Masters Degrees in Energy Technologies, Ireland

Costs: Fees for 2016/17 TBC. 2015-2016 Irish/EU €8,500. Plus subsistence expenses (food etc.) associated with field trips, including the Tidal Energy module based at Queen’s Marine Laboratory, Portaferry, Northern Ireland. Software necessary for assignments will be provided in UCC laboratories but may not be available for remote use. Optional sea safety training.

Overview

The programme covers a range of engineering and non-engineering topics relevant to the marine renewable energy industry, which is expected to grow rapidly in the coming decade. This will lead to a requirement for engineers with good knowledge of engineering fundamentals as well as detailed knowledge of how wind, wave and tidal devices will be designed, deployed and operated. A key aspect of the programme is the provision of specially-developed advanced modules in marine renewable energy which are not available in any other master’s course. This is an all-Ireland programme, hosted by UCC, delivered in partnership with the following academic institutions: Cork Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Queen’s University Belfast, University College Dublin and the University of Limerick.

Course Details

Students take 90 credits as follows:

In Part I students must take the five core modules (unless these or equivalent courses have already been taken), to a total of 25 credits. Students also choose electives from the list below, or may, with the approval of the Programme Director, choose other modules from the University’s Calendar.

NB: For the purposes of this programme it has been agreed that all non-UCC modules are treated as either 5 or 10 credits.

Part II consists of a Marine Renewable Energy Research Project (NE6020), to the value of 30 credits, completed over the summer months, either in industry or in an academic research laboratory in one of the partner institutions. Projects are offered subject to availability of suitable proposals from industry, and will be offered to students based on order of merit of results achieved in Part I. Students are also encouraged to make efforts to secure their own placement from suitable industrial hosts, outside of the list provided.

In every case, the final choice of modules is subject to the approval of the Programme Director of the MEngSc (Marine Renewable Energy). Students may take a maximum total of 15 credits only of undergraduate modules on this programme.

Part I
Core Modules
CE4020 Environmental Hydrodynamics (5 credits; UCC)
NE6003 Wind Energy (5 credits; UCC)
NE6005 Ocean Energy (5 credits; UCC)
NE6010 Advanced Topics in Marine Renewable Energy (5 credits; All institutions)
NE6906 Tidal Energy (5 credits; QUB; 1-week block)

Elective Modules

Students select modules to the value of 35 credits from the following list, (or from elsewhere in the UCC Calendar, subject to approval):

AC6301 Innovation Finance (5 credits) (UCC)
NE3003 Sustainable Energy (5 credits; UCC)
CE4013 Harbour & Coastal Engineering (5 credits; UCC)
CE6024 Finite Element Analysis (5 credits; UCC)
EE4001 Power Electronics, Drives & Energy Conversion (5 credits; UCC)
EE4010 Electrical Power Systems (5 credits; UCC)
EV4012 Environmental Impact Assessments (5 credits) (UCC)
GL6007 Practical Offshore Geological Exploration (5 credits; offered subject to availability of survey vessel time) (UCC)
IS6306 Technology Business Planning (5 credits) (UCC)
LW6104 Intellectual Property Law for High-Tech Entrepreneurs (5 credits) (UCC)
NE6007 Energy Systems Modelling (5 credits; UCC)
NE6901 Control Systems (5 credits; NUIM - EE612)
NE6902 Maintenance & Reliability (5 credits; CIT - MANU8003)

Part II
NE6020 Marine Renewable Energy Research Project (30 credits; All institutions; Summer)

Application Procedure

Application for this programme is on-line at http://www.pac.ie/ucc. Places on this programme are offered in rounds. The closing dates for each round can be found here (http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/how/applicationclosingdates/). For full details of the application procedure click How to apply - http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/how/

Course Practicalities

You will be studying a range of engineering and non-engineering topics relevant to a career in the marine renewable energy industry.

The programme will include modules in engineering topics such as Wind Energy, Wave Energy, Tidal Energy, Ocean-Structure Interactions; Ocean Energy Device Design; Control Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Grid Integration and Storage; Marine Operations & Robotics.

The course content will be delivered via blended learning, with some modules presented in traditional lecture format, and some modules delivered remotely using e-learning technologies. All modules will have a significant element of continuous assessment throughout the year. The Tidal Energy module is delivered during a one-week field visit to the Portaferry research laboratory of Queen’s University Belfast.

A significant element of the programme is a R&D project carried out in conjunction with either an industry partner or an academic research group, with the final three months spent working on the project on placement with the partner.

Non-engineering topics available include Intellectual Property Law; Innovation Finance; Environmental Impact Assessment; Practical Offshore Geological Exploration.

Assessment

Taught modules (total >= 60 ECTS): will be assessed via a mixture of continuous assessment (assignments and mini design projects) and traditional examinations. This depends on the contributing institution, for example in NUIM, coursework and project-based learning is emphasised. The project module (30 ECTS) will be assessed by means of: oral presentation and seminar; logbook; written report, with input from the industrial placement supervisor.

