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Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This one-year Master’s course gives you the skills to analyse complex issues in energy and the environment that are essential for a career in sustainability. Our emphasis is on the critical issues of energy transition and climate change that are transforming global economies. This highly interdisciplinary course provides rigorous training in energy and environmental economics, policy, and modelling, alongside a wide range of specialist options that allow you to deepen your expertise and follow your interests.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£21,500
£10,750
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (economics, economics-plus, a science or engineering subject) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A non-quantitative degree may, however, be considered, provided that aptitude is demonstrated for quantitative analysis, e.g. through some undergraduate modules, and/or through A levels or overseas equivalents. These requirements may be relaxed for students who can demonstrate considerable and relevant aptitude and experience, for example, in business or government. Please clearly state in your personal statement how your educational or employment background (including any internships or projects) relates to the programme and what you aim to achieve through your studies.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


The Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc provides a broad yet in-depth understanding of energy, climate, and related environmental issues. The wide-ranging curriculum prepares you for many future career paths in sustainability, including business, consulting, finance, policymaking or research. Based in a leading sustainability institute, it extends your skillset beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, combining quantitative economics with policy expertise and global perspectives on energy and climate change.  

The course equips you to apply interdisciplinary analytical approaches — such as energy scenarios and microeconomics, political economy and innovation theory — to real-world energy, climate, and environment challenges in business, finance and policy. You can specialise through optional modules and by focusing your dissertation on your interests and career goals. 

You learn to: 

  • Confidently deploy and critique a variety of quantitative economic concepts that are fundamental to energy and climate issues  
  • Appraise energy and environmental policy decisions using detailed understanding of global economic, social, and governance frameworks  
  • Critically analyse and understand energy-economic models and scenarios, and their application to policy, business, and investment 
  • Deepen specialist quantitative and/or qualitative skills relevant to energy, climate and environment careers in private and public sectors through optional module choices 
  • Formulate highly informed responses to global energy & climate challenges, and present these effectively in written and verbal forms  
  • Plan, execute, and interpret an original research project on the leading edge of the energy and climate agenda 
  • Organise, prioritise, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data to derive solutions and produce compelling narratives 
  • Access innovative and expert research, apply it to actual global energy and environmental issues, and originate practical solutions for a range of stakeholders 

Who this course is for

This course is best suited for:

  • Graduates with a background in economics looking to develop policy expertise in the areas of energy and the environment.
  • Science and engineering graduates who want to diversify skills into energy and environment.
  • Graduates with largely non-quantitative degrees, such as geography, politics or international relations, who can demonstrate an aptitude for quantitative analysis, and who wish to develop quantitative skills in economics.
  • Professionals with experience working in industry, consultancy, finance or public and third sectors looking to expand their skillset and learn the latest in energy and environmental economics and policy.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a working professional, we offer part-time and flexible study options that let you balance work and study.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Research-led world-class education 
As a student you connect with world-renowned academics whose sustainability research also shapes debates and actions in policy,  business and investment. Our faculty, The Bartlett, is a multidisciplinary hub for education and research, uniquely positioned to tackle some of the most crucial issues facing society and our planet. We are ranked #1 for Built Environment studies in the world (QS World University Rankings 2025). UCL is the UK’s #1 university for sustainability (QS World University Sustainability Rankings 2025) The Bartlett is also where the UK’s most ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’ built environment research is undertaken (REF 2021). 

Grow your career tackling global sustainability challenges  
The unique blend of applied skills and knowledge you gain during your studies prepares you to launch a successful career in sustainability-focused business, finance, policymaking, or research wherever you wish to work in the world. During your degree, you have opportunities to network with our accomplished alumni, who have established influential and international careers in the field. 

Study in London – the heart of UK government and global business  
London is a dynamic hub for policymaking and business, home to influential organisations that create global sustainability impact. As a student, you benefit from our strong connections with industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, who frequently deliver guest lectures at our Institute. London is ranked the best city for students in the UK and Europe, and holds third place worldwide (QS Best Student Cities 2026).

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
A photo of wind turbines in a field

Decarbonising power

Professor Michael Grubb explores how policymakers can decarbonise the UK electricity market and move away from costly fossil fuels.

The foundation of your career

96% of Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc students are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-23). 

