Top 5 Undgergraduate Engineering Certificate Online Programs of 2024

STEM careers are well-paid and in-demand professions. And as it turns out, proficiency in engineering is needed for industries of all types. If you want to get to work fast, then you may not want to spend 2-4 years in college getting an associate’s degree. An engineering certificate online offers you the chance to learn just the technical, scientific, and business skills you need in a shorter time.

Online engineering certificate programs is convenient. You can gain the skills at a school with a respected program in the exact type of engineering you want to pursue! These online programs allow you to pursue an engineering specialty in demand where you live but not taught at a local college. So explore these online engineering courses to get a certificate and put your skills to use right away!

Article Navigation: The Best Online Engineering Programs – Certificate Overview | Online Engineering Courses – Types of General Engineering Certificate Online Programs | The Top 5 Engineering Certificate Online Programs | Engineering Certificate Programs Online Outcomes | Conclusion

The Best Online Engineering Programs – Certificate Overview

Online engineering certificate programs offer engineering courses online, with no requirements to travel to a physical campus. However, some programs offer on-campus classes as well. Those are known as hybrid, or, blended programs.

The rigorous coursework of engineering certificates online imparts the technical, scientific, and process knowledge to apply in varied engineering fields. Most certificates in engineering take about one year to complete, although some may take longer for working students who need a lighter class load. Online engineering classes are often asynchronous. This means students complete assignments and participate in discussion boards at any time of the day.

Because engineering often requires industry-specific training, these programs allow global access to training from high-quality colleges. This brings us to accreditation. While the accrediting body that covers engineering—the ABET—doesn’t accredit certificate of engineering programs, many of the departments offering online certificates also have accredited degree programs. In other words, students who decide to pursue a degree program will be more likely to be able to transfer credits from their online certificate. Plus, the online engineering certificate from a respected department will hold more weight for those taking their training straight into careers.

Online Engineering Courses – Types of General Engineering Certificate Online Programs

Biofuels

You don’t necessarily need a degree to work in the biofuel industry. So biofuel engineering certificates can be an excellent choice to advance your career. A degree can take you 2-4 years of full-time study, while you can complete a certificate in less than a year. Students who want to work in the energy sector, interested in converting crops into a fuel source, can quickly add expertise with a certificate program that concentrates on ethanol engineering. Coursework for biofuels certificate programs focuses exclusively on the foundational skills needed to understand and work in this important industry.

Biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel, are an important part of the sustainable energy market. Demand is predicted to increase as airplanes and ships see the need to shift to meet climate goals. Roughly 40% of the US corn crop is converted to ethanol. Consequently, the need for specialists with the technical expertise to operate plants and fill other jobs in this industry continues. Jobs for Agricultural and Food Science Technicians, which include work in biofuels, are expected to increase faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Six Sigma

Getting a Six Sigma engineering certificate online is a great way for working students to boost their value. It’s also a perfect way to learn how to optimize the workflow in their jobs. Students interested in supply chain, operations, or process management can take a certificate program rather than spend the time to get a full degree.

While widely employed by project managers, Six Sigma is a quality improvement technique that can apply to any industry or job category. It aims to improve processes, increase profits, uplift employee morale, and boost customer satisfaction. Six Sigma started in manufacturing but is now used in areas such as:

• Software development
• Sales
• Healthcare
• Banking
• Construction
• Retail
• Government

Staff and managers from these industries can all benefit from implementing Six Sigma principles. A certificate is the perfect short online engineering education program to add this skill set to any job role, as it can teach the data-driven system of eliminating errors, improving efficiency, and effectively controlling processes.

Related Article: Best Jobs for Engineers – The Top 10 by Degree Level & Salary

Surveying Engineering Technology

What are the advantages of choosing a certificate course in surveying engineering technology? First, you aren’t required to take any classes outside the program’s focus. This gives you a quicker pathway to possible licensure. For those already employed in related fields, such as land management in government or private associations, the certificate can fill in the specific surveying courses you need to progress towards getting your licensure or moving into positions with more authority.

