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2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Engineering - Sustainable Energy

Course Fact File

Code	MENSE
Duration	1 Year Full-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	MEngSc
NFQ Level	Level 9
EU Fees	€8,000 See Fees and Costs for full details.
Non-EU Fees	€28,000
Closing Date	Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date	7 September 2026

Course Outline

The transition to a sustainable energy system is among the defining engineering challenges of this century. It calls for engineers who can source, design, convert, transmit and supply energy for electricity, mobility, heating and cooling — securely, affordably and with substantially reduced climate impact. The MEngSc in Sustainable Energy prepares graduates to take on that work.

Established in 2005, this is Ireland's first and longest-running master's programme in sustainable energy. The curriculum addresses two connected questions: how to reduce the climate impact of energy supply through innovative low-carbon systems, and how to extend access to secure, affordable energy for a growing global population. Students develop technical depth across renewable generation, energy end use and energy systems analysis, together with the modelling, evaluation and communication skills that professional practice demands.

Teaching is led by academic staff who are active researchers in wind, ocean and solar energy, offshore renewables, energy systems modelling, bioenergy and energy in buildings. Students learn current methods from those developing them, and this is complemented by industry-relevant assessment and guest lectures from practitioners across the energy sector.

Programme Structure

The MEngSc is a 12-month full-time programme of 90 credits, delivered over three semesters.
Part I (60 credits) runs across Semesters 1 and 2 and combines taught modules with a preliminary research project.
Part II (30 credits) is an independent research dissertation carried out over the summer, supervised by an academic member of staff.

The programme welcomes engineering graduates of all disciplines. An eight-month exit option leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy is also available (see Postgraduate Diploma, below).

Programme Content

Students take 90 credits over two parts.

Part I (60 Credits)

Students take 40 credits of core modules and choose 20 credits from the Semester 2 elective list.

Core Modules (40 Credits)

NE6003 Wind Energy (5 credits)

NE4008 Photovoltaic Systems (5 credits)

NE6005 Ocean Energy (5 credits)

NE6012 Energy in Buildings (5 credits)

NE6013 Sustainable Energy (5 credits)

NE6014 Energy Innovation (5 credits)

NE6008 Preliminary Research Project in Sustainable Energy (10 credits)

Elective Modules - Choose 20 credits (Semester 2)

NE6004 Sustainability, Bioenergy and Circular Economy Systems (5 credits)

NE6007 Energy Systems Modelling (5 credits)

NE6010 Offshore Wind Energy (5 credits)

NE6016 Energy Systems in Buildings (5 credits)

NE6212 Clean Energy Futures (5 credits)

CE6042 Transportation and Energy (5 credits)

Additional Options

Depending on a student's background, modules from the list below may be substituted for modules on the core or elective lists, up to a maximum of 20 credits. Substitutions are agreed with the Programme Director in Week 1 of the relevant semester, subject to timetable clashes, class size limits and module prerequisites.

CE4020 Environmental Hydrodynamics (5 credits)

CE6024 Finite Element Analysis (5 credits)

EE3011 AC Machines and Systems (5 credits)

EE3012 Electric Vehicle Energy Systems (5 credits)

EE4001 Energy Systems, Power Electronics and Drives (5 credits)

EE4002 Control Engineering II (5 credits)

EE6035 Electrical Power Systems (5 credits)

EE6048 Smart Grids (5 credits)

ME6007 Mechanical Systems (5 credits)

Part II

NE6009 Dissertation in Sustainable Energy (30 credits)

Part II is an independent research project carried out over Semester 3 (May to September), supervised by an academic member of staff and typically developing the work begun in NE6008. Students submit a dissertation and defend their findings at a research seminar.

Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy

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

Why Choose This Course

Exposure to world-leading research 

The Energy Engineering discipline in the School of Engineering and Architecture is closely tied to UCC's energy research community, and our academic staff deliver research-led teaching across all modules. In addition to research carried out within the framework of the School, academic staff are also active in the following research centres, institutes and groups.

The Sustainability Institute (formerly the Environmental Research Institute) brings together over 300 researchers from across science, engineering, business and humanities to work on climate action, the circular economy and a healthy environment. Energy Engineering staff also contribute to Rinn Energy, a new national Research Ireland centre for energy-system decarbonisation which succeeds the energy-transition research strand of the former MaREI Centre (whose 13 year Research Ireland-funded programme concluded in 2026), and Tyndall National Institute. Other research groups within the School with a sustainable energy focus are the Offshore Renewable Energy Research Group, the Energy Policy and Modelling Group, the Intelligent Efficiency Research Group, the Lir National Ocean Test Facility, and the International Energy Research Centre. Students benefit from this proximity directly: research project topics are drawn from live work in these groups.

A research project that counts

A third of the programme is a supervised research dissertation. Students work on a genuine research question in sustainable energy, often alongside a research group, and finish with a substantial piece of independent work to show employers or a prospective PhD supervisor.

Career Opportunities 

Graduates of this programme work in wind energy development, offshore renewable energy, renewable heating systems, data centre energy management, resource analysis, project financing, engineering consultancy, operations and management, surveying, and energy policy development, in Ireland and internationally. A number continue to PhD research at UCC and elsewhere.

Students benefit from up-to-date content, industry-relevant assessment and guest lectures from experts in the energy sector, and gain employer exposure through UCC-organised recruitment fairs and employer-led events.

Available Scholarships 

We support our postgraduate community by offering scholarships and bursaries to prospective and current students. Please see the SEFS Scholarships and Funding PG page for more information. 

Requirements

Applicants must have a BE (Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade 1 (NFQ, Level 8). 

Applicants with alternative but relevant academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). 

Applicants 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.

Fees and Costs

The EU fee for this course is €8,000.

The Non-EU fee for this course is €28,000.

How To Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants) 

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
• Please upload your CV here.
• Please enter the name and email address of two referees.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

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