Electrical Power Engineering MSc

This programme is delivered over 12 months, with two semesters of taught courses, followed by a research project leading to the submission of a masters thesis.

The courses correspond to 120 credits of taught material, plus 60 credits of a research project.

Semester 1

• Distributed Energy Resources and Smart Grids
• Power Engineering Fundamentals
• Power Engineering Laboratory
• Engineering Research Methods with Grand Challenge

Semester 2

• Power Systems Engineering and Economics
• Principles of Wind Energy
• Solar Energy & Photovoltaic Systems
• Advanced Power Electronics and Machines

Research Project

• Electrical Power Engineering Dissertation

The main objective of the programme is to train the next generation of electrical power engineers who:

• are aware of the most recent, cutting edge developments in power engineering;
• have skills and training needed in both industrial and academic settings;
• are able to tackle the global energy trilemma of supplying secure, equitable and environmentally sustainable energy, while appreciating the technical, social and economic challenges faced in both developed and developing countries.

Governments worldwide are putting in place plans to decarbonise and modernise their electricity sector. A transition to a green economy will require a highly skilled workforce led by electrical power engineers with a solid academic background, an appreciation of the trajectory of the industry and an understanding of the challenges and implications brought about by the introduction of new power technologies.

According to the Institution for Engineering & Technology (IET): “The business of managing and distributing power in the UK is beginning to undergo revolutionary changes and [power] engineers are the people who will play a pivotal role in keeping the lights on”. This also holds true in many other developed and developing countries in the world.

Power engineers are employed in public/governmental organisations as well as in the private sector and cover areas spanning from generation, to conversion and transmission of electrical power, design and manufacturing of power components and systems, and energy policy and commerce. In the UK, experienced, chartered power engineers can earn around £45,000 a year on average*.

The programme will run in a close association with other activities within the broader Electrical Engineering programme within the School, including networking events, industrial presentations and seminars. It will benefit from the current strong connections with industry (coordinated by the Student Industry Liaison Manager, and existing research associations and consortia (such as the EPSRC Centre for Energy Systems Integration).

*Source

These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.

A UK 2:1 degree, or international equivalent, in Electrical and/or Electronic Engineering.

Applicants with different academic backgrounds may be considered but we expect you to have passed at least two power engineering related courses with marks equivalent to UK 2:1 as a minimum. Examples of relevant courses are power electronics, power systems, electric machines, control engineering, renewable energy etc. This requirement may be partially met by relevant industrial experience; applicants with non-standard backgrounds may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants will also need to submit a personal statement, which should clearly demonstrate both their level of understanding of power engineering, and their strong interest in and commitment to the field.

Please note that entry to this programme is very competitive. A typical offer will normally require a UK first class honours degree or equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Deposit

If you receive an offer of admission you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Any applicants who are required to pay will receive an offer with full details. (If there is no information on your offer about the deposit, then you are not required to pay.)

Find out more about tuition fee deposits:

• Tuition fee deposits

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Engineering International Masters Scholarships

• £3,000

The scholarships will be awarded to overseas applicants who have been accepted for admission on a full-time basis for an eligible postgraduate taught Masters programme within the School of Engineering.

The scholarship will be awarded broadly on the basis of academic merit with candidates requiring a first-class honours degree from a UK university or overseas equivalent.

Learn more about this scholarship:

• Engineering International Masters Scholarship

Scottish Power Scholarship

• Full tuition fees plus a monthly maintenance allowance

ScottishPower has been building relationships with universities in our communities for a number of years. Working together, we aim to support development of future talent while mitigating the projected skills gap within the energy sector.

The programme is designed to financially support high achieving recent graduates in Spain, the United Kingdom and Mexico, who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in industry relevant fields such as engineering, smart grids, renewable energy, sustainability, energy and environment, information technology, big data, cybersecurity, and more.

Learn more about this scholarship:

• Scottish Power Scholarship

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding