NEW GENERAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM WITH ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND POWER GENERATION TRACK AT PENN STATE

There is an emerging need for multidisciplinary quality engineers with broad range skills capable to design, develop, and integrate new technologies applied to the Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology industry.The Penn State Hazleton Campus has developed a new innovative Bachelor of Science in General Engineering with an Alternative Energy and Power Generation Track.This new Bachelor of Science degree will prepare graduates to enter the job market in the alternative and renewable energy sector as well as the power generation industry.The graduates of this program will have the critical knowledge and skills needed to begin their careers in this growing industry.This paper documents the details of this new program, which began accepting freshman into the program during fall 2010 as well as how program utilizes the campus' existing resources in its Engineering and Technology programs to implement the program.The first graduates of this program are expected in spring of 2014.