ENGINEERING

There are many great ideas about how to solve problems, but it takes a special set of skills to determine which ideas can become inventions and which of those inventions are commercially viable. In this certificate program, you will explore strategies to help gauge the market for an invention. To gain practice in identifying the best intellectual property or bioproperty strategies for your needs, you’ll use several custom tools to help clearly define uniqueness, competitiveness, and viability. As you prepare for the next steps in the process, these tools will also support you in drafting a summary to describe the invention to key stakeholders, exploring different commercialization pathways for inventions, and mastering best practices for navigating each pathway. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to examine recommendations for creating an invention management system for your team and for how to foster an invention management mindset. By the end of this program, you will have developed insight into processes to better create and execute the management of commercially viable inventions. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

The world is full of possibilities, but how likely are any of them to occur? Immerse yourself in probability theory and discover how to evaluate the likelihood of different outcomes in a variety of real-life circumstances. You will get started by examining the different methods for describing and representing data, including the basic axioms that form the core of probability. You will then explore real-world applications and discover how engineers and scientists use random variables and associated analytical functions to quantify the likelihood of various outcomes from experiments, monitoring efforts, and observation. You will gain experience using discrete random variables, when the number of possible outcomes can be counted, as well as continuous random variables, when the number of possible outcomes is infinite. You will also explore data transformation and several kinds of probability distributions for counts, waiting times, and the joint probability of two or more related variables. Toward the end of the program, you will apply what you have studied and investigate ways of modeling and predicting variability and patterns in data, leading to normal, lognormal, Gumbel, and Weibull distributions. As part of your Cornell certificate experience, you have the opportunity to participate in our new AI Workshops product. With 6 months of complimentary access to live AI Workshops, you’ll augment your certificate with 3-hour Zoom sessions led by Cornell faculty and designed to deliver immediately applicable experience and strategic perspectives. Note: You will need a working knowledge of algebra and univariate calculus prior to enrolling and will need to get access to the course’s textbook, the ninth edition of “Probability and Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences” by Jay Devore. We suggest you obtain the book prior to the start of the course and consider the interactive “eTextbook” version, available for purchase online or from other retailers.

Everything you need to know about product management.

Any organization can create a new product, service, or technology, but without a structured plan, the chances of a low return on investment are high. In this series of courses, you will learn how to develop an innovation strategy that aligns with your organization’s goals. Throughout the program, you will complete a series of activities that allow you to create and iterate on various aspects of a successful strategy, including identifying an executive champion and other supportive stakeholders as well as developing an overall vision, SMART goals, and a budget. You will practice using the innovation competencies of lean startup, makerspace, and design thinking to aid you in the customer discovery process. You will also learn how to use tools such as hackathons, design sprints, and centers of excellence to embrace the imagination of all your stakeholders. You will identify potential risks to successful implementation of your strategy and create mitigation plans. As you learn, you will create a presentation document called the innovation placemat that you can use to pitch to stakeholders in your own organization to make your innovation strategy a reality. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

From smart home devices to drones, robots, and autonomous cars, we are surrounded by electronic devices that are increasingly ingrained into our daily lives. Mechatronics is a rapidly growing field that encompasses the inner workings of these devices. In this certificate program, you will prototype your own device, applying best practices at every step in the process from design to pitching, assembling, and reporting. A leading expert from Cornell’s College of Engineering will guide you through both the theoretical basis for the concepts and the technical skills, including circuit construction, microcontroller programming, the application of sensors and actuators, and the use of professional-grade test equipment. Equipped with a kit of electrical components, you will dive into the building blocks of various mechatronic systems. You will discover how to program a microcontroller in C then program and control sensors and actuators to build circuits that interact with the physical world. By the final course, you will have gained a strong foundation for your capstone project: prototyping a design from start to finish. This program requires the purchase of a kit of electronic components and microcontrollers at a cost of around $600. Once you enroll in the program, you will be sent an email that provides the specific details on where to purchase the kit. To be successful in these courses, you should have some programming experience (any language) and familiarity with basic circuit theory (at the level of a high school or introductory college physics course). To avoid delays in starting your first course, please register at least two weeks before your intended start date and provide a valid shipping address during registration. This will ensure the timely delivery of your kit and a smooth start to your learning experience. While course and certificate fees are refundable, the kit fee is not refundable once shipped. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Scientists, engineers, and other technical personnel may not receive formal instruction in financial principles, yet they are often accountable for the costs of operation and production in their labs, teams, and organizations. Whether you are estimating the cost of a new project for an employer or recruiting investors to a new venture, being able to accurately project the financial viability of the work is critical to success. In this certificate program, you will explore techniques to help you assess the financial impacts of processes and projects in your work. You’ll begin with budgeting, informing your personal and professional endeavors with accurate, inclusive estimations. You’ll then examine how to estimate the value of an asset and determine whether new capital investments are advisable. Throughout the courses, you will gain familiarity with the most common types of financial statements and investigate the impact of technical advances on an organization's balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to investigate how the value of money changes with time then use these skills to project the cash flows. By the end of this program, you will have the necessary foundations to determine the financial viability of a new process, project, or business. You will be required to use Microsoft Excel to complete your coursework. You will have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Knowledge is power but it’s only half the battle. Sharing knowledge — that is, effectively communicating complex concepts to your audience — is the real strength. This certificate program is designed to help you design, build, and deliver impactful in-person and virtual presentations to an array of internal and external audiences. The courses will provide you with an opportunity to examine, reevaluate, and collect rich insights into best practices for business, technical, and scientific presentations. Throughout this program, you will reevaluate current and past presentation practices that do not achieve the intended goals in order to help you refine your ability to deliver an effective message. You will practice techniques that can be adapted to meet specific communication needs including sharing highly technical information. Most importantly, you will have many opportunities to apply and experiment with the course concepts in your work. You will be required to purchase Traci Nathans-Kelly’s book “Slide Rules” to complete your coursework. For the best experience in this program, it is strongly recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

