Energy
Do you want to advance the use of Renewable energy technologies? Would you like a career as an Energy expert who will play a key role in meeting energy demand from sustainable and environmentally friendly sources? The BSc Hons Energy at Ulster University explores renewable energy technologies and the application of science and technology to find innovative solutions to real-world energy problems. Develop innovative solutions to energy challenges and gain the expertise to succeed in the thriving renewables industry.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Ulster University |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 | Ulster University |
Duration
4 years.
Attendance
The degree is a sandwich course of 4 years duration. Years 1, 2 & 4 each are comprised of modules totalling 120 credit points studied over 2 semesters. Year 3 is spent in a 48 week long supervised industrial placement carrying 60 credit points.
All sessions are compulsory, the programme is usually taught over 2-3 days a week, with the remainder of the week for personal study linked to the work covered in the face to face sessions.
One credit point involves 10 hours of learning including directed and independent study.
Entry Requirements
Irish Leaving Certificate
112 UCAS Tariff Points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at Higher Level) to include English at H6 if studied at Higher Level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level.
Course Specific Subject requirements:
This course also requires you to achieve grade H3 in one of the following subjects:
Maths, Environmental Technology or Physics or
Twofrom Economics, Technology, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Construction and Engineering.
If Mathematics is not passed at H3, you will be required to achieve a minimum of H6 if studied at Higher Level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level in addition to one or two of the subjects above.
Careers / Further progression
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course are now working for:
• AECOM
• AES Kilroot Power
• Belfast City Council
• Caldwell
• Harvey Group
• HSC Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
• Power NI
Job roles
With this degree you could become:
• Energy analyst
• Energy systems consultant
• Energy policy design and implementation
• Energy technology designer
• Energy systems engineer
• Energy project manager
• Energy market and business consultant
Career options
There is a large demand for professionals who can help address current and future challenges of affordable, sustainable and secure energy supply across all economic sectors. Embarking upon a career in Energy can open a wide variety of choices in both public and private sectors. As an Energy professional you will be engaging in energy assessments of systems and processes, carrying out the design, sizing and evaluation of alternative/renewable energy systems, depending on their economic, environmental and social acceptability. Career progression will take you into strategic decision-making, budgetary control and wider consultancy responses. Opportunities also exist to continue your studies through MSc and PhD programmes in Renewable Energy, Infrastructure and sustainability issues currently running by the Centre for Sustainable Technologies.
You will be employed in the following areas:
• Energy supply and management
• Energy technology providers
• Consulting (including management, financing and engineering practices)
• General and specialist contracting, offering multi-disciplinary or specific commercial/industrial services
• Governmental and public authorities
• Facilities Management
• Energy advice and training bodies
• Manufacturing companies
• Education
• Self-employment
Further information
Start date: September 2024
Deadlines for on-time applications
2024 entry application deadlines
For courses starting in 2024 (and for deferred applications), your application should be with us at UCAS by one of these dates – depending on what courses you apply for. If your completed application – including all your personal details and your academic reference – is submitted by the deadline, it is guaranteed to be considered.
16 October 2023 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don’t forget you can only have five choices in total.
31 January 2024 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – for the majority of courses.
Some course providers require additional admissions tests to be taken alongside the UCAS application, and these may have a deadline. Find out more about these tests at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/admissions-tests
Check course information in the search tool to see which deadline applies to you at the application weblink below.
Apply as soon as possible: Student funding arrangements mean that as offers are made and places fill up, some courses may only have vacancies for students from certain locations. It’s therefore really important that you apply for your chosen courses by the appropriate deadlines mentioned above, as not all courses will have places for all students.
All applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing - find out more about Clearing at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/clearing-and-results-day/what-clearing
Overview
Develop innovative solutions to energy challenges and gain the expertise to succeed in the thriving renewables industry.