Many people also choose to work for smaller surveying companies or start their own businesses. Let’s say you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, and you decide you want to move up into higher level roles. In this case, the certificate’s engineering courses online can likely transfer into a degree program in surveying engineering technology.

Petroleum Engineering

As with other engineering certificate programs, an online petroleum engineering certificate offers just the technical and scientific classes required for work in the oil and gas industry. It provides faster entry into jobs that use these skills. If you are not sure whether you want to get a degree in petroleum engineering, or you have another engineering-related degree, this certificate can give you the coursework that is most relevant to your needs.

You can also choose to apply the courses from the certificate towards a full degree in petroleum engineering. This applies to a bachelor’s or master’s. However, not many colleges offer robust programs in this specialized topic. Getting your certificate from a school with a respected and expert program is a huge advantage for online students.

Engineering Technology

A more broad-based engineering technology certificate can prepare students for careers that involve engineering. That’s because they act as a foundation to continue study in an engineering field of your choice. The advantages of starting with a rigorous engineering certificate online include the ability to work in any industry that uses engineers. That, or to become more focused on the type of degree program to pursue.

Engineer courses online generally include:

• Calculus and Analytical Geometry
• Statistics
• Physics
• Graphical Communications

Students can develop and work with advanced technologies in any industry by gaining the essential knowledge for engineering fields in a certificate.

Related Articles:
Ultimate Guide: How to Become a Software Engineer in 2023
How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer – The Steps

The Top 5 Engineering Certificate Online Programs

1. Minnesota West Community and Technical College

   Degree(s): Biodiesel Certificate; Biofuels Technology Ethanol Certificate
   Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $207.44 per credit hour

   Want a career in ethanol processing or sales? This 18-credit online Biofuels Technology Ethanol Certificate from MWCTC is a convenient way to get a credential. Let’s say you want to enter the ethanol industry or already work in biofuels and want to level up your career. In either case, you can complete this certificate in as little as two semesters or about nine months of study. These courses explore all the processes and technologies at work in this important part of the sustainable energy market.

   The ethanol certificate program engineering online courses include:

   – Mechanical Fundamentals for Process Controls
   – Process Dynamics
   – Ethanol Separation Technology
   – Instrumentation and Control

   You will also study industrial safety and water treatment to complete your knowledge of the specifics of ethanol operations. All the classes are online with coursework and discussion boards for you to participate from anywhere and around your schedule. Minnesota West Community and Technical College has a free introduction to online learning course to help orient you to this learning environment, and you have access to the online library and technical support.

   Find Out More:
   Biodiesel Certificate
   Biofuels Technology Ethanol Certificate

    

2. University of Wisconsin-Stout

   Degree: Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate
   Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $244.34 per credit

   This Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate is excellent for people in any service or industry position. Overall, it adds a valuable methodology to their arsenal. Applicable to pretty much any industry, this process improvement system can expand your organization’s efficiency. With tuition at the same low rate for out-of-state and global students as Wisconsin residents, you can enroll in this program from any time zone and get an affordable certificate to advance your career. With the cost of textbook rental and all fees included in the tuition, this is one of the best online engineering programs. The program best benefits adult learners. It offers student services advisors who can support you and make your academic journey smoother and more fruitful.

   Applying to the Six Sigma certificate program requires the following:

   – Online application form
   – Unofficial transcript
   – 500-word statement about your academic and work history

   The program has just 12 credits. For any professional who wants to increase quality, productivity, or customer satisfaction, the Six Sigma certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Stout offers a flexible and cost-effective program to help you advance your career with this respected business improvement technique added to your resume.

   Find Out More:
   Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate

    

3. University of Maine

   Degree: Certificate in Surveying Engineering Technology
   Tuition (In-State): $400 per credit
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $500 per credit

   Up next, the University of Maine’s online undergrad Certificate in Surveying Engineering Technology! If you need to add surveying skills to your skills rather than a complete degree program, check out this certificate. It is available 100% online and students can opt to take between 15 and 21 credits. The program is open to out-of-state and international students who need surveying competencies to qualify for licensure. It benefits those with a bachelor’s degree in another subject. It also benefits specialists looking to learn the foundations of surveying practice to advance their careers. You can also use the certificate courses as a step along the way to getting a bachelor’s degree in surveying engineering.

