MSc Energy Engineering
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 1 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2023
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Course Overview
Be the energy engineer that the industry needs. Our highly commended collaboration with industry means that you’ll graduate with experience in the energy sector and the perfect mix of knowledge, contacts and sought-after transferable skills.
Right from the start, you’ll have invaluable opportunities to mix with professional engineers through lectures, networking events and site visits. And you’ll find that our course material—kept current by our Industrial Advisory Board—is uniquely tailored to the needs of the industry right now, ensuring that our graduates are in demand among employers.
Whether you’re looking for a change of career into the fast-growing world of energy engineering or to top up a first degree, this accredited MSc is your unique route into the sector.
We’ve developed this MSc programme in partnership with industry and employers through close collaboration with the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) – aiming to address the national and regional shortage of high-calibre engineering graduates with specialist expertise in energy engineering. The breadth of our course has also enabled some of our graduates to enter other engineering disciplines.
This programme allows you to master fundamental energy and electrical engineering principles alongside a range of options in renewable energy, nuclear energy and oil and gas engineering. Ultimately, you’ll recognise the long-term goal of renewable energy alongside the broader reality of a sustainable energy mix.
Throughout your course, there will be many opportunities to mix with practising professional engineers during modules, at trade events, local branch meetings and on project work. Your most significant project will be your dissertation, where you’ll have the chance to undertake the practical element whilst on placement within the energy sector.
Upon graduation, the experience and skills you will have gained throughout this highly specialised MSc will put you one step ahead of other graduates. There is a shortage of engineers in the energy sector, so graduates from our programme are in high demand among employers and many are already in key positions.
Accreditations
This course is professionally accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council. For applicants who have already achieved an award from an accredited IET undergraduate programme, this Master’s degree provides the further learning required for CEng registration. This course is also accredited by the Energy Institute on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
Completing an accredited course enables you to demonstrate to employers your knowledge, abilities, skills, and competencies as specified in the Engineering Council's UK-SPEC4.0.
Professionally recognised engineers can benefit from improved career prospects and higher earning potential. This accreditation is an international recognition and can also pave the way to further career opportunities abroad.
Study and Modules
Structure
The course is delivered mainly by the School of Engineering, which houses a growing group of world-leading experts in sustainable energy technologies. We are also supported by other academics within the Faculty of Science, which houses an impressive base of engineering knowledge, particularly in the Schools of Mathematics, Environmental Sciences, Computing Sciences and Chemistry.
This year-long Master’s course consists of 120 credits of taught modules (across two semesters between September and May) followed by a dissertation for a further 60 credits. Your taught modules will include 120 credits of compulsory modules plus 60 credits from modules of your choice.
In the autumn term, you’ll begin by studying key underpinning material in a compulsory module that brings everybody up to the same level in mathematics and technical skills – introducing techniques you will utilise across the rest of the course.
You’ll also cover introductory material in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, supported by hands-on work in our modern laboratory facilities. This module allows us to act as a conversion course for non-engineering graduates and top up a first degree in engineering for others. Every student will have demonstrated at least the equivalent of UK A-level standard mathematical ability – and you’ll find that the variety of backgrounds makes for a rich learning environment.
There will be many opportunities to network with practising engineers, kicking off with a team exercise in the autumn term that culminates in a presentation to professionals before a networking buffet. Later in the term there are opportunities to attend trade social events such as the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) Christmas Ball. The highlight of the year is their Southern North Sea Conference held near Norwich.
We work with industry specialists throughout the course to provide you with a real context for your studies in many different ways – from lectures to site visits. Recently, students have visited a Seajacks jack-up wind turbine installation vessel, a gas processing plant at Bacton, a major substation run by GE, and Claxton Engineering, a supply chain company in the oil and gas sector. There’s also our annual visit to Sizewell nuclear power station.
Our dedicated Business Relationship Manager has many industry links to help you source dissertation placements. What’s more, our partnership with EEEGR gives us access to hundreds of member companies and preferential entry to trade conferences (such as the annual Southern North Sea Conference held locally).
You’ll find that UEA is unique in having such a well-organised energy trade group locally – and EEEGR’s continued support of UEA Engineering has been recognised in a national award as one of the best university/industry partnerships.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Customise your course to suit your learning style, with plenty of support from UEA – from one-to-one meetings with your personal adviser to the Learning Enhancement team in Student Support Services.
You’ll typically be in a small cohort alongside students from across the Faculty of Science, who are attracted by our mix of modules. This multi-disciplinary group enhances the team working exercises that employers love to hear about.
Some skills transfer across all your potential careers – so we make sure we focus on these. You’ll gain complete confidence in: spreadsheet tools for analysing large data sets (e.g. to estimate wind resource); modern numerical calculation software (which is fast replacing hand calculations as industry standard); and conveying specific recommendations using concise English. You’ll also develop your time-management skills, executing multiple projects within set deadlines. These are just some of the skills that are highly valued by our graduates when they begin their careers.
Independent Study
Alongside collaborating with your peer group to enhance your learning, there will also be many opportunities to work independently. This brings a real breadth and depth to your skills – something that’s often highlighted by potential employers.
You’ll demonstrate your ability to work independently most clearly through your dissertation. You’ll work intensely on this over a 12-week period, applying all the skills you’ve learned to a real-world project either on a placement, linked to a company, or within a research group.
Assessment
We make sure our assessment techniques prepare you for the professional world. So rather than seeing your target audience for most assessments as the lecturer, we’ll encourage you to aim it at your future industry line manager.
Most assessment is coursework-based, which will help you master time management skills. Team working, peer assessment and self-reflection will highlight your strengths, enabling you to articulate them clearly at future interviews.
You’ll also experience a variety of other assessment types – from group presentations to individual technical reports. We’ll give you extensive feedback for both formative and summative assessments.
Entry Requirements
- Degree Classification
- Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
- Degree Subject
- Any subject area which includes significant mathematical content.
- English Foreign Language
We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:
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IELTS: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in two components only, with 6.0 in the other two)
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PTE (Pearson): 64 (minimum 59 in two components only with 64 in the other two)
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests
INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk.
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- Intakes
This course is open to UK, EU and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Entry with other qualifications or experience will be considered if the necessary mathematical and technical expertise has been acquired elsewhere (e.g. relevant industrial experience).
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Applicants applying for a Student VISA will require an ATAS certificate before they apply. Please note the Government are taking several weeks to process ATAS requests, so please ensure you request clearance in good time. If you have any questions please contact pgt.admissions@uea.ac.uk.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2023/24 are:
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UK Students: £10,500 (full time)
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International Students: £21,250 (full time)
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Course Related Costs
We’ll cover any costs associated with taught modules such as site visits, or conference attendance fees.
Some dissertation placements have costs that are difficult to predict – but you won’t have to choose placements that you can’t afford. Sometimes your placement provider will cover your costs, but because of the nature of industry this is not something we can control. Please note that we cannot guarantee any student a work placement as this decision rests with potential employers.
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of other course-related costs.
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
You’ll graduate from UEA as a multi-disciplined engineer with a transferable skill set – meaning you can move into a variety of career directions.
You’ll have built relationships with local and regional companies through your networking and dissertation that will have enhanced your commercial awareness and may even lead directly to employment.
Past graduates have worked across the energy sector, including offshore operations with Seajacks, renewable energy and building services with REN Energy, remote oil rigs with ODE, photovoltaic installation with LightSource and energy storage with Connected Energy. Others have secured postgraduate positions with the Environment Agency or in civil engineering, risk assessment and insurance, to mention a few.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Energy management
- Renewable energy installation, operation, and maintenance
- Energy from waste
- Electricity generation and distribution
- Engineering supply chain
- Energy industry