MSc Renewable Energy Engineering 12 months Postgraduate Programme By Heriot-Watt University |TopUniversities
Programme Duration

12 monthsProgramme duration

Tuitionfee

26,296 GBPTuition Fee/year

Scholarship

9Scholarships

Main Subject Area

Engineering - GeneralMain Subject Area

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - General

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview of Programme 

MSc Renewable Energy Engineering provides you with the opportunity to study a specialist engineering-focused course in the rapidly expanding sector. By studying this programme, you’ll develop critical understanding of the significant changes afoot in the energy system due to the development and integration of wind, marine, biomass, and solar technologies. Upon graduation, you’ll have the necessary knowledge and skills to develop and implement creative solutions to the problems encountered in renewable energy capture, conversion, storage, and management.  

You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to assess renewable energy resources, design appropriate renewable energy systems, evaluate the performance of these systems and assess the wider impacts of renewable energy development. You’ll be introduced to fundamental energy science and current energy issues, and complete project-led courses in which you’ll design renewable energy systems in response to such energy issues. By doing so, you’ll be exposed to Renewable Energy resources, how the resources are exploited, and the socio-economic and environmental impacts of Renewable Energy-related activities.   

During the master’s programme, you’ll develop detailed knowledge and critical understanding of the core skills, techniques and practices in renewable energy resources, converters and systems and apply this knowledge to complex applications to deliver original and creative solutions to current and emerging problems. On top of practical knowledge and skills, you’ll develop your communication, independent work, and teamwork skills by working effectively with peers, academics, and staff in a variety of tasks.  

The flexible degree structure allows you to focus in on your specific Renewable Energy Engineering interests. On top of the mandatory fundamental teachings, you’ll have the opportunity to choose several optional courses from an extensive list, including modules on electrical power systems, heat exchangers and heat transfers, distributed generation, demand management and energy storage, and climate change, sustainability, and adaptation.  

Our Expertise 

96% of Heriot-Watt University’s engineering research was classed as world-leading in the REF 2021 review, which ranked us 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh. 

Our MSc Renewable Energy Engineering is directly informed by the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt’s Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) research institute which focuses on promoting excellence across four main research themes: 
  • Biomedical Engineering 
  • Digital Engineering 
  • Energy Harvesting and Conversion 
  • Multiphase Flow 

You’ll learn from academics engaged in renewable energy research in five principal areas: 
  • Photovoltaics and solar energy 
  • Wind and marine energy 
  • Renewable energy systems 
  • Minimising CO2 emissions 
  • Biofuels  

Your learning environment

The MSc Renewable Energy Engineering programme is taught though a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory practicals, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme.  

During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by professional mechanical engineering, including machining and manufacturing facilities, an air conditioning unit, Marcet Boiler, high speed wind tunnel rig, wind tunnel for fluid mechanics and aerodynamics, 3D printer, and a uniaxial testing machine. You will have the opportunity to work on real-world problems, and work across disciplines to deliver practical solutions with global impact in our state-of-the-art GRID (Global Research Innovation and Discovery) facility.  

Outside of the classroom, you can join several Energy and Mechanical Engineering societies including: 
  • Our satellite building society, CanSat in which you can build a satellite the size of a drink can and have the opportunity to complete at the AAS CanSat Competition,  
  • HWRacing to build and compete a car at the world-famous Formula Student Competition at Silverstone,  
  • Aero-Watt to build a fully autonomous plane for the IMechE UAS challenge,  
  • and IMechE Railway Challenge team where you’ll build a small-scale locomotive to compete in the national challenge. 


Customise your learning 

You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of renewable energy engineering that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or desired career pathway by studying five mandatory courses and choosing three further options from a range of energy, and mechanical engineering specialist courses, including electrical power systems, heat exchangers and heat transfer, climate change, sustainability and adaptation, and demand management and energy storage.  

In semester three, you’ll undertake an extensive and specialised investigation into your chosen area of renewable energy engineering through your dissertation. You’ll be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by applying design and evaluation techniques to develop new insights and responses to current issues in energy and mechanical engineering industries.   

You can choose whether to study the programme full-time, part-time, or by course. This flexibility allows you to fit your postgraduate studies around your lifestyle. You can begin the programme in September, and the full-time course will last 12 months full time or 24 months part time. If you decided to study part-time, you register for two courses per semester and progress to the dissertation at the end of your second year.   


Accreditation 

This programme is accredited by Energy Institute (EI).   

Students completing an EI accredited degree are deemed to have met part or all the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.   

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - General

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview of Programme 

MSc Renewable Energy Engineering provides you with the opportunity to study a specialist engineering-focused course in the rapidly expanding sector. By studying this programme, you’ll develop critical understanding of the significant changes afoot in the energy system due to the development and integration of wind, marine, biomass, and solar technologies. Upon graduation, you’ll have the necessary knowledge and skills to develop and implement creative solutions to the problems encountered in renewable energy capture, conversion, storage, and management.  

You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to assess renewable energy resources, design appropriate renewable energy systems, evaluate the performance of these systems and assess the wider impacts of renewable energy development. You’ll be introduced to fundamental energy science and current energy issues, and complete project-led courses in which you’ll design renewable energy systems in response to such energy issues. By doing so, you’ll be exposed to Renewable Energy resources, how the resources are exploited, and the socio-economic and environmental impacts of Renewable Energy-related activities.   

