Master of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

This programme of study responds to the global demand for graduates with science or engineering backgrounds who can provide technical consultation and deliver specialist solutions to improve sustainability. 

Graduates from MSc Global Sustainability Engineering will work at the forefront of sustainable development. They will be able to call on engineering knowledge to identify existing unsustainable processes and practices and implement strategies for improvement. 

Programme aims

In developing this degree, Heriot-Watt University has built on over 30 years of experience in researching and teaching sustainable engineering. We have taken inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and want our graduates to be advocates of change; to understand how both incremental and disruptive approaches can be harnessed for effective sustainable development.

Courses will break down the barriers between disciplines and promote synergy between different branches of learning so that a holistic view of problems and solutions can be developed.

Whether you are considering a career as a chartered accountant in professional practice, industry or the public sector, or you are looking to work in other professional, commercial and industrial areas, our MA Accountancy programme has been designed to ensure you have the knowledges and skills that employers most value.

Over the course of studying our MA Accountancy programme, students can expect to develop a broad understanding of the context in which modern accounting operates, as well as developing accounting expertise in several areas including, but not limited to:

• Recording and summarising business transactions
• Preparing and analysing financial statements
• Analysing and making decisions on business operations
• Conducting financial analysis
• Producing and reporting projections
• Conducting audit
• Analysing governance issues
• Gaining awareness of the importance of business ethics.

In addition to these key accounting skills, our MA Accountancy programme allows students to expand their overall skillset through a combination of individual and group work, written reports, presentations and examinations. Throughout this programme, we will develop skills such as:

• Analysis
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Negotiation
• Conflict resolution
• Presentation delivery.

On the whole, our MA Accountancy programme provides students with a solid foundation for their future career in accountancy, business or beyond.

This Construction Project Management course equips you with the theoretical knowledge and practical and technical skills to manage people and projects within the construction industry.

Construction Project Management at Heriot-Watt University is one of the longest-running courses of its kind in the UK, equipping graduates with the theoretical knowledge and practical and technical skills to manage people and projects within the construction industry.

A range of core modules covering management, procurement and technology-related subjects will give you a foundation in management principles while providing practical skills relevant to professional practice in construction.

You will also choose an optional module from a range of subjects drawn from our built environment courses, providing you with a broader understanding of built environment issues and an opportunity to tailor your studies to fit your interests and professional needs.

MSc Finance and Management at Heriot-Watt University gives you the platform to develop highly employable, specialist expertise across the modern practices of financial management and business management.

This highly respected masters degree programme has been developed in response to industry demands for dynamic graduates who can combine expertise in financial management with the ability to implement effective business management strategies across organisations of any size.

Taught with a genuine industry focus by professionals and leading researchers from the fields of financial management and business management, this programme will open up many new career opportunities.

Whether you come from a relevant honours degree or an industry position in finance or business this programme will meet your ambition and equip you with a wealth of globally attractive and highly employable qualities.

This programme will improve your confidence, communication, creativity and fine-tune your team work and organisational skills. Group work and classroom discussion will give you insights into the working practices and perspectives of many different cultures and prepare you for a global career where you will work with colleagues from all over the world.

MSc Finance and Management includes a bespoke range of courses which will equip you with highly employable expertise across crucial areas of financial management and business management, specifically:

• Project management
• Financial research
• Financial analysis
• Portfolio management
• Corporate governance
• Corporate market analysis
• Business strategy

Gaining up-to-date expertise across these areas will put you in the position to succeed in roles such as financial analyst, investment banker, financial consultant and corporate finance specialist in highly lucrative areas such as asset management, corporate finance and banking.

The blend of skills and qualities developed through MSc Finance and Management can also be applied to managerial positions in small businesses where proper control of corporate finances is essential or to larger businesses and public sector organisations where financial management can play a critical role in defining organisational success.

In the Business Management GA programme our objective is to develop the general management and business knowledge and skills of participants in the context of contemporary private and public sector organisations, large and small.

Employees examine organisations, understand workings and relate theories to actual business practices. Throughout the programme we develop the management and business skills necessary for a professional organisation.

Modern civil engineering professionals often require an extensive understanding of construction management due to the strategic benefits it can bring to both individuals and project teams.

As the industry becomes more competitive, organisations and their clients are increasingly demanding the combined time, cost and quality assurances that good project management practice provides. Furthermore, the industry now recognises that there is a need for engineers to gain specialist technical knowledge which compliments their academic and professional background.

To enhance your career prospects and international experience, we are now offering our standard one year Civil Engineering and Construction Management Masters over two years through offering a ‘with Industry Placement’ alternative.

This ‘with Industry Placement’ option offers a practical experiential element over the traditional one-year degree structure, allowing you to reflect on theory and practice.

Software Development for Business GA programme is designed to provide a solid foundation in computing and the necessary applied skills. It includes the necessary applied skills, object-oriented web programming, writing algorithms and understanding fundamental database programming and management, as well as network security.

This programme helps you develop highly skilled employees in the following areas:

• Software Development and Testing;
• Web Development;
• Database Architecture and Development.

Our MSc International Business Management with Project Management programme is aimed graduates who have little or no business or management background in their first degree and who wish to gain a broad based business qualification to enhance their future career prospects, or at those looking to develop business management knowledge and skills to allow them to change or further their careers.

This is a Conversion MSc
MSc International Business Management with Project Management is a conversion degree programme led by academics from Edinburgh Business School. It introduces the study of business and management to graduates and professionals from non-management backgrounds who wish to enhance their careers.

This degree introduces vital business knowledge to those with limited academic experience in the subject and provides an opportunity to develop versatile management skills in just one year of study. Coupled with specialist learning in the area of project management, it develops modern management skills to complement existing knowledge and prepare graduates for a career shift or management role.

The 2020 National Student Survey results placed chemical engineering at Heriot-Watt as 1st in Scotland and 5th in the UK, based on students’ overall satisfaction with our programmes.

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 ranked Heriot-Watt University as 1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK for Chemical Engineering.

Our BEng in Chemical Engineering provides students with both the theory and practical application expected by industry. We have strong links with professional communities, allowing us to enhance the career prospects of our graduates.

Programme structure:

• Our BEng programme gives you a sound understanding of both the chemical and process engineering fundamentals that you need to become a professional engineer. In addition to a grounding in science, maths and engineering, our students acquire practical abilities that are highly sought after by industry.
• The BEng in Chemical Engineering is a four-year degree which can include an additional 5th year of study, resulting in the programme becoming a more advanced MEng degree. You will choose which route to follow at the end of your 4th year, giving you the flexibility to decide which degree best suits your career ambitions.
• Final year BEng students undertake a group-based design project that consolidates the subjects taught across the programme.

This masters degree is designed to enhance your employment potential across international banking, accounting and finance functions of multinational organisations.

With a focus on the ever-changing global financial markets, this MSc in Accounting and Finance aims to equip graduates with highly employable expertise and a thorough understanding of current issues in global financial markets – both academically and professionally.

On this MSc you will take six main courses on the subject of international accounting and be offered a choice of one specialist per semester. These courses will give you an international perspective on accounting and help you understand things like national differences, harmonisation and the challenges and problems facing multinational companies.

You will have the opportunity to apply your newly acquired knowledge and expertise gained from courses in international banking, financial markets and accountancy to a subject of interest to you in your dissertation research project which is undertaken during the summer months.