   The three required online courses for engineering surveying technology are:

   – Basic Surveying Field and Office Processes
   – Route and Site Surveying
   – Boundary Law

   Then, you can choose two courses from a set of electives to complete the engineering certificate program. To be admitted to the program, you need:

   – A high school diploma
   – Knowledge of basic trigonometry
   – The ability to use the trigonometry functions on a scientific calculator
   – Completion of precalculus or passing a math placement exam that includes precalculus

   Faculty for this program hold multiple state licenses and have won awards for their teaching. If you want to learn the fundamental, technical, and management aspects of surveying, this certificate program will teach you what you need to know at an affordable price and with the convenience of online study.

   Find Out More:
   Certificate in Surveying Engineering Technology

    

4. University of North Dakota

   Degree: Certificate in Petroleum Engineering
   Tuition (In State & Out-of-State): $611.75 per credit

   Pursuing work in the petroleum industry? Then pursue the Petroleum Engineering Certificate online from the University of North Dakota. Oil and gas are a big part of the economy in North Dakota. This program has faculty with the expertise to guide you as you enter or advance in the energy industry. If you have industry experience or have a different engineering background, the online engineering certificate from this program can be the bridge to your next career move.

   The certificate program is a 16-credit fully online program. It takes about a year to complete. You choose from over 20 online engineering classes offered on various topics within petroleum engineering. Course options include:

   – Petroleum Fluid Properties
   – Drilling Engineering
   – Numerical Reservoir Simulation
   – Well Testing

   Online tutoring is free, and the program offers coaching, 24/7 technical support, and the chance to network. The school offers a military tuition discount and is known for affordability and high academic quality. If you want to learn the practical and technical aspects of engineering in the oil and gas industry, the undergrad certificate from UND has a thorough and active program to enter this major industry.

   Find Out More:
   Certificate in Petroleum Engineering

    

5. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

   Degree: Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals
   Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $1,767 per credit hour

   This final online undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals offers essential engineering competencies. Graduates can take this credential into the workforce or continue their education to finish a degree. Wherever you plan to apply your engineering knowledge, this certificate offers the STEM education to understand, evaluate, and work with the challenges of our world. Global and out-of-state students are welcome. It is an excellent program for those planning to pursue a career or a degree in STEM-related fields such as:

   – Mechanical engineering
   – Law
   – Business
   – Medicine

   With online courses for engineering competencies, the program comprises 21 credits. You’ll explore subjects like physics, computing, calculus, and statistics. Students can choose asynchronous online classes or classes with video meetings, depending on their study preferences.

   Applicants must complete a math skills assessment and have taken college prep coursework including four years of math and two years of science in high school.

   Embry Riddle has an excellent reputation for engineering graduates. That includes high placement rates in competitive and lucrative engineering professions! With this certificate program, you can gain a solid foundation for career advancement or further education in engineering-related fields.

   Find Out More:
   Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals

    

Engineering Certificate Programs Online Outcomes

With an engineering certificate, you’ll generally find work as a technician or in other technical roles. The demand for all STEM-related specialists is high! The average salary for an engineering technologist is currently $96,000. Many people who pursue an engineering certificate online may have a degree in another subject. But an engineering certificate provides the specific technical training they need to advance their careers, so their compensation could be even higher.

Another option for those who choose a certificate program is to continue their education. For example, an associate or bachelor’s degree. They may choose to apply their new skills in the workplace before they complete the full degree, with the added technical competencies opening many new jobs. Whichever certificate you choose, the online courses engineering students need provide:

• The experience and knowledge to choose an appropriate career
• The credentials to shorten or advance you through a degree program

Related Article: How to Become an Engineer: Education, Licensing & Salary

Earn Your Undergraduate Engineering Certificate Online

Do you want to launch an exciting career in STEM? Then an engineering certificate program can be the first step in your journey. Online certificates train you for positions to take your current career to the next level! All while you continue your current job and personal life. Our database of engineering certificates and degrees in engineering fields can help you find a program that enables you to reach your academic and life goals.