Online Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering Certificate

Earn a Graduate Certificate in Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering From a Top Engineering School.

According to a 2020 report from the International Energy Agency, the total sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is expected to grow from 4 million in 2019 to 13 million in 2025 and, finally, to 30 million in 2030.

As a result of this demand by both consumers, industry, and government, there is an increasing need for engineers who can design, analyze, create, and improve HEVs and EVs. That is, in a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, it was found that job postings for engineers with expertise in hybrid electric vehicles has increased significantly and will continue to grow.

You can answer this call by earning Michigan Tech's online 15-credit graduate certificate in hybrid electric drive vehicle engineering from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. This certificate will provide you with an advanced program in the design, calibration, and operating characteristics of electric-drive and hybrid-drive vehicles.

Pave the Way to a Future Graduate Degree by Earning a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Drive Certificate.

Our interdisciplinary, versatile graduate certificate bridges the worlds of electrical, mechanical, materials, and chemical engineering. Many students, in fact, choose to integrate this certificate with a graduate degree to earn a 30-credit Master of Science in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering with a specialty in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Engineering. Nonetheless, whether you plan to enter a graduate program soon or later down the road, your hybrid electric drive vehicle certificate from MTU will lay the foundation for lifelong learning and innovation.

Take Fundamental Online Hybrid Electric Vehicle Certificate Courses.

All students in this certificate program will begin their journey at MTU with 9 credits of required courses. First, they enroll in Advanced Propulsion Systems for Electric Drive Vehicles (EE/MEEM 5295). They must also take 6 required credits from Group B. To complete their degree, they choose 6 elective credits from Group C.

When planning your program, always check the course registration page for the availability of classes.

Mandatory Required Course

EE 5295 - Advanced Propulsion Systems for Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) will be studied and simulated using advanced powertrain component analysis and modeling. An in-depth analysis and study of power flows, losses, and energy usage are examined for isolated powertrain components and HEV configurations. Simulation tools will be developed and applied to specify powertrain and vehicle components and to develop control and calibration for a constrained optimization to vehicle technical specifications.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate; Must be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering
Pre-Requisite(s): MEEM 4295 or EE 4295

Group B Required Courses (Choose Two)

EE 4227 - Power Electronics

Fundamentals of circuits for electrical energy processing. Covers switching converter principles for dc-dc, ac-dc, and dc-ac power conversion. Other topics include harmonics, pulse-width modulation, feedback control, magnetic components and power semiconductors.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): EE 3120 and (EE 3130(C) or EE 3131)

MEEM 4450 - Vehicle Dynamics

This course will develop the models and techniques needed to predict the performance of a road vehicle during drive off, braking, ride, and steering maneuvers. Topics to be covered include: acceleration and braking performance, power train architecture, vehicle handling, suspension modeling, tire models, and steering control. Matlab, Adams Car, and Amesim, will be used as computational tools.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering; Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
Pre-Requisite(s): MEEM 3400 or EE 3261

EE 4295 - Introduction to Propulsion Systems for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Hybrid electric drive vehicle analysis will be developed and applied to examine the operation, integration, and design of powertrain components. Model based simulation and design is applied to determine vehicle performance measures in comparison to vehicle technical specifications. Power flows, losses, energy usage, and drive quality are examined over drive-cycles via application of these tools.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering, College of Computing; May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore
Pre-Requisite(s): MEEM 2700 or EE 2112

EE 5221 - Advanced Electric Machinery and Drives

Advanced electromechanics of rotating and linear machines. Topics include dynamic analysis of machines, reference frame transformations, reduced order models, models of mechanical loads, power electric drives for motors, and digital simulation of machines and electric drive systems. Applications discussed will include renewable energy and electric propulsion systems.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, in odd years
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate

MSE 5760 - Vehicle Battery Cells and Systems

The behavior and application of batteries will be examined by introducing concepts from thermodynamics, materials science, transport processes and equivalent circuits. The non-ideal power source behavior of rechargeable batteries in applications will be treated using electrolyte: electrode transport and electrode materials chemistry. Prior exposure to freshman chemistry, elementary electrical circuits, and elementary transport theory is assumed.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, in even years
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering; Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Biomedical Engineering, Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineer, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geology, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engrg, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Geophysics; May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore, Junior

Close up of an electric vehicle being charged and at 78% power.

Group C Electives

Students can tailor their certificate to their individual career goals by choosing 6 credits from a diverse list of options. See the general HEV program page for more information on this broad group of electives.

Why Earn Your Online Graduate Certificate from MTU?

When you study at Michigan Tech, you join a legacy of talented engineers and scientists dating back to 1885. And you'll receive a quality education. In fact, because of MTU's history and reputation, employers regularly seek out MTU graduates for their rigorous training and in-demand skills.

When you earn your online hybrid electric vehicle drive certificate from MTU, you'll experience several benefits.

An Innovative, Interdisciplinary Program that Addresses Industry Needs.
This certificate is based on a respected, distance-learning course initially developed by Michigan Tech, General Motors, and AVL. It was also designed with the input of several subject matter experts (SMEs) from the Argonne National Laboratory and the following industry partners: MAGMA, General Motors, Eaton, Horiba, MathWorks, Schweitzer Engineering Labs, and Woodward. In other words, this certificate was designed to train engineers in the HEV and EV technologies that are in-demand.

A Flexible Schedule that Works for You.
Whether you're a working professional or a recent graduate, you can fit this online graduate certificate into your busy schedule. Our graduate hybrid electric vehicle drive certificate will allow you to continue working full time while mastering a new, versatile skill set.
A Personalized Curriculum.
While earning this graduate certificate, you get to chart your own educational path by choosing from over thirty courses. Whether you want to specialize in power electronics, vehicle dynamics, propulsion systems, or more, you can design a program that suits your interests as well as your current or future career needs.

What Can You Do With an Online Hybrid Electric Vehicle Drive Certificate?

HEVs and EVs are evolving rapidly as is the demand for them. For instance, in the U.S., the Biden administration requested that half of all vehicles sold in 2030 to be electric. Many companies have also pledged to put more battery-electric vehicles on the road, such as Volkswagen, Volvo, Nissan, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, and Stellantis. Even the US Army has plans to decarbonize its non-tactical fleet of vehicles by 2035.

Therefore, as the future becomes increasingly electric, more companies will need skilled engineers trained in hybrid electric vehicle drive technology. Michigan Tech's online hybrid electric drive vehicle certificate will open up career pathways, whether they are in research, design, development, or manufacturing.

Close up of a hand holding an electric vehicle charger.

Possible Career Paths

Automotive engineer
Electrical engineer
Electronics engineer
Mechanical engineer
Manufacturing engineer
Hybrid Vehicle Engineer
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Design Engineer
Hybrid Electric Systems Engineer
Advanced Drivetrain Engineer

Learn more about the future of electric vehicles and vehicle electrification.

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Get Started on Your Online Certificate.

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