Read less

This post-graduate programme has been designed to facilitate professionals practicing in the areas of building design, management and technology. Its’ purpose is to provide expertise in terms of; energy use, environmental performance and sustainability in the design and operation of buildings and their associated facilities and services systems.

The programme will focus on Sustainable and Low energy building design; Building energy performance and analysis; Dynamic thermal simulation; Low and zero carbon heat and power generation technologies; Energy policy and legislation; Energy auditing; Facilities management and Building pathology and investigation.

The knowledge, skills and competencies that participants will gain are relevant to their career development. This programme is developed to meet the Level 9 criteria as set out by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI). The treatment of all programme subjects will encourage the development of powers of analysis, of synthesis and of communication. This will be achieved by building upon both the undergraduate studies and postgraduate experience of participants to develop a broader understanding of low energy building design and management. In addition the selection of a research topic for a dissertation will allow the student to concentrate on one or more of these directions.

The Masters degree requires successful completion of twelve mandatory modules. The student must also complete an applied programme consisting of a Research Dissertation and an Industrial Research seminar series

Read less

Please note due to the great demand for our programmes early applications are assessed when received and dealt with promptly. Therefore it is advisable to make early applications for an early response. If you do not yet have your final degree results this will not hinder your application as we are happy to issue conditional offer letters in such circumstances.

The programme has been planned in response to a need in Industry for a master's degree programme that integrates energy, environmental issues and management. The programme will enhance the present and future effectiveness of managers, engineers and scientists by providing an opportunity to study the theory and practice of current developments, laws, standards, technologies, management, economics and finance, associated with European energy and environmental issues. Graduates from the programme will be effective managers of environmental technology with an in-depth awarenesss of resource management under financial and environmental constraints.

The programme is designed primarily for engineers, but will also be of interest to scientists , managers and multi-discipline professionals such as environment health officers, architects and planning officers.

Assessment

There is a formal examination and a list of assignments to be completed for each course module. The project will be assessed on the basis of the work undertaken, an oral presentation and a written report on this work.

Read less

UCC have developed a Masters in Engineering Science in Sustainable Energy, in recognition of the growing international market for sustainable energy systems and the shortage of qualified engineers. This programme is open to Engineering graduates of all disciplines with an 8 month programme option leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy.

Visit the website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr26/

Course Details

In Part I students take modules to the value of 50 credits and a Preliminary Research Report in Sustainable Energy (NE6008) to the value of 10 credits. Part II consists of a Dissertation in Sustainable Energy (NE6009) to the value of 30 credits which is completed over the summer months.

Part I

Students take 50 credits as follows:

NE3002 Energy in Buildings (5 credits)
EE3011 Power Electronic Systems (5 credits)
EE4010 Electrical Power Systems (5 credits)
NE3003 Sustainable Energy (5 credits)
NE4006 Energy Systems in Buildings (5 credits)
NE6003 Wind Energy (5 credits)
NE6004 Biomass Energy (5 credits)
NE6005 Ocean Energy (5 credits)
NE6006 Solar and Geothermal Energy (5 credits)
NE6007 Energy Systems Modelling (5 credits)

Depending on the background of the student, the Programme Coordinator may decide to replace some of the above taught modules from the following list of modules up to a maximum of 20 credits:

CE4001 The Engineer in Society (Law, Architecture and Planning) (5 credits)
EE3012 Electromechanical Energy Conversion (5 credits)
EE4001 Power Electronics, Drives and Energy Conversion (5 credits)
EE4002 Control Engineering (5 credits)
EE6107 Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Drives (5 credits)
ME6007 Mechanical Systems (5 credits)
NE4008 Photovoltaic Systems (5 credits)
PE6003 Process Validation and Quality (5 credits)

In addition, all students must take 10 credits as follows:

NE6008 Preliminary Research Report in Sustainable Energy (10 credits)

Part II

NE6009* Dissertation in Sustainable Energy (30 credits)

*must be submitted on a date in September as specified by the Department

Detailed Entry Requirements

Candidates must have a BE(Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum grade 2H2. However, candidates with equivalent academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted subject to the approval of College of Science, Engineering and Food Science. In all cases, the course of study for each candidate must be approved by the Programme Coordinator.
Candidates, for whom English is not their primary language, should possess an IELTS of 6.5 (or TOEFL equivalent) with no less than 6.0 in each individual category.

Candidates from Grandes Écoles Colleges are also eligible to apply if they are studying a cognate discipline in an ENSEA or EFREI Graduate School and are eligible to enter the final year (M2) of their programme.

Assessment

- Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy -

Students who pass but fail to achieve the requisite grade of 50% across the taught modules and the Preliminary Research Report will be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy. Candidates passing Part I of the programme who do not wish to proceed to Part II may opt to be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy.

How to apply: http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/how/

Funding and Scholarships

Information regarding funding and available scholarships can be found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/cblgradschool/current/fundingandfinance/fundingscholarships/

Read less