You have a great idea for a product. So what’s next? In this program, you will learn how to bring a product from concept to market launch, becoming fluent in all facets of the product development and manufacturing process. Every great product begins with a prototype, so you’ll build one as a course project and use it to conduct customer discovery interviews. The information you gain from these interviews can then help you iterate your ideas and level up what you can offer customers. From small-batch manufacturing to large-scale production, the physical product development process is often complex. The courses in this program provide you with a concrete set of best practices and tools that you can download and use to not only complete assigned projects, but also deploy later in your own real-world product development process, such as a production techniques and materials handbook, Gantt charts to plan hiring and production stages, a design checklist, and a funding pitch deck. You will get a chance to virtually “visit” a plastic injection molding company near Cornell University and experience multiple interviews with manufacturing experts and product entrepreneurs. When you have completed the program, you will be well positioned to bring your product ideas to life. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

When challenges arise in design, it is crucial for engineers and their teams to have the right awareness and skill set to solve complex problems like an expert. Using finite element analysis (FEA), you can predict how a part or assembly will behave under given conditions, setting you up to innovate computationally. In this certificate program, you will build your conceptual understanding of finite element-based simulations. As you do, you will gain hands-on experience, from solving simple structural problems using Ansys Mechanical to solving practical problems that involve elasticity and plasticity with realistic geometries and loads. You will also solve applied problems using methods such as beam and shell analysis as well as modal and random vibration analysis. By the end of this certificate program, you will have the foundational skills to build reliable and valid FEA simulations for practical problem solving in your career ahead. You’ll be most successful in this program if you have a basic knowledge of differential and integral calculus and Newton’s second law as well as some prior exposure to statics. We strongly recommend you use a desktop version of Ansys. If you don’t already have access to Ansys, be sure your machine meets the following hardware requirements to download and use the free student desktop version of Ansys: Supported platforms and operating systems: Microsoft Windows 10, 64-bit Minimum hardware requirements: Workstation class processor, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB hard drive space, Computer must have a physical C:/” drive present, professional workstation class 3-D graphics card and driver, OpenGL capable. If your machine does not meet these requirements, you may also use an online version of Ansys. Be sure you meet the following bandwidth requirements: 5Mbps download speed and 100 ms maximum roundtrip latency. You will have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Across all industries, understanding risk is critical. From business, human resources, and insurance to healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology, risk management provides you with the necessary skills to protect your organization and your work in today's ever-changing threat landscape. In this certificate program, you will explore the principles and applications of risk analysis and management. Using either Python or R programming, you will master risk analysis and modeling methods and practice applying technical risk mitigation strategies to common problems that could affect your organization. You’ll also have the opportunity to examine the heuristics and biases associated with risk behaviors, setting you up to better understand and predict risk in your work. By the end of this program, you will be equipped with the tools you need to quantitatively identify risks and apply strategies that protect you and your hard work, no matter your industry. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. This certificate program requires students to have a basic understanding of high school-level statistics and either Python or R programming.

