An Innovative Degree Program

Our energy systems engineering degree is one of only four of its kind in the U.S.

About the Degree

We are OSU's campus in Bend.

That means we bring the excellence of OSU's College of Engineering to our energy systems engineering program — including world-class professors and the quality of education that only OSU delivers.

What is Energy Systems Engineering?

The bachelor of science in energy systems engineering combines engineering fundamentals with energy-focused technical courses and business management classes. This multidisciplinary curriculum provides students with a strong foundation in the core principles of mechanical, electrical and industrial engineering.

Additional courses in energy consumption, distribution, storage, conversion, policy, and business management help prepare students for rewarding technical careers in the broad energy field.

    

95%
Since 2012, our graduates have seen 95% job placement

    

Intern
Take advantage of the MECOP partnership between Oregon's university engineering programs and industry

    

Research
Join a research team in our world-class Energy Systems Laboratory

What You Can Expect

With an average of 17 students per class, we get to know you — by name. You can expect:

  • Personal relationships with professors as part of a small classroom setting
  • Hands-on laboratory work using state-of-the-art equipment (Eight classes with labs)
  • Exposure to industry-standard engineering software and programming languages
  • To help solve a real-world problem for an industry sponsor in Capstone Design
  • Undergraduate research
  • Internship opportunities

Assistant professor Bahman Abbasi is leading a $2 million research program to look at how to turn salt water into drinking water using solar energy.

Gertrude Villaverde, ESE '19, is one of the first OSU-Cascades admitted students to graduate with the Honors Baccalaureate.

Creating an air quality monitor prototype was an ideal capstone project for energy systems engineering seniors.

You'll be Job Ready

Energy systems engineers design devices, processes and systems used to convert, distribute and store energy. It is a broad field with many opportunities. Our alumni are working at many different companies and in a variety of roles including:

  • Project engineer at Deschutes Brewery
  • Design engineer at BasX
  • Power systems engineer at Eaton
  • Power engineer at Pacific Power
  • Production manager at EarthCruiser
  • Manufacturing engineer at Bend Research, Inc
  • Mechanical engineer at OnBoard Dynamics
Pre-Engineering Requirements

OSU’s College of Engineering is a professional school in that students must complete pre-engineering requirements before they apply to the energy systems engineering program. Students can complete pre-engineering courses for energy systems engineering through the dual-enrollment program between OSU-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College (COCC). Upper level energy systems engineering courses are then taken at OSU-Cascades. 

The energy systems engineering program is only offered at OSU-Cascades. OSU pre-engineering students in Corvallis need to transfer to OSU-Cascades and complete the upper level energy systems engineering courses in Bend.

ABET Accreditation

The energy systems engineering program is ABET accredited. This accreditation is retroactive to the first energy systems engineering graduate in Fall 2012.