Our alumni work at influential organisations such as the International Energy Agency, United Nations, McKinsey & Company, Orsted, European Commission, National Grid, OECD, Ofgem, Forum for the Future, McKinsey, Bloomberg, Baringa, KPMG, Deloitte, BlackRock, CDP, Aurora Energy Research, Climate Bonds Initiative, Bank of China and more.  We also have many graduates with successful careers in national governments, and others who go on to further graduate study and research at prestigious universities around the world. 

My MSc was pivotal in forging my current career path. It had been a long-standing dream of mine to become an environmental economist – the technical specialisation provided by this MSc, together with the calibre of education provided at UCL, made it possible for me to realise that dream.

Photo of Shanali Pethiyagoda

Shanali Pethiyagoda

Environmental Economist Consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations after graduating

Learn more about Shanali's experience

Employability

Sustainability is a critical issue across all economic sectors and countries. The uniquely interdisciplinary nature of this Master's provides you with transferable skills that employers  value. 

These include presentation skills, critical interpretation, data analysis, project management, teamwork and other technical skills, that you have applied to sustainability issues during your course. Graduates of the Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc are equipped to become leaders and entrepreneurs in their chosen area of specialisation, whether in business, finance, consulting, government, think tanks, NGOs, universities or research institutes. 

UCL Careers gives you access experienced careers professionals who support you to explore your options and  to find the right path for your future. UCL Careers provide support to help you find graduate jobs or further study positions and advise you on the opportunities you have during your time at UCL. From your first day at UCL and up to three years after you graduate, you can access bespoke one-to-one appointments, career events and activities programme featuring employers and alumni, confidence-boosting insights, online resources, and opportunities to increase your employability.

On a departmental level, you will receive a bespoke provision of practical workshops led by experienced Career Consultants that cover crucial topics of your career planning such as developing your networking skills and how to successfully navigate the job search.  

Networking

You will become part of a diverse and international cohort of future sustainability professionals. Throughout your degree, you will also have opportunities to network with our accomplished alumni, who have established influential careers in the field, and with guest speakers from private and public sectors in class seminars, events and networking sessions. 

Teaching and learning

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and project work.

Assessments are tailored to the learning outcomes of each module and are designed to give you a wide range of skills. Assessments comprise written and oral examinations (including presentations), essays and other types of coursework, and an in-depth research dissertation. Some assessments require individual work, while others involve team collaboration. The exact balance of assessment types and timing depends on your chosen optional modules. 

Full-time students study the equivalent of a full-time job. In Terms 1 and 2, full-time students can typically expect between 8 and 15 in-person contact hours per teaching week through lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. The balance depends on the subject-specific requirements, and occasionally we may run additional events or tutorials. Students will then use the remainder of their time (approximately 22 to 29 hours per week) for independent study, focusing on self-directed learning, preparatory reading and coursework.

In Term 3, students will be completing their own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. This comprises core modules (75 credits), optional modules (45 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits). 

Our core modules in Term 1 provide essential knowledge in energy and environmental economics, policy, and modelling. They also interlink, reinforcing key concepts whilst allowing you to view problems through different lenses, stimulating you to think creatively.   

The four core modules introduce: 

  • Environmental and resource economics, including theory and practical calculations. 
  • Environmental policy and law, introducing foundational concepts and key debates. 
  • Energy modelling and scenarios, introducing approaches and types of energy-environment models and their applications. 
  • “Planetary economics” which addresses the geopolitical context of energy and climate, and the political economy of potential solutions. 

These modules build the foundations of your knowledge in this complex area of energy and environment, and train you in economics and policy analysis skills. 

You select three optional modules in Term 2, allowing you to refine your knowledge of energy and the environment. You may choose to dive deeper into quantitative economic and modelling approaches to energy and environment, growing your knowledge from Term 1. You can also choose to diversify your knowledge by selecting modules with different disciplinary perspectives or specialised topic areas, such as innovation, behaviour, development or business. Our selection of optional modules enables you to find your own path, shaped by your interests and career aspirations. 

Our ‘Research Concepts and Methods’ module is a vital element of the course, facilitating your research skills in Term 1 and which you can apply across the whole course. In Term 2, this module prepares you to develop practical research skills and a proposal that lays the groundwork for your dissertation. 

In Term 3 and the summer, you will complete assessments for Term 2 modules and those modules with unseen written examinations. You will also work on your dissertation. This is an opportunity to pursue in-depth, innovative research on a topic of your choice at the leading edge of energy and environment, with guidance from your supervisor. 

