Sustainable Energy Futures

The MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures aims to develop the next generation of leaders in the energy sector. This postgraduate course provides grounding in the major features of global energy issues, sustainable energy technologies and their interactions with economics, the environment and policy. Taking a quantitative approach to the study of technology and systems, the MSc mainly attracts students from engineering and physical sciences, though not exclusively. It will also appeal to those with some post degree experience wishing to gain a broader, more strategic perspective of energy issues.

All students take three foundation courses in the autumn term, including Energy Systems Technology, Methods for the Analysis of Energy Systems, and Energy Economics and Policy. These provide a common basis, language and analytical toolkit to students from diverse backgrounds. They are followed by a set of more specialised modules, and a research project. Each course typically involves elements of coursework, small projects and self study in addition to formal lectures. The foundation taught courses are complemented by seminars delivered by distinguished external leaders from industry, commerce and government. During the autumn term the students are also required to participate in the Energy Futures Debating Society and each is required to research and lead a debate in a current energy topic.
The foundation courses are delivered in parallel in the traditional, linear mode, while the specialist courses are a sequence of 6 intensive, one or two-week modules, all of which are compulsory. Students select a research project in the first term and present an initial literature review report (assessed) in the spring term, with the bulk of the research conducted in April-September. To emphasise the inter-disciplinarity of the MSc, research projects will each aim to have at least two supervisors from different departments.
To complement the formal teaching, students are required to attend six core transferable skills workshops offered by Graduate Schools. These are not examined, but are nonetheless mandatory.
This course structure was chosen so as to enable the development of exchange programmes with selected academic partners, whereby our students may spend some period at collaborating institutions and we may host their students (subject to agreement and mutual recognition). Similarly, some of our own modules may be taught at partner institutions, and invited guest lecturers will be able to deliver short courses here on special topics.
Taught Courses
Autumn Term: Foundation courses, Seminar course:
SEF01. Energy Systems Technology (35 hours) 6 ECTS units
SEF02. Methods for the Analysis of Energy Systems (35 hours) 6 ECTS units
SEF03. Energy Economics and Policy (35 hours) 6 ECTS units
SEF04. Seminars/Debating Society Course (20 hours) 2 ECTS units
SEF10. Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
Spring Term: 5 Courses:
SEF05. Urban Energy Systems (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
SEF06. Bioenergy (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
SEF07. Low Carbon Technologies (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
SEF08. Energy Transmission and Storage (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
SEF09. Sustainable Transport (36 hours) 5 ECTS units
Research Project: 40 ECTS units
Project selected in during the autumn term. A literature review report is presented in the spring term with the final dissertation due in early September.
 

The minimum qualification for admission is normally an Upper Second Class (2:1) Honours degree from a UK academic institution (or an equivalent overseas qualification) in engineering or physical sciences.

If your first degree is from a country other than the UK, you may find the guidelines within our Country Index helpful. Please note that these guidelines indicate the College minimum. Our requirement is usually higher.

Consideration may also be given to excellent applicants with degrees in life sciences and economics where these included an adequate component of mathematics or candidates with extensive relevant post-degree experience.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Bursaries

The Energy Futures Lab has two studentships available for UK students of £10,200 each, to cover tuition fees. If you are a UK student applying to the course and would like to be considered for the studentship, please indicate it on your application form. 

Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies in Energy and the Environment in the United Kingdom

Application period:  From 2th February 2014 through 26th March 2015.

As part of its scholarships Programme, Fundación IBERDROLA has launched a new announcement calling for applications for the Postgraduate Studies in Energy and the Environment in the United Kingdom for the 2015/16 academic year.

This call is aimed at British, Spanish and American students with a bachelor's or master's degree who wish to continue their specialization in academic institutions of excellence in the United Kingdom in the following knowledge areas:

• Renewable energies
• Sustainable energy systems
• The environment
• Clean combustion technologies and emissions management
• Energy efficiency
• Energy storage
• Electric vehicles
• Smart grids

Candidates can choose between the following universities:

1. Imperial College of London (United Kingdom)
2. University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
3. University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom)
4. University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)
5. University of Glasgow (United Kingdom)

The duration of the scholarship will be a maximum of one calendar year. In the selection process, candidates will be assessed on aspects such as submitted academic marks, curriculum and letters of reference, and applications including a certificate accrediting admission in either university for the Fall Term of the 2015-2016 academic year will be particularly highly valued.
The scholarships from Fundación IBERDROLA are intended for students of Spanish, British or US
nationality.
· Applicants must be in possession of a bachelor with honours or master’s degree from a
recognized university on submission of the application. If the applicant is still in the final year of
the academic course 2014-2015, the grant will be contingent upon whether the applicant secures.
the university degree at the end of the academic cycle in June/July 2015 with the same average
grades or greater than the grades at the time of the call for applications.
· Applicants must follow the usual procedure for enrolling at the university they wish to attend.
Applications submitted by students who have not applied for enrolment at the university will be
rejected during the selection process.
· Applicants may not receive any remuneration or wages or be in receipt of any scholarship,
financial aid or other award of a similar nature from institutions and public or private foundations
during the period that the scholarship is awarded for.
· Applications presented by candidates with a grade point average (GPA) during the pursuit of the
degree lower than 3.5 for universities in the USA, lower than "upper second class honours” for
universities in the UK and below 7.0 on scale 10 for Spanish universities will be rejected.
Candidates who have been awarded Fundación IBERDROLA Scholarships in previous
announcements are excluded from assessment.
Documentation
To be eligible for the Scholarship, the interested party must fill in and send the electronic application
form*
before 14:00 pm (GMT+1**) on March 26th 2015, including the following documentation which
should be named with the number of document followed by the surname of the applicant e.g. Document
1 Smith:
· Document 1. Photocopy of the national identity card or passport.
· Document 2. CV, with a recent photo of the applicant.
· Document 3. If university studies have been completed, a photocopy of the certificate or a
receipt proving that the certificate has been requested, as well as a photocopy of other
qualifications obtained by the applicant.
· Document 4. For those students who hold a university degree, a photocopy of the certificates for
university studies completed, detailing all the subjects and grades obtained each year. Final year
students may submit an official listing of the subjects studied and the grades obtained so far.
· Document 5. Two original reference letters from university professors. In those cases where the
applicant has been employed for several years, one of the reference letters may be from his/her
immediate supervisor.
· Document 6. A certificate of language proficiency for the languages specified in the form. Spanish
applicants must establish their knowledge of English through one of the following certificates:TOEFL (minimum grade: 95 in Internet based, 240 in computer based or 587 in paper based).
- Cambridge University: Certificate in Advanced English (grade A or B) or Proficiency.
- IELTS (minimum grade: 7).
· Document 7. Contract or employment record accounting for the applicant's professional
experience, if any.
· Document 8. Certificate accrediting the awards and grants specified in the form. Only awards and
grants gained since the commencement of your university career will be accepted.
· Document 9. Certification accrediting Admission to a University for the 2015-2016 course.
The above are the minimum certifications required for accepting an application in the selection
process for this scholarship announcement. However, for admitting a candidate, the university
may not accept the aforementioned language certificates if they are not renewed every two
years.
If the applicant is shortlisted, Fundación IBERDROLA may call for the original or duly certified copy
of the documents and any other document that it may deem to be necessary.
The maximum size permitted per document is 3 MB.

*The electronic questionnaire can be found on the Fundación IBERDROLA website http//www.fundacioniberdrola.org, in the Training and
Research Area.
**Note: 13.00h for UK time

Selection process
Shortlist
The selection process will include an initial shortlist of candidates, taking into account academic
qualifications, their CV, the interest of their project of studies and reference letters. Fundación
IBERDROLA will especially take into account applications that provide the accredited certificate of final
admission to any of the universities for the academic year 2015-2016.
Fundación IBERDROLA will request confirmation of admission to process by the corresponding university
for the selected course. Applications which have been rejected by the University for the Selected
Programme will not be taken into consideration in the scholarship award process.
Fundación IBERDROLA will publish on its website the names of shortlisted candidates from the
announcement.
Personal interview
If the shortlisting process is passed, the Fundación IBERDROLA selection committee may arrange a
personal interview with the candidate in order to assess his/her personal conditions, education and
motivation.
If attending the interview entails travel and/or accommodation costs of more than €15, candidates from
USA and UK should contact Iberdrola USA Foundation or Scottish Power Foundation in order to ask for a
possible compensation. This call for scholarships may be declared void for all or part of the scholarships on offer where the
selection committee or the syllabus director proposes so to Fundación IBERDROLA.

Financial contribution***
The scholarship will cover the following:
· Enrolment at the university in the United Kingdom.
£14,400 a year to cover per diem and material expenses. This amount will be paid out in
£1,200monthly instalments.
Payment of the monthly allowance will begin in September 2015 and end on August 2016.
The Scholarship will have a maximum duration of one calendar year from the beginning of the studies
programme. In exceptional cases, the Scholarship may be extended for an additional year, subject to a
new application and the authorisation of Fundación IBERDROLA. The contribution and conditions shall be
those stipulated in the new announcement for the following year. The endowment and conditions will be
as contemplated in the new call for the next year.
For British candidates the Fundación IBERDROLA Scholarship will be funded by the ScottishPower
Foundation. The ScottishPower Foundation will also provide local support to the scholarship recipients.
The amounts of the Scholarship may be paid in the currency of the country of concession of the
scholarship. i.e: Euros- Spanish Students, GBP- UK Students and USD- American Students.
***Where applicable, the corresponding personal income tax withholding will be applied to all payments made by Fundación IBERDROLA.

Candidate nomination
Once the interviews have been conducted, the selection committee will propose the list of selected
candidates. Fundación IBERDROLA will make the final decision on the candidates finally accepted. The
final list of candidates and a list of substitutes will be published in the Training and Research activity
section of the Fundación IBERDROLA website (www.fundacioniberdrola.org) on June 15th 2015.
The list of candidates approved by Fundación IBERDROLA is final. Fundación IBERDROLA will not provide
any information on the applications that have been rejected.
The final nomination of candidates is subject to the following conditions being met:
· Send a signed Acceptance Letter dated at the most five working days after the date of publication
of the final list of beneficiaries to the following postal address:
Call for Energy & Environment Post Graduate Studies in the UK 2015
C/ Arequipa 1, planta 4
28043 Madrid
Spain
Independently of its submission to the aforementioned postal address, a scanned copy of the
signed Acceptance Letter must be sent in advance to the Fundación IBERDROLA email address.
The text of the Acceptance Letter will be provided to the beneficiaries by email on the date on
which the final selection of candidates is made public.
· Submission to Fundación IBERDROLA before June 10th 2015 of a certification of final admission to
study at the chosen university. If they are not admitted, the candidates will lose their right to the
scholarship.
· Submission by final-year students of the official certification showing that they have obtained the
corresponding degree. Failure to complete the studies will result in cancellation of the
scholarship.