Energy BSc (Hons)

Program Overview

The Energy BSc (Hons) program at Ulster University equips students with the knowledge and skills to contribute to the renewable energy industry. It covers renewable energy technologies, conventional energy systems, and energy storage. Graduates develop the expertise to design, specify, and monitor energy systems, ensuring their economic and environmental benefits. The program is accredited by the Energy Institute and includes a one-year industry placement.

Program Outline

Energy BSc (Hons) at Ulster University 2025/26 entry - Part-time Undergraduate Study in Belfast

Degree Overview:

This program aims to equip students with the knowledge and expertise to contribute to the thriving renewable energy industry. It explores renewable energy technologies and applies science and technology to solve real-world energy problems. Students will gain 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. Graduates will be able to design, specify and monitor the performance of these systems and ensure their economic and environmental benefits across diverse scenarios and locations. Additionally, they will develop the intellectual skills needed to adapt to future challenges and embrace new theories, concepts, and methods.

Outline:

Year 1:

• Energy and Environmental Systems: Provides a foundation in energy conversion through fundamental theory demonstrated in conventional and alternative energy conversion systems analysis.
• Science for Engineers: Introduces engineers and energy professionals to underpinning sciences like Physics, Material Science, and Chemistry, which play a critical role in energy applications.
• Engineering Fundamentals - Electrical and Fluid Mechanics: Provides fundamental knowledge in the fields of electrics and fluid mechanics, essential for understanding thermodynamics, energy conversion, and energy transmission.

Year 2:

• Mathematics - BSc: Covers essential mathematics topics for engineering graduates, including algebra, functions, trigonometry, complex numbers, matrices, calculus, and sequences.
• Building Services: Introduces the requirements of mechanical HVAC and electrical building services, including design of heating and ventilation systems, and fundamentals of electrical design in buildings.

Year 3:

• Electrical Distribution Systems: equips students with knowledge and technical skills for safe, efficient, and sustainable electrical designs in buildings, including renewable energy integration and cyber security concepts.
• Solar Energy Systems and Storage Integration: Introduces current solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies and explores their management, integration with energy storage, and financial benefits for both industry and long-term sustainability.
• Energy Mathematics: Covers essential mathematical topics relevant to the energy field, including algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and probability.

Year 4:

• Ethically Aligned Safety, Health and Wellbeing: Studies safety, health, and wellbeing from an ethical perspective, examining international protocols, local regulations, and professional practices with a focus on human values and sustainable design principles.
• Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer: Introduces students to the fundamentals of thermodynamics and heat transfer through lectures, laboratories, and tutorials, requiring strong numeracy and experimental skills.
• Bio-Energy & Biofuels: Introduces diverse sources, technologies, and applications of biomass for electricity and heat generation and transport fuels, including hands-on testing and design of biomass systems.

Year 5:

• Energy Economics and Management: Examines current and future energy markets, participation options, smart grid development, building design optimization for energy efficiency, and storage generation.
• Energy Storage & Demand Side Management: Explores energy storage and demand-side response as mechanisms for facilitating renewable energy integration, considering system design and economic and social impacts.
• Social & Behavioural Change: Studies methodologies to facilitate and assess behavioural change and consensus building in new and renewable energy projects.

Year 6:

• Green Building Design: Enables students to understand and critically appraise factors affecting energy consumption in buildings, exploring low-energy options for both domestic and non-domestic buildings while appreciating health hazards in modern designs.
• Project Management: Examines current practices and areas for improvement in managing processes and people in design and construction, covering procurement, contract arrangements, decision making, simulations, and case studies.
• Turbine Technologies: Analyzes current hydro and wind turbine systems, including management strategies for future sustainability.
• Dissertation A & B: The dissertation project enables students to develop self-management and time-management skills while furthering technical competence and understanding.
It involves a literature review, research question development, data collection, result reporting, analysis, and conclusion writing.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary across modules and include a combination of examinations and coursework, or sometimes only one of these methods. Assessments aim to evaluate student achievement of stated learning outcomes. timely feedback is provided for all coursework assessments, both individually and to groups, to encourage student reflection and development.

Teaching:

Teaching methods include lectures, case studies, seminars, practicals, and site visits. Lectures are interactive and incorporate various media resources. Students have access to large-scale laboratories used for international research projects. Teaching staff includes Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers, and Lecturers, all qualified in teaching higher education and holding professional body recognition. Many academic and technical staff hold additional professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

Careers:

Graduates from this program have embarked on successful careers in various roles and settings, including energy supply and management, energy technology providers, consultancies, government and public authorities, facilities management, energy advice and training bodies, energy-focused manufacturing companies, education, and self-employment.

Other:

• The course is accredited by the Energy Institute (EI) on behalf of the Engineering Council.
• Students participate in a one-year placement in the industry as part of their degree.