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UW-Madison College of Engineering Certificate Programs

While UW-Madison does not have minors, it does offer organized programs in specific disciplines that lead to a certificate and a transcript notation indicating successful completion. The College of Engineering offers certificates in Biology in Engineering, International Engineering, Japanese Studies and Technical Communications. Others are available from units outside the college.

Certificate Programs in the College of Engineering

  • Biology in Engineering Certificate
  • The Biology in Engineering Certificate, administered by Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering, is designed for engineering students who want to strengthen their biology backgrounds. It is offered especially to encourage engineering students in traditional disciplines to prepare themselves to understand the special engineering problems in biology and medicine. A student successfully fulfilling the requirements will have the notation "Biology in Engineering Certificate" added to their transcript.

    The 15-credit Biology in Engineering Certificate (BEC) program was designed and will be administered by a Biology in Engineering Certificate Committee composed of faculty from multiple engineering disciplines. Students normally should begin the program during their sophomore or junior year, but seniors may also apply. For more information, visit 2620 Engineering Hall or call 608/262-3484.

    Prerequisites required to enter the certificate program

    • Prior admission to an engineering B.S. degree program or Biological Systems Engineering through the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the UW-Madison or alternatively have an accredited B.S. degree in any engineering discipline.
    • Students pursuing an undergraduate degree at UW-Madison need to have completed at least one intermediate-level (minimum 200-level) engineering course.

    More information …

  • Certificate in International Engineering
  • The Certificate in International Engineering provides recognition for a student's efforts to prepare for an international career by learning about one or more countries other than the United States. An undergraduate student in the College of Engineering or the Department of Biological Systems Engineering can earn the Certificate by completing at least 16 credits worth of courses with a primary focus on the language, culture, history, geography, society or institutions of a particular country or region of the world. For reference, information on Area Studies Programs at the UW-Madison is available from the International Institute.

    More information …

  • Certificate in Japanese Studies for Engineering Students
  • The Certificate in Japanese Studies for Engineering Students helps undergraduate engineering students gain conversational and written skills in colloquial Japanese, reading and translation skills in technical Japanese, and an understanding of Japanese culture. Japanese has become an important language in engineering and business. Increasing numbers of American companies conduct business in Japan, and many Japanese companies have expanded their activities in the United States. These companies need engineers who can read and communicate in both English and Japanese. The Certificate in Japanese Studies addresses this need.

    The certificate requires 27 credits, including three semesters of Japanese language, two semesters of intermediate-level technical Japanese, and one additional course related to Japanese language or culture. Interested students should begin taking Japanese courses in their first year. For more information, contact Professor James L. Davis, Room M1056D Engineering Centers Building, 608/262-4810, or visit the website for the certificate program at www.engr.wisc.edu/epd/tjc.

  • Technical Communication Certificate
  • The Technical Communication Certificate (TCC) complements all undergraduate engineering degrees. The TCC curriculum helps students gain a broad range of skills in these areas:

    • Written, oral, and graphic communication
    • Online communication and electronic publishing
    • Team projects and interpersonal communication
    • Professional communication through the TCC internship

    The Technical Communication Certificate has established itself as a program that meets industry and government agencies' demands for engineers with skills as communicators and for communication specialists. Typically, engineers spend half of their time or more communicating in their roles on project teams, as technical experts, or as managers. Because employers value well-developed communication skills, TCC courses will enhance success in co-op/intern positions and postgraduation careers. The more than 200 TCC graduates overwhelmingly confirm not only that the certificate gave them an edge over other candidates during the recruitment process, but also that the communication knowledge, skills, and attitudes they acquired while in the program helped them succeed in their jobs and helped prepare them for the communication and management tasks in today's multifunctional team environments.

    The TCC requires 24 credits, including 9 credits in technical courses (many already required for any engineering degree) and 15 credits in technical communication (3 or 5 communication credits might count toward technical, liberal, or free electives, depending on the major). While the certificate is designed especially for engineering students, students from other science fields and the humanities, as well as graduate students, seek out the program.

    Aside from the relevant courses offered in the TCC, students especially value the close contact with faculty through advising, independent study projects, and collaboration. Students in the program often take on leadership roles in other college or campuswide student organizations and projects, further developing their communication, team, and management skills.

    For up-to-date information, visit the Technical Communication Center website at tc.engr.wisc.edu or contact the TCC Office http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/contact.html at 608/262-2472. The Technical Communication Center is located in M1080 Engineering Centers Building.

UW-Madison Certificate Programs



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Up to date as of 13-Mar-2007.
Date last modified: 13-Sep-2007.
Date created 24-Jan-2001.
Content by: egradvisor@engr.wisc.edu
Copyright 2006 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
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