Begin one-credit modules (3 credits total)
  • Fall: Global Development for Engineers (synchronous; 3 credits)
  • Spring: Continue with one-credit modules (3 credits total)
  • Summer: Global Development Practicum

Scholarship Details

  • Scholarships can reduce tuition to as low as $250/credit or $3,000 total for all 12 credits
  • Applicants will be invited to apply after their application is reviewed and accepted

Apply NowÌýÌý

Why Enroll Online at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder’s Mortenson Center

Flexible & Accessible

Gain specialized skills in global and environmental engineering without full-time, in-person attendance. Designed for working professionals and graduate students seeking flexibility.

Transferable Graduate Credit

Nine certificate credits transfer directly into Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder’s Professional Master’s Program, allowing you to continue your graduate education in engineering.

Woman holding a water sample she has taken by the creek
People standing on a footbridge in Rwanda

Why Choose the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience

Legacy of Leadership

Learn from industry-leading faculty with real-world expertise developing innovative solutions that address the root causes of poverty.

Career Impact

Mortenson Center alumni are hired globally as technical leads, researchers, policymakers, designers, and consultants across engineering, humanitarian, and development sectors.

Extraordinary Vision

We advance a world where everyone has access to safe and reliable water, sanitation, energy, food, shelter, and resilient infrastructure.

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Certificate Requirements

This programÌýcreates a pathway for working professionals with diverse backgrounds and expertise from around the world to build their skills in Global Engineering
Ìýwithout the cost and complexity of full-time attendance in Boulder.

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Certificate Requirements

Students earn the certificate by satisfactorily completing 12 credit-hours of graduate-level courses with a grade of B- or higher in each course or module. These requirements are met through our core courses (6 credit-hours total) and a combination of 1 credit-hour modules (6 credit-hours total).Ìý​Up to 9 credit-hours completed as part of the online certificate can be used to complete ourÌýProfessional Master’s degrees in Global Engineering.

Admission Requirements
  • Completion of a bachelor’s degree in any field, subject to approval by the Mortenson Center
  • English Language Proficiency*Ìý
Core Courses

Offered once a year through a cohort approach:

1 Credit-Hour Modules:

Get in touch and learn more:

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Man digging in the dirt while smiling at the camera

Meet Arnold

Arnold is from Kampala, Uganda. He graduated with an Online Certificate in Global Engineering in 2024. He works with Bridges to Prosperity in East Africa to install footbridges and connect rural communities education, employment and healthcare.Ìý

Arnold is now a Professional Master's student at Ä¢¹½Ó°Òô Boulder and was able to apply nine of his certificate credits toward his degree. Meet Arnold

International Students

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English proficiency score.

This requirement is waived if, at the time of application and within two years of your desired admission term, you have completed at least one semester of full-time study at an institution where English is the language of instruction or have full-time work experience where English is the official language. Eligibility for the waiver is verified through your transcripts or a letter from your university or employer.

Non-native English speakers should submit proof of English proficiency. Preferred minimum scores are TOEFL= 90 (internet-based test only), IELTS = 7.0, or Duolingo = 115.