Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership

The RCEL Certificate in Engineering Leadership is the only four-year engineering leadership certificate in Texas and one of only a handful of educational innovations like it in the United States. The ultimate goal is to help students begin careers that align with the strengths learned in our program and make a positive difference with their engineering education.

The Certificate enhances the traditional undergraduate education by developing skills that are not expressly covered in the Rice Engineering curriculum. The targeted learning experiences are organized around five interrelated competency domains: Personal, Interpersonal, Management, Communication, Leadership. Upon completion of the Certificate’s requirements, students receive formal recognition on their transcript and a certificate provided by Rice University’s Registrar.

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Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership
Program-Level Learning Objectives

Communicate Effectively

Apply effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication strategies

Make Timely Decisions

Apply analytical and creative problem-solving to deliver timely solutions based on the information at hand

Work on Teams

Understand and analyze team dynamics to empower those around you to be successful in accomplishing team goals

Manage Projects

Demonstrate knowledge of the basic tools and techniques to deliver projects on time, on budget, and within scope

Self-Lead

Develop self-awareness to build personal mastery, exhibit discipline, and make conscious self-improvements

Create a Vision

Develop a clear vision that sets future personal team direction

Apply Ethics and Analyze Values

Analyze personal and organizational values and apply ethics concepts to decision-making

Jump Start the Next Step

Demonstrate leadership concepts in at least one specialization; Research, Industry, Pathways to non-Engineering careers, or Entrepreneurship (RIPE)

Required Courses

The core of our certificate is built around a sequence of integrated coursework taken throughout a student's time at Rice. Each class, described below, emphasize different yet interrelated skill and topic areas.

RCEL 100: Self-Awareness & the Engineering Leader (2 credits) +

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to become future engineering leaders. Engineering leadership is an emerging innovation in both education and practice and our course will prepare students to begin their development journey toward this end. The course is a front-end requirement for RCEL’s engineering leadership certificate and premised on the assumption that leadership is an honorable activity that can be learned.

RCEL 200: Personal Development for the Engineering Leader (2 credits) +

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to become future engineering leaders. Engineering leadership is an emerging innovation in both education and practice and our course will prepare students to begin their development journey toward this end. This is the second half of the initial RCEL leadership course (RCEL 100).

RCEL 241: Engineering Internship Practicum (0 credits) +

Applied practicum and internship course that provides guided career and professional development for engineering students in a real-world industrial, academic, research, or other professional context. Prepares students to assimilate quickly and to exceed employer expectations during their internships.

RCEL 300: Development of High Performing Engineering Teams (2 credits) +

The purpose of this course is to prepare students for engineering leadership and followership roles in engineering contexts. This course includes a focus on practical skills and how these skills can be learned, developed, and applied in team situations.

RCEL 400: Leading High Performing Engineering Teams (2 credits) +

This course prepares students for engineering leadership and followership roles emphasizing the interaction and integration of teams in an enterprise. In addition to exploration of enterprise issues, the course includes a focus on early career practical skills. Students learn strategies for leading engineering teams and managing interactions across teams.

RCEL 450: Project Management & Leadership Action Learning (2 credits) +

RIPE Requirement - SELECT ONE (1 credit): +

RCEL 410 Engineering Launchpad - Research
RCEL 420 Engineering Launchpad - Industry
RCEL 430 Engineering Launchpad - Pathways
RCEL 440 Engineering Launchpad - Entrepreneurship

Other Requirements

Leadership Development Plan +

The purpose of the Development Plan is to understand one’s personal leadership capabilities, synthesize the “lessons learned” from experiences, and use experience to manage the development of the capabilities needed to become an engineering leader.

Engineering Leadership Portfolio +

The leadership portfolio is a tool to synthesize leadership-related learning experiences, including coursework, involvement in student organizations, competitions and conferences, as well as other achievements, such as filing a patent. The purpose of the Portfolio is for the student to organize and reflect on their experiences, ultimately showing their development as a leader during their time at Rice. The Engineering Leadership Portfolio is an ongoing process throughout the Certificate curriculum and is completed during the student's senior year.

Final Leadership Presentation +

The final certificate presentation by each student marks the conclusion of the Certificate learning experience. The 15-minute oral presentation highlights and synthesizes the key takeaways that have shaped each student’s leadership development and perspective on engineering leadership. Through the presentation, Certificate students must provide evidence of learning and growth grounded in experiences and demonstrate analysis and reflection of their development.

How do I start?

It’s easy to begin the RCEL Certificate journey - simply sign up to take RCEL 100: Self-Awareness & the Engineering Leader next semester. The course requirements can be completed in as few as 2 years or stretched out over four years at Rice.

How to Declare the Certificate

To declare the RCEL Certificate in Engineering Leadership:

Login to ESTHER.
Print an unofficial transcript.
Go to Student Services & Account Information > Degrees, Majors, and Minors Declared > UG Declaration and Change of Major (or Minor or University Certificate) Form.
Print and fill out the form. Note: You must submit a separate form for EACH major (or minor or university certificate) you are adding or dropping.
Take the completed form and transcript to the appropriate department for approval. Have the advisor and/or department chair for the major/minor/university certificate sign the UG Declaration and Change of Major (or Minor or University Certificate) Form.
If the form cannot be signed immediately by the major (or minor or university certificate) advisor and/or department chair, leave it with the department for signature and pick it up when complete.
Please Note: We discourage students from leaving their forms with the department to be forwarded to our office, especially during the deadline period.
Return the completed form in person to the Office of the Registrar.

More information here: Majors, Minors and University Certificates | Office of the Registrar