Summary
Do you want to advance the use of Renewable energy technologies? Would you like a career as an Energy expert who will play a key role in meeting energy demand from sustainable and environmentally friendly sources?
With an estimated three million new jobs to be created in the energy and renewable energy sectors across Europe by 2020, there has never been a better time to study energy.
The BSc Hons Energy at Ulster University explores renewable energy technologies and the application of science and technology to find innovative solutions to real-world energy problems.
You will study a number of themes throughout the programme and gain an in-depth knowledge of conventional and renewable energy systems including wind, bio-energy, solar, tidal and wave, heat pumps, smart grids, fuel cells and energy storage technologies. As an expert in energy you will be able to design, specify and monitor their performance and ensure their economic and environmental benefits for different scenarios and locations around the world. You will also develop the intellectual skills required to understand new theories, concepts and methods in unfamiliar situations and adapt them to meet future challenges.
Many of our graduates have shaped successful careers in various roles and settings including energy supply and management, energy technology providers and consulting, among others.
About
The BSc Hons Energy is designed for those who are passionate about environmental causes and wish to discover creative solutions to meet global energy challenges for a sustainable future.
Delivered by the Centre of Sustainable Technologies (CST) and boasting strong industrial links, the course offers an exciting learning experience combining both practical and theoretical elements. Informed by leading research, key themes include energy technologies, sustainability, energy economics and management. Moreover, the international links of CST provide the opportunity to study and research abroad via the Erasmus+ program and European collaboration.
During the course you will develop your knowledge in conventional and renewable energy systems and also learn how to assess relevant policy agendas (e.g. environmental, planning). You will enhance your intellectual skills to explore new theories, concepts and methods in unfamiliar situations and adapt them to meet future challenges. You will study a maths module in Semester 1.
There is a lot of maths throughout this programme, and hence having good numerical skills is essential.
A plentiful and secure supply of Energy is essential to the UK and other European economies. It is also important that we protect the natural environment by adopting sustainable measures. This has created a large demand for skilled energy professionals who can deliver low-carbon environmentally friendly solutions.
Accredited by the Energy Institute (EI), the course is fully career-focused and you will develop the leadership and management skills necessary for professional working life. You will have also the opportunity to undertake a one-year placement in the industry as part of your degree.
Modules
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year 1
Energy and Environmental Systems
Mathematics - BSc
Building Services
Digital Construction and Communication
Science for Engineers
Engineering Fundamentals - Electrical and Fluid Mechanics
Year 2
Ethically Aligned Safety, Health and Wellbeing
Electrical Distribution Systems
Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer
Solar energy systems and storage integration
Bio-Energy & Biofuels
Energy Mathematics
Year 3
Professional Practice - Architectural Engineering and Energy
Year 4
Energy Economics and Management
Green Building Design
Energy Storage & Demand Side Management
Social & Behavioural Change
Project Management
Turbine Technologies
Dissertation A
Dissertation B
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
Associate awards
Diploma in Professional Practice DPP
Diploma in Professional Practice International DPPI
Professional recognition
Energy Institute (EI)
Accredited by the Energy Institute (EI) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Work placement / study abroad
One year work placement is an integral component of the study. Work placement integrates education with the professional life and the wider community, providing a whole range of experiences and skills. You will have the opportunity to go on a work placement during the 3rd year of the BSc (Hons) Energy course.
You can carry out your placement locally or abroad. There is a large range of local (NI and UK) employers seeking placement students with skills in Energy. Erasmus+ grants are available for students that wish to carry out their work placement in the Republic of Ireland or other EU countries. Following the successful completion of a programme of assessments you will be eligible for the award of a Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP).
Building on the international research links of the course team, you will have the opportunity to study part of your course abroad via Erasmus+ collaborations set up with European Universities, which include the University of Lleida (Spain), the University of Naples (Italy) and University of Patras (Greece).
Ulster University,
2-24 York Street,
Belfast
BT15 1AP
T: 02870 123 456