Atmosphere and Energy Program

2023-24 Program Requirements

Atmosphere and energy are strongly linked: fossil-fuel energy use contributes to air pollution, global warming, and weather modification; and changes in the atmosphere feedback to renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, and wave resources.

Because atmospheric problems can be mitigated by increasing energy efficiency, developing new energy technologies, and shifting to less-polluting energy sources, and because it is important to study the climate, air pollution, and weather impacts of new energy technologies, the two areas, atmosphere and energy, are naturally coupled together.

The Atmosphere/Energy (A/E) undergraduate curriculum prepares undergraduates for an A/E master’s degree program, as well as careers in industry, research, consulting, government, non-governmental organizations, and academia. The A/E degree is NOT an ABET-accredited degree, as ABET accreditation is advantageous only for obtaining specific jobs that do not overlap with those that students obtaining the A/E degree would generally consider. The degree is accredited as part of Stanford’s accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

A/E students take classes in both Atmosphere and Energy, as well as classes that integrate the two. The curriculum is flexible in that students more interested in one field can take most of their Engineering Depth classes in the area of their choice. Similarly, students desiring to focus more on technology or on science can take the appropriate Depth classes to suit their interest.

Qualified students may also apply to engage in the A/E Honors program (see Honors page).

UG Director: Mark Jacobson, Jacobson@stanford.edu, 397 Y2E2
Student Services: Jill Filice, jill.filice@stanford.edu, 316 Y2E2

For instructions on how to declare the A/E major, jump to the bottom of this page.

Exploring the Atmosphere/Energy Major

Try one of these recommended Introductory Seminars:

APPPHYS 79N         Energy Options for the 21st Century, A, 3 units

CEE 34N        Wind Energy Explained, W, 3 units

ECON 17N               Energy, the Environment, and the Economy, W, 3 units

MS&E 92Q              International Environmental Policy, W, 3 units

Or one of these A/E courses that can also be used in some other School of Engineering majors:

CEE 63            Weather and Storms, A, 3 units

CEE 64            Air Pollution & Global Warming: History, Science & Solutions, W, 3 units

CEE 70            Environmental Science and Technology (same as ENGR 90), W, 3 units

ENGR 50E       Introduction to Materials Science, Energy Emphasis, W, 4 units

 In addition, the Math, Science, Technology in Society, and Engineering Fundamentals courses required by the A/E major will also count toward most of the other School of Engineering majors (see course lists below; other major programs and their specific requirements are listed elsewhere on this site).

For Excel or pdf program sheets and plans, see the Plans & Program Sheets page on this site.

A/E REQUIREMENTS

Explore Degrees lists all School of Engineering major program requirements, as well as other major and minor programs across the University.

A total of 96 units are required, distributed as follows:

45 Units of Mathematics and Science Combined

Mathematics (23 units minimum, including at least one class from each group):

Group A:

Group B:

Science (20 units minimum, including all of the following): 

*Can count as science or as ENGR Fundamental, but not both

Technology in Society
One course required, see the Approved Courses TiS chart. Must be on the Approved List the year it is taken.

Writing in the Major (WIM): One 3-5 unit course required. Choose either:

Engineering Fundamentals and Depth Units:

Engineering Fundamentals (two courses minimum, pick two out of the following):

Engineering Depth (42 units minimum)

Of the 42 units required below, 30 units minimum must be School of Engineering coursework. One of CEE 176A, 176B, 162I, or 199 must be taken to satisfy the Capstone requirement.

1) Required Courses (6-8 units):

3) Elective Courses (At least 29-36 units from the following, with at least 4 courses of 3 or more units from each group):

Group A: Atmosphere

** Courses outside the School of Engineering do not count toward the 30-unit engineering minimum in Fundamentals and Depth categories but can count toward the 42-unit Depth total.

Group B: Energy

** Courses outside the School of Engineering do not count toward the 40-unit engineering minimum in Fundamentals and Depth categories but can count toward the 42-unit Depth total.

++ To fulfill the Capstone requirement, 3 units of CEE 161I (Atm), 176A (Energy), 176B (Energy), or 199 (Skill) must be taken.

A/E 4-Year Plans and Program Sheets can be found under the Plans and Program Sheets tab.

Suggested Course Concentrations and Sequences

Subject to the requirements outlined above, students have flexibility in selecting their depth electives and other courses to best suit their interests. If you would like to see two suggested programs outlined, one with an emphasis on energy studies and the other on atmospheric studies, go to the 4-Year Plans page and open the A/E plans. Either approach provides the necessary preparation for the master’s degree program in Atmosphere/Energy.

Instructions For Declaring Major in Engineering: Atmosphere/Energy (ENGR-BS)

1. Enter your major declaration for Atmosphere/Energy in Axess. Select ENGR-BS as your major and Atmosphere/Energy as your subplan.
2. Download your unofficial Stanford transcript from Axess.
3. Download and complete the Excel major Program Sheet
   1. Open the A/E program sheet from the year you are declaring.
   2. Be sure and list all courses already taken and those you plan to take -- you will have the opportunity to revise this later, so please fill in as many courses as you can.
4. Contact Jill Filice to have an advisor assigned to you (you may request a specific advisor if you wish). Meet with the advisor and have him/her review and sign your program sheet.
5. Scan your transcript and completed program sheet to Jill Filice or bring to the CEE Student Services office, Room 316 of the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Environment & Energy (Y2E2) Building. She can then approve your major declaration in Axess.
6. You are encouraged to meet with your advisor at least once a quarter to review your academic progress. Changes to your program sheet can be made by printing out a revised sheet, obtaining your A/E undergraduate adviser’s signature, and returning the approved sheet to the CEE Student Services Office. NOTE – It is very important to hand in to student services your up-to-date program sheet immediately after the add/drop deadline of the quarter you plan to graduate.

Other information:

• Procedures and forms for requesting transfer credits and/or program deviations are described in detail on the Petitions page. If you are requesting a program deviation, or transfer credit for use in Depth, you should bring your completed petition form with your transcript to the CEE Student Services office. Attach your program sheet on file in CEE.
• Check with the CEE Student Services Office to make sure that you are on the CEE undergraduate student email list for important announcements about department events and activities.