In today’s evolving financial landscape, quantitative methods have become essential for analyzing complex financial data, modeling risk and reward, and optimizing investment strategies. In this certificate program, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of quantitative finance principles and techniques using the Julia programming language, a valuable tool for quantitative finance professionals and researchers. Throughout the program, you will explore topics such as modeling and analysis of standard investment instruments (e.g., fixed income, equity, and derivatives), portfolio optimization, risk management, and computational finance decision making through practical, hands-on learning. By the end of the program, you will have the opportunity to apply your skills to build your own trading bot. Whether you're a seasoned finance professional looking to improve your quantitative skills or an engineer delving into finance, this program will give you a strong foundation in using Julia to apply computational methods and model financial outcomes. This certificate program requires students to have an understanding of high school-level calculus; basic understanding of data analytics, modeling, and simulation; and be comfortable with typical programming idioms in common languages like MATLAB or Python. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

From aerospace to manufacturing, engineers often have a need to simulate fluid flow using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This hands-on certificate program empowers you to create reliable and validated simulations without the need to focus on all the underlying mathematics. Using a proven methodology, these courses will help you approach CFD problems like an expert. You will simulate a variety of 2D and 3D flows — such as flows over a car body, cooling fan, and airplane body — using Ansys, the leading simulation platform for industrial applications. You’ll then apply the insights and experience gained in the coursework to solve new problems on your own. After practice with problem-based learning methodology on various types of flow problems, you will be able to apply this approach to create your own simulations for a wide array of situations. The examples have been developed in collaboration with Ansys Inc. engineers to be industry relevant. You will be most successful in this course if you have a strong foundation in high school-level calculus, physics, and algebra. We strongly recommend you use a desktop version of Ansys. If you don’t already have access to Ansys, be sure your machine meets the following hardware requirements in order to download and use the free student desktop version of Ansys: Supported platforms and operating systems: Microsoft Windows 10, 64-bit Minimum hardware requirements: Workstation class processor, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB hard drive space, Computer must have a physical C:/” drive present, professional workstation class 3-D graphics card and driver, OpenGL-capable. If your machine does not meet these requirements, you may also use an online version of Ansys. Be sure you meet the following bandwidth requirements: 5Mbps download speed and 100 ms maximum roundtrip latency. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

In this program, you will master a robust, human-centered approach to designing and improving products, experiences and systems at any scale. Working either on your own or with a team of your choosing, you’ll start by defining the problem or challenge you seek to address and then gather key user insights and emotions that will help you develop personas and user narratives. From there, you’ll move into idea generation and rapid prototyping for potential solutions and improvements. Informed by testing and analysis, you’ll learn to iterate on and refine your prototype using design thinking methodology to ultimately generate a rigorous, viable design solution. Throughout the courses, you will leverage design thinking to create a constant interplay of intuitive and data-driven decision making. In order to be successful in this program students will need to be familiar with descriptive statistics visualization such as graphing in excel or another comparable application.

Space technology is rapidly transforming industries, fueling exploration, defense, and commercial breakthroughs across the globe. As organizations race to innovate in orbit and beyond, the demand for professionals who understand the full life cycle of spacecraft has never been higher. In this certificate, you will build a solid foundation in spacecraft systems, examining how core components interact and drive mission success across scientific, commercial, and defense applications. Through immersive training in cleanroom fabrication and assembly techniques, you’ll discover how to uphold the rigorous standards essential for spacecraft reliability. As you progress, you’ll evaluate propulsion options, assess design trade-offs, and implement advanced testing protocols to ensure mission readiness. The curriculum also immerses you in the broader space technology ecosystem, equipping you to navigate industry trends, workforce challenges, and regulatory landscapes. By completing this certificate, you will be prepared to confidently tackle complex spacecraft projects, apply industry-leading practices, and contribute meaningful solutions in the evolving aerospace sector. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

