Brown launches new master’s degree program in sustainable energy

Great timing as Musk/Trump take a chainsaw to sustainable energy programs 

Brown University

As the world undertakes a monumental shift toward clean and renewable energy sources, Brown University has launched a new master’s degree program in sustainable energy aimed at providing students with the skills needed to help shape the future of energy. 

Developed by the leaders of Brown’s Initiative for Sustainable Energy, the one-year, on-campus program builds technical expertise in the science of renewable energy, along with an understanding of the political and economic landscape surrounding energy issues. 

The program will prepare graduates to advance secure, equitable and efficient energy systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, its leaders say.

“The transition to zero carbon energy is a multifaceted, multi-generational challenge,” said Rod Beresford, a professor of engineering at Brown and director of the new program. “Getting there is going to take technical talent working alongside lawyers, regulators and policy experts across multiple levels of government and in the private sector. We’ll equip students who want to be part of this revolution with the skills they need to make it happen.”

The eight-course curriculum includes core classes focusing on the science of sustainable energy, climate and energy modeling, decarbonization of the power grid, and the policy and economics of the energy transition. Students select their remaining courses from one of two tracks. A technical track delves into the science of power generation and the advanced materials driving sustainable energy innovation. The second track focuses on the policy and economics of the energy transition, including courses on climate politics, environmental sociology and environmental issues in economics.

Beresford says that the master of science program is designed to be much more than merely a survey of the current renewable energy landscape. 

“We have a very intentional focus on the future,” Beresford said. “We’re not just thinking about what exists today and how the world works now. We're thinking about how the world is going to change and how we’re going to navigate those changes. I think that future-focus, combined with a curriculum that brings together science, engineering, economics and public policy, make this a program that’s distinctive in its ability to confront energy challenges in all their complexity.”

In addition to work in the classroom, students will have opportunities to connect with topical events and resources at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Initiative for Sustainable Energy. 

“Brown is an extremely collaborative environment, and we’ll create opportunities to connect students to co-curricular activities right from the start,” Beresford said. 

Beresford expects graduates to advance into impactful careers in public, private or nonprofit sectors as policy analysts, program managers, staff scientists, entrepreneurs and more. 

The program, which is housed in Brown’s School of Engineering and managed by the Division of Master’s and Professional Programs is now accepting applications. The first cohort is slated to begin classes in Fall 2025.  More information about the program and the application process are available on the program’s website.