SES electives are flexible. Students choose three approved elective courses that match their goals, major, and curiosity.
A Gaylord student might focus on communication, public understanding, and energy storytelling.
A Price student might focus on finance, markets, and sustainability strategy.
A Gibbs student might focus on buildings, design, and infrastructure.
A Dodge student might focus on policy, ethics, society, and environmental change.
Many electives may also count toward major or General Education requirements, so students mayalready be closer than they think.
Students must complete three elective courses from the list of courses provided below. There are no required pathways or tracks- you're free to select the courses that best match your interests and goals. Depending on the student’s degree major and interests, one or more of the SES elective courses may also count for credit toward the degree requirements of the student’s major. Also, note that approximately 25% of the SES elective courses also satisfy OU’s General Education requirements. Each elective course is categorized based on its primary content topic, listed in the rightmost column of the interactive course list table, and one or more of the following course areas.
Elective Course Areas:
REACH OUT TO SES@OU.EDU TO DISCUSS ADDING OTHER ELECTIVE COURSES TO THE LIST BELOW!
| Course Number | Course Title | GenEd Type | Elective Area | Content Topic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A HI 4623/5623 | Contemporary Art and the Environment | None | 4,5,6 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| ACCT 3033 | Financial Reporting Issues in Energy | None | 2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| AGSC 1513 | Where The Land Meets The Sky | V-FYE | 1,4,5 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| AME 4163 | Principles of Engineering Design | None | 2,4,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 4303/5303 | Designing for Open Innovation | None | 2,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 4393/5393 | Renewable Energy Systems and Control | None | 2 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 4970/5970 | Advanced Energy Systems | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 4970/5970 | Fuel Cell Technology | None | 1 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 5063 | Composite Materials | None | 2 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME 5410 | Energy efficient and grid-interactive building design | None | 2 | Technology & Engineering |
| AME G4653 | Air Conditioning Systems | None | 2 | Technology & Engineering |
| ARCH 2463 | Methods IV- Sustainable and Resilient Systems I | None | 2,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| ARCH 4353 | LEED Seminar | None | 2,5,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ARCH 5463 | Adv Sustainable- Resilient Systems | None | 2,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ARCH 5723 | Methods VII - Advanced Systems | None | 1, 2, 4, | Technology & Engineering |
| ARCH 5863 | Methods VIII Building Performance Analytics | None | 2,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| ARCH 5970 | Resilient Futures | None | 1,4,5 | Historical & Ethical |
| B AD 4013 | Business Strategy and Policy | None | 2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| BIOL 3463 | Water and Ecological Sustainability | II-NS | 2,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CAS 1553 | Gateway to Science | V-FYE | 1 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| CEE 1513 | Towards Just and Responsible Energy Engineering | V-FYE | 4,5 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| CEES 2323 | Environmental Transport and Fate Process | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| CEES 2412 | Earth Systems and Processes | None | 1, 3, 4,5 | Systems Perspectives |
| CEES 3213 | Water Resources Engineering | None | 1,2,3 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 3243 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Design | None | 2,3 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 4114/5114 | Aquatic Chemistry | None | 1,2,3 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 4324/5324 | Environmental Biology and Ecology | None | 1 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 4363/5363 | Ecological Engineering Science | None | 1,2,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| CEES 4951 | Contemporary Topics in Professional Practice | None | 2,5 | Energy Business Markets |
| CEES 5123 | Climate Change and Impacts on Water-Energy-Food Nexus | None | 1,2,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 5133/CH E 5133 | Water Sustainability | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CEES 5153 | Water Innovation: Technology, Policy, and Organizational Issues | None | 1,2,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 5243 | Physical-Chemical Water Treatment | None | 2,4 | Systems Perspectives |
| CEES 5883 | Environmental Modeling | None | 1,2,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES 5933 | Climate Change and Water Sustainability | None | 1,2 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CEES G4243 | Water Technologies for Emerging Regions | None | 2,3,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CH E 4323 | Chemical Process Sustainability | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5033 | Environmental Separations | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5053 | Carbon Capture & Utilization | None | 2,3 | Carbon Management |
