Refresher Courses
As a working professional exploring your graduate degree, you might wonder if you have the prerequisite knowledge to succeed. At WPI, we understand the unique challenges of returning to academics while managing a career. That’s why we offer refresher courses tailored to ensure you’re ready to excel in your chosen field and confident in your ability to tackle the program’s challenges.
The following refresher courses apply to the following Graduate Programs:
Fire Protection Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, Explosion Protection Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Systems Engineering Leadership, or any of WPI’s Business School programs.
Logistics and Registration
- Refresher courses are for students with an admissions decision into one of WPI’s graduate programs (specifically, those listed above). If you haven’t completed your application, you can apply here.
- To enroll in a refresher course, please contact your Student Success Team Member or your Student Engagement and Recruiting Manager.
- Refresher courses are available in a convenient online, self-paced format and can be taken at your convenience.
- Refresher courses have an associated fee and can be found on the individual course links below.
- Foundational prerequisites offer no credit.
- Successful completion of these courses does not guarantee success in a WPI graduate program.
Current Refresher Course Offerings
Calculus I & II
This course provides a review of differentiation: its concepts and applications. It assumes that the participant has taken courses in elementary differential and integral calculus at some point in the past, and is seeking to rebuild their understanding and skills. Topics include: the definition of derivative (algebra and geometry), differentiation skills for polynomials, logs, exponentials and trig functions, the Chain Rule and differential approximations. From integral calculus, Riemann Sums, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, integration techniques including but not limited to U substitutions and Parts. Applications include exponential growth and decay, cooling, and regression. Students should be willing to review algebra, trig and analytic geometry as needed.
Fluid Mechanics
A study of the fundamental laws of statics, kinematics and dynamics applied to fluid mechanics. The course will include fluid properties, conservation of mass, momentum and energy as applied to real and ideal fluids. Laminar and turbulent flows, fluid resistance and basic boundary layer theory will also be considered. Recommended background: basic physics, basic differential equations, and vectors.
Heat Transfer
This course presents the fundamentals of heat transfer in three modes of conduction, convection and radiation. Topics include steady-state and transient heat conduction, forced external and internal convection, natural convection, heat exchanger analysis, radiation properties, and radiative exchange between surfaces. Recommended background: knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and ordinary differential equations, or equivalents.
Introduction to Thermodynamics
This course presents the fundamentals of heat transfer in three modes of conduction, convection and radiation. Topics include steady-state and transient heat conduction, forced external and internal convection, natural convection, heat exchanger analysis, radiation properties, and radiative exchange between surfaces. Recommended background: knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and ordinary differential equations, or equivalents.
Mathematical Foundation of Power Systems
Re-establish your math skills for a strong base in WPI's Power Systems Engineering or Power Systems Management graduate programs.
- Course Modules for this Non-Credit Program:
Module 1: Basic Linear Algebra - Module 2: Solving System of Linear Equations
- Module 3: Matrix Multiplication
- Module 4: Determinants
- Module 5: Matrix Inverse
- Module 6: Finding Eigenvalues; Diagonalization
- Module 7: Basic Differential Equations
- Module 8: Basics of Transforms
Calculus Refresher Modules
Freshen your calculus skills as preparation for WPI graduate programs that require a foundation in this important branch of mathematics.
Course Modules for this Non-Credit Program:
- Module 1: Derivatives
Module 2: Differentiation Techniques
Module 3: The Chain Rule
Module 4: Implicit Differentiation
Module 5: Differentials
Module 6: Integrals
Module 7: Integration by Parts
Module 8: Partial Fractions
Module 9: Trigonometric Integrals
Module 10: Exponential Growth & Decay
Statistics
This course is designed as a "refresher" course to help you learn/remember the basics of statistics, so that you can continue further studies in data science, computer science, or whatever your major may be. The course is self-contained and designed to be finished at your own pace. No grades will be assigned, but please try to complete the homework problems and pass the quizzes to demonstrate mastery of the material. The course does cover a lot of topics, and if you already have a strong background in certain areas, feel free to skip those topics.
Python
The python refresher course is setup as a 6 week self-paced refresher with minimal instructor involvement. Each module will have four to five-15 minute videos followed by an activity or quiz. This refresher is self-paced and some students may finish in less than the 6 weeks allotted.