Sustainable Engineering: Energy MSc
About this course
Please note: If you start the full-time course in January 2026, it will last 15 months. All other full-time courses (without a placement) are 12 months long.
This course is situated in a new and rapidly growing Sustainable Energy sector, addressing the skills shortage required for the Green Industrial Revolution. This course will prepare you for a diverse set or roles and industries in the move to cleaner energy generation, distribution and consumption. Graduates will acquire advanced-level computational skills sought by the wind, hydro and solar power generation industries.
This course is newly developed, current and cutting edge in its approach to addressing existing and emerging Sustainable Energy opportunities. The course provides you with the required theoretical and advanced computational skills to explore the potential and possibilities of Sustainable Energy in a variety of applications to enable a sustainable future. During this course, you will connect and collaborate with aligned industries through live industry and research projects.
This course benefits from a strong body of staff expertise and research in the area particularly in relation to advanced computer modelling, simulation and analysis and nanotechnology and advanced materials.
We are seeking accreditation from the IET for this course.
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96%
of postgraduate Engineering (general) students are satisfied with the quality of their course (PTES 2023)
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Top quality research
In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). We’re proud that 98% of NTU's Engineering submissions were assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.
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Study in fantastic facilities
– from drone labs and a wind tunnel to a section of a real aircraft, our Engineering building has everything you need to think and work like a professional engineer.
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Learn from the experts
at a university rated TEF ‘Gold’ for teaching and learning.
What you’ll study
You will be working in groups during lab exercises for some of the modules and also work on individual projects, especially during the individual industrial or engineering research project. You will have the possibility to work on (live) projects during all modules as part of training and formative assessment. Below is an overview of the areas you will cover.
- Sustainable Energy Technologies, including Solar, Wave, Wind and Geothermal sources of power.
- Advanced computational analysis, modelling and simulation of the efficiency of systems through fluid dynamics.
- Design to Market: ethical concerns, regulatory factors, lifecycle management, end of life destinations.
- Energy Management: electricity generation, distribution, use, storage and consumption
- Nanotechnologies and materials, future applications, performance enhancement and engineering efficiencies.
- Capstone Individual project conducted with an industry or research partner.
Sustainable Energy Technologies and Innovation
This module will teach engineering solutions for managing energy systems in a sustainable way. Technologies for improving the efficiency of electrical power systems in terms of electricity generation, distribution, and consumption will be discussed in detail.
Design to Market
This module will explore current product case studies to understand the process from design concept to prototype and onward to product manufacturing, marketing, and sales.
Introduction to Nanotechnology
This module will introduce the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology and give you the tools to follow, apply and drive development in the field. It will introduce the key concepts and provide an overview of the scope of nanotechnologies, from electronics through photonics to applications of nanomaterials and nanobiotechnology.
Sustainable Energy Management
This module will explore engineering solutions for managing energy systems in a sustainable way. You will develop an understanding of technologies for improving the efficiency of electrical power systems including electricity generation, distribution, and consumption and discuss technological solutions for mitigating the detrimental impacts of power generation.
Environmental and Industrial Fluid Dynamics
This module will explore the theories, models and computational skills that scientists and engineers have developed to better understand environmental and industrial flows.
Research Methods
The research methods elements of this module will focus on literature searching and critical reviewing strategies, ethical considerations, research design, sampling and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques using applicable software tools.
Individual Industrial or Research Project
This module is the “capstone” project in which you will bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills you have developed. You will investigate an engineering problem, implement solutions, critically evaluate, and reflect on your work, and develop your abilities to communicate, self-organise and manage. The CPD component of this module will inform your learning journey both throughout your MSc and after.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
How you're taught
This programme is delivered by a combination of:
- Lectures
- Workshops
- Seminars and Tutorials
- Project Work
- Case studies
- Oral presentations
- Workshops
- Laboratory assessments and reports.
Research informed teaching
By daring to think differently our research is tackling real-world issues. The subjects you will study with us are informed by our research so you can be sure your knowledge will be cutting-edge in your field. In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) - the UK's system for assessing the quality and impact of research in universities - we’re proud that 98% of NTU's Engineering submission was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study, you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a new language or improving the skills you already have. Find out more about the ULP.
How you're assessed
You will be assessed by a mixture of coursework and exams.
Coursework (60%), written (27%) and practical (13%)
Contact hours
Lectures / seminars / workshops (26%) and independent study (74%)
Careers and employability
Mentoring and support
All students will be allocated a personal tutor throughout their course of study in order to provide pastoral support. Each module will provide students with the opportunity to engage with specialist lecturers via seminars and project work, allowing them to explore knowledge they are applying to assignments and topical discussion points.
All staff members teaching on the programme are members of professional institutions and most are active researchers, with many undertaking industrial consultancy.
Your future
You will graduate with a range of skills applicable to the Green industrial revolution. You will be able to perform the next generation of simulation techniques through parallel computing, techniques valuable to the industry because of their high level of fidelity and high accuracy.
You could go on to work in advisory, analysis consulting, design engineering or computer modelling roles in industry, local authority, charities or NGOs in industries such as the Energy Sector, Consultancy and Local Government.
Students may also wish to study further at the doctoral level in the area.
Placement
NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with a range of career programmes and events.
This course offers you the opportunity to take a one-year placement if you start in September and nine months if you start in January. With placement, the course will be a total of two years of full-time study.
The school of Science and Technology will work closely with you to help you find a placement and strengthen your CV and interview techniques. During the placement year, an academic member of staff will visit to check on your progress and offer any advice. On completion of the placement year, students will submit a placement report and continue back at NTU for three months during which time they will complete their research project.
Re:search Re:imagined
To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter. From conservation management to sustainable farming, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise up and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.
NTU Enterprise
You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the Engineering Building with access to facilities including our aero lab, VR suite and Robotics Test Arena.
- CAD suites
- Range of specialist software including full Ansys suite, Tecplot and OpenFOAM.
- Advanced Photonics and Optics Laboratory
Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your course mates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!
You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
Entry requirements
UK students
- A UK honours degree (minimum 2:1) or equivalent in a related BEng / BSc discipline such as Engineering, Maths, Physics
- Applicants with relevant employment experience or other relevant qualifications will also be considered
Additional requirements for UK students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
Other qualifications and experience
We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
- Academic entry requirements: A UK honours degree (minimum 2:1) or equivalent in a related BEng / BSc discipline such as Engineering, Maths, Physics. Please check your international qualifications on our international entry requirements page.
- English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
We welcome applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds and work experience. We consider credit transfer, vocational and professional qualifications, and any work or life experience you may have.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
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Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