| CH E 5063 | Sustainable Energy Applications | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5133/CEES 5133 | Water Sustainability | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5163 | Heterogeneous Catalysis | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5223 | Refining Principles | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5323 | Sustainable Engineering Principles | None | 1,2,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CH E 5333 | Sustainable Polymer Manufacturing | None | 1,2,3,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CH E 5343 | Sustainable Process Design | None | 1,2 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| CH E 5353 | Emerging Technologies toward Water Sustainability | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5453 | Polymer Science and Engineering | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CH E 5533 | Materials Design for Energy Application | None | 1,2 | Technology & Engineering |
| CNS 5970 | Constr. Analytics & Innovation | None | 2 | Technology & Engineering |
| DES 4633 | Emerging Technologies | None | 2,4,5 | Technology & Engineering |
| DSAI 5013 | Fundamentals of Energy Statistical Analysis | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| DSAI 5133 | Energy Analytics | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| DSAI 5303 | Financial Engineering Analytics | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 3113 | Energy Conversion I | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 5423 | Power System Protection | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 5973 | Power Systems and Market Operations | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 5973 | Power System Protection | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 5973 | Renewable Energy Systems | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE 5973 | Energy Propagation in Electrical Systems | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECE G4113 | Analysis of Electrical Transmission | None | 2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| ECON 3213 | Environmental Economics | None | 2,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| ECON 3413 | Energy and the Economy | None | 2,5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| ECON 5970 | Energy Economics | None | 2,5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| EDSC 3233 | Environmental Issues in the Community | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| EDSC 5970 | Special Topics | None | 4 | Communications |
| EMBA 5012 | Energy Policy and Regulations | None | 2,4,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics, Energy Business Markets |
| EMBA 5021 | Energy Technology & Innovation | None | 2,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| EMBA 5261 | Energy and Environment | None | 2,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| EMBA 5331 | Accounting- Renewable Energy | None | 2,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| EMBA 5351 | Renewable Energy Law & Regulations | None | 2,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| EMBA 5381 | Renewable Energy Forecasting | None | 1,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| EMBA 5402 | Renewable Energy Proj-Develop, Implement, Manage | None | 2,4,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics, Energy Business Markets |
| EMBA 5462 | Introduction to Energy Systems | None | 1,2,3,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| EMGT 3113 | Energy Production and Markets | None | 1,2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| EMGT 3513 | Sustainable Policy and Regulations | None | 1,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| EMGT 3523 | Gas Marketing and Power Trading | None | 2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| EMGT 3533 | Commercial Applications in Power Markets | None | 2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| EMGT 3603 | Energy Law I | None | 2,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| ENGR 1413 | Pathways to Engineering Thinking | V-FYE | 1,4 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| ENGR 4513 | Introduction to Sustainable Engineering | None | 1,4,5 | Life Cycle Analyses |
| ENST 1013 | Consumption & The Environment | III-SS | 1,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 2003 | Water Resources Advocacy | None | 1,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 2023 | American Environmental Perspectives | None | 2,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 2813 | Environmental Studies Cornerstone | None | 4, 5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 3213 | Law and the Environment | None | 1,2,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| ENST 3223 | Environmental Justice | None | 1,2,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 3243 | Introduction to Water Law | None | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics | |
| ENST 3303a | Food, Agriculture, and Environment | None | 1,2,3,4 | Climate |
| ENST 3463 | Water & Ecological Sustainability | II-NS | 1,2,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 3503a | Energy Use, Climate Change, and the Environment | None | 1,2,3,4 | Climate |
