UCC Postgraduate courses
Engineering – Sustainable Energy
| Code | MENSE |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 Year Full-time |
| Teaching Mode | Full-time |
| Qualifications | MEngSc |
| NFQ Level | Level 9 |
| 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 | 8 September 2025 |
Course Outline
If you want to help the world address the energy 'grand challenge' of the 21st century, then Ireland’s first Masters in Engineering Science degree programme in Sustainable Energy is for you. Our modern world depends on a secure, reliable, and affordable energy supply and Sustainable Energy is crucial to addressing some of the most challenging issues facing the world today. Our Sustainable Energy graduates will be required to source, design, convert, transmit and supply useful energy to meet our present and long-term needs for electricity, mobility and heating and cooling.
In this MEngSc programme, we consider firstly how to reduce human impact on the climate through innovative low-carbon energy supply systems and secondly, how to provide a better standard of living for the world’s growing population through access to sustainable and secure energy supplies.
This programme is open to Engineering graduates of all disciplines with an 8-month programme option leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Energy.
Programme Content
Students take 90 credits over two parts as follows:
Part I
Students take 60 credits as follows:
Core Modules
CE6042 Transportation and Energy
NE6016 Energy Systems in Buildings
NE4008 Photovoltaic Systems
NE6003 Wind Energy
NE6004 Sustainability, Bioenergy and Circular Economy Systems
NE6005 Ocean Energy
NE6012 Energy in Buildings
NE6212 Clean Energy Futures
NE6013 Sustainable Energy
NE6214 Architectural Design for Renewable Energy Projects
NE6008 Preliminary Research Project in Sustainable Energy
Depending on the background of the student, the Programme Coordinator may decide to replace some of the above taught modules with modules from the following list up to a maximum of 20 credits:
CE4020 Environmental Hydrodynamics (5)
CE6024 Finite Element Analysis (5)
EE3011 Power Electronics & AC Machines and Systems (5)
EE3012 Electric Vehicle Energy Systems (5)
EE4001 Energy Systems, Power Electronics and Drives (5)
EE4002 Control Engineering II (5)
EE6035 Electrical Power Systems (5)
EE6048 Smart Grids (5)
ME6007 Mechanical Systems (5)
NE6007 Energy Systems Modelling (5)
NE6010 Offshore Wind Energy (5)
NE6015 Data Analytics for Engineering (5)
Part II
NE6009 Dissertation in Sustainable Energy (30 credits)
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.
Academic Programme Catalogue
See the Academic Programme Catalogue where you can search for the complete and up-to-date content for this course. Note that the modules for all courses are subject to change from year to year. For complete descriptions of individual modules, see the Book of Modules.
Why Choose This Course
Our Energy Engineering school is committed to energy research, development, and innovation and we are fortunate to have access to a large number of campus-based research groups. The Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at UCC has over 200 researchers working across six academic institutions collaborating with over 45 industry partners. The ERI coordinates our innovation centre MaREI: MaREI combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical, and socio-economic challenges across marine and renewable energy sectors.
Energy Engineering research at UCC encompasses many aspects of energy generation, transmission, distribution, end-use, and policy, and our active research groups include the following:
- Energy Policy and Modelling Group
- Intelligent Efficiency Research Group
- Materials & Structures
- Bioenergy Research
- Photonics for Energy Efficient Systems Research
- Photovoltaics
- View more Energy Engineering news here.
Requirements
- Candidates must have a BE (Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade II (NFQ, Level 8). However, candidates with equivalent academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted subject to the approval of College of Science, Engineering and Food Science under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In all cases, the course of study for each candidate must be approved by the Programme Coordinator.
- 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.
For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.
International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.
- In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
- Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.
Fees and Costs
Postgraduate EU and International Fees 2025/2026
See our Postgraduate EU and Non-EU (International) Fee Schedule for the latest information.
Deposits
If your course requires a deposit, that figure will be deducted from your second-semester fee payment in January.
Fee payment
Fees are payable in two equal instalments. First payment is at registration and the balance usually by the end of January.
How can I pay?
See different options on our How Do I Pay My Fees? page.
Any questions? See the 'Contact Us' section on the Fees Office page.
How To Apply
1. Check dates
Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the yellow fact file boxes at the top of this webpage. The UCC online application portal usually opens around mid October.
2. Gather documents
Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:
- Original qualification documents listed on your application, including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
- Any supplementary items requested for your course, if required.
3. Apply online
Apply online by clicking the red 'Apply Now' button below. Note most of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.
Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.
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.
Apply Now