During the master’s programme, you’ll develop detailed knowledge and critical understanding of the core skills, techniques and practices in renewable energy resources, converters and systems and apply this knowledge to complex applications to deliver original and creative solutions to current and emerging problems. On top of practical knowledge and skills, you’ll develop your communication, independent work, and teamwork skills by working effectively with peers, academics, and staff in a variety of tasks.  

The flexible degree structure allows you to focus in on your specific Renewable Energy Engineering interests. On top of the mandatory fundamental teachings, you’ll have the opportunity to choose several optional courses from an extensive list, including modules on electrical power systems, heat exchangers and heat transfers, distributed generation, demand management and energy storage, and climate change, sustainability, and adaptation.  

Our Expertise 

96% of Heriot-Watt University’s engineering research was classed as world-leading in the REF 2021 review, which ranked us 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh. 

Our MSc Renewable Energy Engineering is directly informed by the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt’s Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) research institute which focuses on promoting excellence across four main research themes: 
  • Biomedical Engineering 
  • Digital Engineering 
  • Energy Harvesting and Conversion 
  • Multiphase Flow 

You’ll learn from academics engaged in renewable energy research in five principal areas: 
  • Photovoltaics and solar energy 
  • Wind and marine energy 
  • Renewable energy systems 
  • Minimising CO2 emissions 
  • Biofuels  

Your learning environment

The MSc Renewable Energy Engineering programme is taught though a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory practicals, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme.  

During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by professional mechanical engineering, including machining and manufacturing facilities, an air conditioning unit, Marcet Boiler, high speed wind tunnel rig, wind tunnel for fluid mechanics and aerodynamics, 3D printer, and a uniaxial testing machine. You will have the opportunity to work on real-world problems, and work across disciplines to deliver practical solutions with global impact in our state-of-the-art GRID (Global Research Innovation and Discovery) facility.  

Outside of the classroom, you can join several Energy and Mechanical Engineering societies including: 
  • Our satellite building society, CanSat in which you can build a satellite the size of a drink can and have the opportunity to complete at the AAS CanSat Competition,  
  • HWRacing to build and compete a car at the world-famous Formula Student Competition at Silverstone,  
  • Aero-Watt to build a fully autonomous plane for the IMechE UAS challenge,  
  • and IMechE Railway Challenge team where you’ll build a small-scale locomotive to compete in the national challenge. 


Customise your learning 

You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of renewable energy engineering that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or desired career pathway by studying five mandatory courses and choosing three further options from a range of energy, and mechanical engineering specialist courses, including electrical power systems, heat exchangers and heat transfer, climate change, sustainability and adaptation, and demand management and energy storage.  

In semester three, you’ll undertake an extensive and specialised investigation into your chosen area of renewable energy engineering through your dissertation. You’ll be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by applying design and evaluation techniques to develop new insights and responses to current issues in energy and mechanical engineering industries.   

You can choose whether to study the programme full-time, part-time, or by course. This flexibility allows you to fit your postgraduate studies around your lifestyle. You can begin the programme in September, and the full-time course will last 12 months full time or 24 months part time. If you decided to study part-time, you register for two courses per semester and progress to the dissertation at the end of your second year.   


Accreditation 

This programme is accredited by Energy Institute (EI).   

Students completing an EI accredited degree are deemed to have met part or all the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.   

Admission Requirements

79+
169+
59+
6+
A minimum of honours degree at 2:1 or non-UK equivalent in a related subject with a minimum of 3-4 maths modules at C grade or above. Suitable degrees can include Petroleum, Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Civil & Structural, Industrial Engineering, pure sciences such as Physics or Chemistry, or Mathematics. Examples of degrees that would be considered on a case-by-case basis would be Geology, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Physical Geography or Biology.
We will consider applicants with a 2:2 in a relevant subject area in conjunction with relevant work experience.

1 Year
Sep

Tuition fees

Domestic
12,584 GBP
International
26,296 GBP

Scholarships

The Island Scholarship Programme - Orkney Campus (UK) (International)

The Island Scholarship Programme - Orkney Campus (UK) (International)
Master Open

Value

100% tuition fee waiver

Deadline

31 Mar 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Postgraduate European Union Scholarship

Postgraduate European Union Scholarship
Master Open

Value

$5000

Deadline

31 Jul 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Norway Early Bird Scholarship

Norway Early Bird Scholarship
Bachelors Master Open

Value

$6000

Deadline

1 May 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

International Merit Scholarship

International Merit Scholarship
Bachelors Master Open

Value

$2000

Deadline

30 Jun 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Heriot-Watt University Expenses Bursary

Heriot-Watt University Expenses Bursary
Bachelors Master Open

Value

$525

Deadline

31 Aug 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Heriot-Watt Sports Scholarships

Heriot-Watt Sports Scholarships
Master Bachelors Open

Value

25% tuition fee waiver

Deadline

31 Jul 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Heriot-Watt Actuarial Scholarship For Academic Excellence

Heriot-Watt Actuarial Scholarship For Academic Excellence
Master Open

Value

20% tuition fee waiver

Deadline

30 May 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Americas and Europe (Non-EU) Scholarship

Americas and Europe (Non-EU) Scholarship
Bachelors Master Open

Value

$5000

Deadline

15 Jun 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

Alumni Discount Scheme

Alumni Discount Scheme
Master Open

Value

20% tuition fee waiver

Deadline

31 Jul 2026

Application requirements

QS Event Attendance is NOT required

Entry requirements

You must be admitted to this school to be awarded

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