This certificate program enables you to explore the foundational knowledge you need to pursue exciting opportunities within the fields of aerospace engineering and commercial spaceflight. Since the launch of the first privately owned, crewed spacecraft in 2020, the industry has undergone substantial expansion. Researchers predict that the space industry will grow significantly in the coming years to include not only support for telecommunications, research, and security satellites, but also a new space economy in support of individuals visiting outer space as tourists and passengers. You will begin your work in this program by practicing different ways of measuring space and time when analyzing space systems and planning for orbital maneuvers, thus building your analytical and geometric intuition for how two-body systems work. You’ll then progress to orbital maneuvers and trajectories, where you will practice applying various mathematical models to understand how to use the propulsive capabilities of your spacecraft to modify or transfer its orbit. Next, you’ll explore the basics of propulsion for space missions, including chemical and electrical propulsion methods as well as future propulsion options such as solar sails and electromagnetic systems. Understanding and controlling the orientation of a spacecraft is just as crucial as controlling its orbit and position. To comprehend spacecraft orientation — also known as attitude dynamics — you will establish the mathematical formalism of attitude dynamics then turn your attention to the actual control of the spacecraft's orientation. You’ll conclude this program by identifying the different approaches to determining the spacecraft's orientation and position in inertial space, giving you a strong foundation in modern spacecraft attitude control system design and an ability to recognize current problems and trends in spacecraft operation and development. Throughout the program, you will complete a series of written and MATLAB assignments to help you increase your comfort level with the calculations involved in most astrodynamics problems. The assignments in this program will require you to solve equations of motion (second-order ordinary differential equations) numerically and graphically using MATLAB, as well as analytically via written problem sets. Spaceflight mechanics is complex. While you do not need to have spaceflight mechanics experience in order to take the program, prerequisites include calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, and experience with MATLAB. Check your readiness with this free pretest now. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Complex decisions rarely have clear answers. Whether you're evaluating engineering designs, business strategies, or public policy, uncertainty, competing priorities, and incomplete information can make it difficult to identify the best path forward. This certificate program provides a practical framework for analyzing complex decisions, evaluating trade-offs, and making more informed, defensible choices. You will begin by learning how to define and frame decision problems, clarify objectives, and identify the values that shape decision making. From there, you'll use decision trees to evaluate alternatives; examine how bias, heuristics, and risk attitudes influence outcomes; and explore utility theory as a framework for balancing competing objectives. As your skills progress, you will apply Monte Carlo simulation and simulation-based optimization to analyze uncertainty, evaluate trade-offs, and test potential solutions across a range of possible scenarios. Finally, you'll gain hands-on experience using Rhodium, an open-source Python library for decision making under deep uncertainty, to model complex systems and design more robust, resilient solutions. By the end of the program, you will be prepared to structure complex decision problems, evaluate alternatives using quantitative decision analysis techniques, and apply advanced simulation tools to support better decision making in engineering, business, and other data-driven environments. You will be most successful in this program if you have an introductory knowledge of probability and statistics. You will have six months to complete the program, with the flexibility to progress at your own pace and finish sooner if your schedule allows.

Most organizations are awash in data yet struggle to transform it into meaningful information. In this certificate program, you will master the ability to analyze data efficiently; convey information effectively; and build valuable, robust, and reusable models to support decision making in a professional environment. Throughout the courses, you will work with realistic datasets in Excel to build dashboards and models that enable you to evaluate decision alternatives. You will start by converting a raw dataset into one that is complete, clean, and ready to use as an accurate data source. Using Excel’s built-in analysis tools, you’ll have the opportunity to develop user-friendly dashboards to enable discovery and diagnosis by members of your team. You will also build evaluation models that assess tradeoffs and incorporate the impact of uncertainty. Finally, you will use optimization functions and VBA-guided heuristics to find effective solutions to problems and aid in rapid decision making. You will come away from the program not only with advanced Excel knowledge but with the tools to effectively communicate relevant insights to stakeholders. Students should be familiar with fundamental spreadsheet concepts such as formulas and functions and be comfortable using basic summarization functions in order to be successful in this program. These courses use Microsoft Excel 2016 for Windows, and are compatible with Microsoft Excel 2019 and Microsoft Excel 365. It is strongly recommended that students take the courses in the order they appear.

Breakthroughs in large language models (LLMs) are rapidly reshaping how organizations innovate, automate, and deliver value to their customers. As AI capabilities expand, professionals who can bridge technical implementation with strategic vision are increasingly in demand. This certificate program takes you from the fundamentals of large language models to the cutting edge of autonomous agents. You’ll develop an intuition for LLM behavior, prompting, and context engineering, and learn why models sometimes hallucinate. You’ll also explore Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), enabling models to access private and up-to-date data. Next, you’ll move from “AI that chats” to “AI that acts” by building AI agents and improving their effectiveness through multi-agent workflows and agentic protocols. Finally, you’ll step back to evaluate AI opportunities through the lens of governance, risk, security, and human oversight, so you can deploy AI responsibly at scale. Whether you're a developer building AI-powered applications, a technical leader evaluating AI opportunities, or an executive shaping AI strategy, this program provides the practical skills and strategic frameworks to harness AI’s transformative potential while navigating its risks responsibly. You will be most successful in this program if you are comfortable with at least one programming language. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. This program includes a full year of free access to the AI Symposium! These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you’ll deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network. Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you’ll receive access to the Symposium networking site and details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.

Breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment are transforming the landscape of healthcare, opening new doors for professionals across science, engineering, and related fields. As the demand grows for innovative drugs, diagnostic tools, and medical devices, understanding the fundamental biology and treatment of cancer has become essential for anyone working in or around this dynamic sector. Throughout this certificate program, you will explore the mechanisms driving cancer development, examine the impact of genetics on disease progression, and analyze current treatment strategies for various cancer types, including lung, colon, breast, prostate, lymphoma, and leukemia. You’ll build fluency in the core language and concepts of oncology, empowering you to communicate effectively with clinicians, researchers, and industry stakeholders. Whether you are advancing your career in research, product development, or marketing, or seeking personal insight as a survivor or caregiver, you will gain practical analytical skills and knowledge that translate directly to real-world applications. By completing this program, you will be prepared to confidently engage in meaningful conversations with cancer experts, contribute to multidisciplinary teams, and drive innovation in your field. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

From healthcare, to manufacturing, to finance and IT, Six Sigma professionals are highly sought after across many industries. A Six Sigma certification can significantly increase your value as a leader, operator, or engineer. In this program, you will develop the knowledge and skills required to earn a Six Sigma Black Belt certification. You’ll begin by exploring the core statistical methodologies that underpin Six Sigma and discovering how to apply the Six Sigma tools and methodologies outlined in the ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt Body of Knowledge. You will then focus on risk identification and measurement across various contexts, enabling you to articulate the impact of risk analysis on decision making. As you examine critical best practices for project management and leadership within the Six Sigma framework, the program culminates in a capstone where you will synthesize your understanding of statistical methodologies, Six Sigma core tools, risk management, and effective project management. By the conclusion of this program, you will be well prepared to sit for the Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) exam and apply your knowledge in practice to your role. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Whether you’re developing a software stack or engineering bridges, the need for leaders who can design, develop, and manage complex solutions and systems over their lifecycle is rapidly growing. Drawing on an interdisciplinary systems design approach that can be applied to any field, this program will guide you through the process of developing documentation for any system, from initial scoping through detailed design. You’ll learn to define the challenges you are trying to solve, define functional requirements, and objectively measure the value of any potential solution. After understanding the purpose, intent, and audience for the project, you will utilize fundamental systems architecture techniques to develop a deeper understanding of how all of the components of the solution work together. At the completion of the certificate program, you will come away with not only a practical understanding of how to meet the most stringent requirements for design documentation and manage risk across potentially complex projects, but will have a more profound understanding of the big picture, including how each system tool that you invest time in can provide the maximum benefit throughout the design process. Appropriate for engineers, technology leaders, and anyone with a desire to lead a product or systems design process, the concepts learned will help you successfully manage team interactions, client relations, and your own solutions architecture workflow. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

To succeed and thrive in today’s increasingly interconnected world, the ability to frame, manage, and solve complex problems has never been more essential. This program provides concrete systems thinking tools you can apply to analyze complex situations and foster a culture of organizational learning. You’ll be able to integrate systems thinking concepts, principles, and practices to improve existing processes, operations, and thinking patterns, ultimately developing a more three-dimensional mindset in both work and life. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Develop the essential leadership skills you need to motivate teams, communicate with stakeholders, and achieve top performance as an engineering manager.

Have you ever had a great idea for an interactive product but you didn’t know how to build it? If you have some programming knowledge and a desire to build devices, this hands-on certificate program will give you the applied foundation you need to take the next step. Throughout this program, you will engage in several project builds using both Arduino and Raspberry Pi. After being guided through the foundations of electronics and computing to develop simple devices that respond to user input, you’ll progress to creating complete devices that have complex functions, including networked communications that connect one device to another. As you build these interactive devices, you will also gain an understanding of how human users and devices can exchange information in a smooth, natural way. Whether you’re involved in engineering, robotics, computer science, or product development, you’ll come away from this program prepared to design more effective and sophisticated interaction between products and end users. This program leverages open-source libraries and requires the purchase of a kit of electronic components and microcontrollers at a cost of around $600. Once you enroll in the program, you will be sent an email that provides the specific details on where to purchase the kit. To be successful in the courses, you should have familiarity with programming, be technically savvy, and have an understanding of key computer science principles. To avoid delays in starting your first course, please register at least two weeks before your intended start date and provide a valid shipping address during registration. This will ensure the timely delivery of your kit and a smooth start to your learning experience. While course and certificate fees are refundable, the kit fee is not refundable once shipped. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.