Part-time/flexible students join classes in-person at the same times as full-time students, with the days of the week depending on the modules you select in each year. Teaching takes place on campus during working hours.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits over the full duration of their course. This comprises core modules (75 credits), optional modules (45 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits).   

As a part-time student, you will take half of the taught modules in the first year. In your second year you will take the remaining taught modules in Term 1 and Term 2, plus the dissertation module in Term 3. 

Our core modules provide essential knowledge in energy and environmental economics, policy, and modelling. They also interlink, reinforcing key concepts whilst allowing you to view problems through different lenses, stimulating you to think creatively. 

The four core modules introduce:   

  • Environmental and resource economics, including theory and practical calculations 
  • Environmental policy and law, introducing foundational concepts and key debates 
  • Energy modelling and scenarios, introducing approaches and types of energy-environment models and their applications 
  • “Planetary economics” which addresses the geopolitical context of energy and climate, and the political economy of potential solutions.   

These modules build the foundations of your knowledge in this complex area of energy and environment, and train you in economics and policy analysis skills. 

You select three optional modules, allowing you to refine your knowledge of energy and the environment. You may choose to dive deeper into quantitative economic and modelling approaches to energy and environment. You can also choose to diversify your knowledge by selecting modules with different disciplinary perspectives or specialised topic areas, such as innovation, behaviour, development or business. Our selection of optional modules enables you to find your own path, shaped by your interests and career aspirations. 

Our ‘Research Concepts and Methods’ module is a vital element of the course, facilitating your research skills in and which you can apply across the whole course. This module also prepares you to develop practical research skills and a proposal that lays the groundwork for your dissertation. 

Your dissertation is an opportunity to pursue in-depth, innovative research on a topic of your choice at the leading edge of energy and environment, with guidance from your supervisor. 

Part-time/flexible students join classes in-person at the same times as full-time students, with the days of the week depending on the modules you select in each year. Teaching takes place on campus during working hours.

The flexible option allows you to complete your studies within five years. Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits over the full duration of their course. This comprises core modules (75 credits), optional modules (45 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits). 

Our core modules provide essential knowledge in energy and environmental economics, policy, and modelling. They also interlink, reinforcing key concepts whilst allowing you to view problems through different lenses, stimulating you to think creatively.  

The four core modules introduce:   

  • Environmental and resource economics, including theory and practical calculations 
  • Environmental policy and law, introducing foundational concepts and key debates 
  • Energy modelling and scenarios, introducing approaches and types of energy-environment models and their applications 
  • “Planetary economics” which addresses the geopolitical context of energy and climate, and the political economy of potential solutions.   

These modules build the foundations of your knowledge in this complex area of energy and environment, and train you in economics and policy analysis skills. 

You select three optional modules, allowing you to refine your knowledge of energy and the environment. You may choose to dive deeper into quantitative economic and modelling approaches to energy and environment. You can also choose to diversify your knowledge by selecting modules with different disciplinary perspectives or specialised topic areas, such as innovation, behaviour, development or business. Our selection of optional modules enables you to find your own path, shaped by your interests and career aspirations. 

Our research concepts module is a vital element of the course, facilitating your research skills in and which you can apply across the whole course. This module also prepares you to develop practical research skills and a proposal that lays the groundwork for your dissertation. 

Your dissertation is an opportunity to pursue in-depth, innovative research on a topic of your choice at the leading edge of energy and environment, with guidance from your supervisor. 

Compulsory modules








Optional modules













Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Where you'll study

Students in an Economics and Policy of energy and the Environment MSc lecture

You will study at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources in The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, home to four sustainability-focused institutes. Our vision is a sustainable, resilient and equitable net-zero future. We train students to become leaders in energy and sustainability related business, finance, policymaking and academia.

Find out more

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £21,500 £10,750
Tuition fees (2026/27) £39,200 £19,600

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Beyond owning your own laptop, there is no requirement to purchase specific books or equipment for this course. In some cases, certain books or reading resources may be recommended, but not required.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies. 

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue Master's studies. Please see the UK Master's scholarship and Sub-Saharan Africa Master's scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 28 March 2025
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,864 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Ecclesiastical Insurance Bursary

Deadline: 21 July 2025 at 5pm
Value: £27,000 (to cover the cost of fees and a stipend) (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn: 

  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment 
  • Why you want to study Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment at graduate level 
  • What particularly attracts you to this course at The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources  
  • Where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how this course meets these needs 

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources

bartlett.pg-bseer@ucl.ac.uk

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