| ENST 3653 | Community Conservation | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 3800 | Environmental Internship | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 3893 | Environmental Studies Research Project | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENST 4883 | Environmental Studies Seminar | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| ENT 3193 | Social Engineering | None | 4,5,6 | Communications |
| FIN 4443 | Sustainable Finance | None | 5,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| G E 2013 | Intro to Energy Resources | None | 1,2,3,5 | Sustainability & the Environment, Technology & Engineering, Systems Perspective |
| G E 3220 | GeoEnergy Internship | None | 4, 5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| G E 4613 | Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage | None | 2,3 | Carbon Management |
| G E 4623 | Energy Conversion and Storage | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| G E 4633/5633 | Hydrogen Energy Systems | None | 1,2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| G E 5970 | Special Topics/Seminar (Hydrogen Energy Systems) | None | 1,2,3 | Technology & Engineering |
| GEOG 1114 | Physical Geography | II-NSL | 1,3,4 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| GEOG 1203 | Global Environmental Issues | III-SS | 4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 2021 | Exploring DGES | None | 1,2,3,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 3233 | Principles of Sustainability | None | 2,4,5,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 3253 | Environmental Conservation | III-SS | 1,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment, Communication & Education |
| GEOG 3443 | Environment and Society | III-SS | 2,4,5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| GEOG 3523/METR 3523 | Managing for a Changing Climate | II-NS | 1,2,6 | Climate |
| GEOG 4033/5033 | Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change | None | 1,2 | Climate |
| GEOG 4043/5043 | Urban Climatology | None | 1,2,3 | Climate |
| GEOG 4123/5123 | Cities and Society | None | 1,2,3 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 4293/5293 | Hydrologic Science | None | 1,3 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOG 4343/5343 | Climate, History, and Society | II-NS | 1,4,5,6 | Climate |
| GEOG 4423/5523 | Environmental Justice | III-SS | 4,5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| GEOG 4493/5493 | Systems Thinking and Knowledge Integration | None | 2,4,6 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOG 4513 | Real-world Applications of Climate and Weather Information | None | 1 | Climate |
| GEOG 4523/5523 | Life Cycle Analysis | None | 1,2,4,5,6 | Life Cycle Analyses |
| GEOG 4583/5583 | Energy Systems and Sustainability | None | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOG 4653/5653 | Urban Sustainability | None | 1,,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 4663/5663 | Water and Society | None | 1,4,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| GEOG 4970 | AI, Ethics & Sustainability | None | 4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 4970/5970 | Climate CO2 Removal Strategies | None | 1,2,3,4,6 | Carbon Management |
| GEOG 5433 | Sustainability: Theory & Practice | None | 1,2,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 6240 | AI, Ethics & Sustainability | None | 4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 6240 | Seminar in Geography and Environmental Sustainability | None | 4,5,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOG 6973 | Thinking about Geography and Environmental Sustainability | None | 4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOL 1033 | Earth, Energy, Environment | II-NS | 1,3,2,5 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| GEOL 2014 | The Earth System | II-NSL | 1,3 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOL 3033 | Earth Resources and the Environment | II-NS | 3,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| GEOL 5353 | Carbonates and Sequence Stratigraphy | None | 3 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOL 5970 | Orogenic Systems | None | 3 | Systems Perspectives |
| GEOL 5970 | Integrated Formation Eval. | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| GEOL G4233 | Subsurface Methods | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| GEOL/METR 4533/5533 | Earth's Past Climate | None | 1,3 | Climate |
| GPHY G4874 | Seismic Exploration | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| HIST 3493 | American Environmental History | IV-WC | 1,2 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HIST 6260 | Advanced Readings in American History | None | 1,2 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HIST 6260 | Energy History | None | 1,2 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HON 2973 | Energy in U.S. History | IV-WC | 1,2 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HON 2973 | What is Science | IV-WC | 1,2,4 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| HON 2973 | Infrastructure | None | 1,2,6 | Systems Perspectives |
| HON 3993 | Honors Colloquium - Welcome to the Anthropocene | None | 1,2,4 | Economics, Historical, Climate |
| HON 3993 | Honors Colloquium - Economics of Natural Disasters | None | 1,2,4 | Economics, Historical, Climate |
