3 Responses

1. You need to look into Engineering programs. That will require you to have excellent grades in Math from high school, so be sure to apply yourself especially there.

   Alternative energy programs would probably fall under Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical or Computer Engineering.

   There aren’t a lot of schools yet that focus on alternative energy, but there are a few. I left you some links below.

   The school will help guide you for career paths when the time comes. Chances are that market will be much larger when you graduate, so I doubt if you’ll have much trouble getting a job.

2. Just go to a college with a good engineering program.

   What you look for in a college beyond that should be based on what you want (and what your personal wants and needs are).

3. There are quite a few schools that now offer Earth and Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering programs with concentrations in Environmental Sciences.

   You might not be able to study…directly….solar energy…but you can find alternative energy courses to take within your major.

   I go to Columbia University’s Engineering School and we have an Earth and Environmental Engineering program. IF you want to major in this, you should look for accredited schools. To list a few: University of California Irvine, Columbia University, Drexel University, University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, etc.

   To search: http://www.abet.org/accrediteac.asp
   Go under the disciple category and pick environmental.

   Earth and Environmental is a very interesting career path to take. There is a lot of potential in the job market because of the investments being made in alternative energy. However, there is a debate on who will actual get these jobs. Being a civil engineering major, I am generally a competitive candidate for jobs in the Earth and Environmental Science sector. This means…that in my generation…several disciplines in Engineering are getting alternative energy jobs. However, your generation will definitly have so many opportunities open! This sector of engineering seems very bright!

   Good luck!