| HSTM 1323 | History of the Geoscienes | IV-WC | 3,5 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| HSTM 3343/PE 3343 | Revolution in Power: The Evolution of Energy Systems from Fossil Fuels to Renewables | IV-WC | 1,2,3,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HSTM 3473 | History of Ecology and Environmentalism | IV-WC | 1,2,3,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| HSTM 3543 | Hist Weather and Climate Sci | IV-WC | 2,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| I D 4123/5123 | Environment and Human Behavior | None | 1,2,4,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| I D 5970 | Adv. Topic in Net Zero | None | 1,3 | Life Cycle Analyses |
| IAS 3000 | Special Topics : Democratic Environmentalism | None | 5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| IAS 3653 | Energy, Climate, and Security | None | 1,2,4 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| ISE 4383/5383 | Systems Evaluation | None | 4 | Systems Perspectives |
| ISE 5013 | Fundamentals of Energy Statistical Analysis | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| ISE 5133 | Energy Analytics | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| JMC 3453 | Public Relations & Society | None | 3 | Communications |
| JMC 4213 | Innovators in Journalism | None | 4 | Communications |
| JMC 4970/5970 | Special Topics: Strategic Communication about Sustainable Energy Systems | None | 3 | Communications |
| L A 4970/5970 | Sustainable Stormwater Design | None | 1,2,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| LAW 5232 | Introduction to Real Property Law in Oil, Natural Gas, and Renewable Energies | None | 1,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LAW 5970 | Energy Law & Electricity Regulation | None | 1,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LAW 6100 | Wind Law | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LAW 6510 | Energy and Natural Resources | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LAW 6523 | Environmental Law | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LAW 6573 | Energy Development on Public Lands | None | 1,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LSO 5232 | Introduction to Property Law and Natural Resources | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LSO 5970 | Special Topics/Seminar (Topic: Energy Law and Electricity Regulation) | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LSO 6573 | Oil & Gas Development of Public Lands | None | 6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LSO 6581 | Water Law and Energy Industry | None | 2,4,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| LSTD 4563 | Weather & Climate | None | 1,2 | Climate |
| METR 2603 | Severe and Unusual Weather | II-NS | 1 | Climate |
| METR 3523 | Managing for a Changing Climate | II-NS | 1,2,6 | Climate |
| METR 3543 | Hist Weather and Climate Sci | IV-WC | 2,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| METR 4553/5553 | Climate and Renewable Energy | None | 1,2, 5 | Climate/Weather and Renewable Energy |
| MIS 3373 | Systems Analysis/Design Theory | None | 4 | Systems Perspectives |
| NAS 4423/5433 | Issues in Native American Environment & Sustainability | None | 1,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| P E 3343 | Evolution of Energy | IV-WC | 1,5 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| P E 3712 | Petroleum Economics | None | 2,4,6 | Energy Business Markets |
| P E 4553 / 5553 | Integrated Reservoir Management | None | 2,3,4,6 | Subsurface, Energy Business Markets |
| P E 4711 | Project Evaluation | None | 2,3,4,6 | Subsurface, Energy Storage and Transport |
| P E 5243 | Introduction to Rock Mechanics | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| P E 5433 | Horizontal Well Technology | None | 3,5 | Subsurface, Energy Storage and Transport |
| P E 5553 | Integrated Reservoir Management | None | 3 | Subsurface, Energy Storage and Transport |
| P E 5603 | Intro Natural Gas Engr & Mgt | None | 2,5 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| P E 5723 | Environmental Sustainability | None | 1,2,3,5,6 | Sustainability & the Environment |
| P E 5743 | Advanced Project Management | None | ||
| P E 5753 | Low Carbon Energy Markets | None | 2,3 | Carbon Management |
| P E 5970 | Subsurface Energy Exploitation | None | 3 | Technology & Engineering |
| P SC 3233 | Environmental Policy and Administration | None | 2,4,5,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| PDC 1003 | Gateway to Building Communities | V-FYE | 2,4 | Intro Course At most one intro course allowed for elective credit. |
| PHIL 3293 | Environmental Ethics | IV-WC | 4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| PHIL 3900 | Ethics & Energy Systems | None | 4,5,6 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| RCPL 4263/5263 | Infrastructure Planning | None | 1,2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| RCPL 4753/5753 | Transportation Geography and Planning | None | 2,6 | Technology & Engineering |
| RCPL 5813 | Environmental Planning Methods | None | 1,2,6 | Systems Perspectives |
| SCM 4970/5970 | SCM Sustainability & Ethics | None | 2,4,5 | Historical, Ethical, Artistic Perspectives |
| SOC 3893 | Environment, Ecology, and Society | None | 1,4,5 | Climate |
| SOC 4373/5373 | Sociology of Climate Change | None | 1,4,5 | Climate |
| SOC 5143 | Program Evaluation | None | 4,6 | Energy & Environmental Law, Policy & Economics |
| a Either ENST 3303 or ENST 3503 may be counted as an SES elective, but not both. |
