Power Systems Engineering MSc

London, Bloomsbury

At the heart of the climate crisis is the need to transition our energy systems away from fossil fuels. With the skills you’ll learn on this multidisciplinary MSc, you’ll be ready for a crucial technical role in tackling the energy transition.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university in a suitable engineering subject such as electrical, mechanical or mechatronics, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Some basic knowledge of applied electricity is essential.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

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.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g., Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place. Please note that ATAS processing times can take up to six months, so we recommend you consider these timelines when submitting your application to UCL.

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

Transitioning the energy and power systems away from fossil fuels is the biggest engineering challenge of the 21st century. 

To achieve sustainable societies, manufacturing and transport through orderly, just transition, we need engineers who understand the conventional energy and power systems that have gone before, as well as the renewable energy systems that will replace them. 

On this Master’s, you’ll learn how to optimise conventional energy systems and find ways to mitigate emissions, as well as design and implement electrical and renewable energy-driven propulsion systems and power sources. 

With course content created and delivered by leading experts from UCL Mechanical Engineering and the UCL School of Management, you’ll benefit from world-class engineering education funded by EPSRC, the Wellcome Trust, the Royal Society, the Leverhulme Trust, BP and many other leading organisations. 

You’ll also immerse yourself in the strategies, tools and techniques of project management, allowing you to deliver better outcomes for the projects you undertake and provide technical perspectives in decision making contexts.

Who this course is for

The programme is for students with a relevant first degree in an engineering discipline or a related field, such as physics or applied mathematics. It will prepare you to embark on future research, to work as a Chartered Professional Engineer, or to pursue careers in higher levels of management in manufacturing, transport and power engineering.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities. 

  • A postgraduate degree from a top-ranked university. UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide. 
  • The chance to study at UCL's Department of Mechanical Engineering, the first in the world to introduce laboratories in engineering education in 1878. 
  • A Master’s degree that’s been accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST).
  • Collaborate on a group design project, working with peers and industry partners (when possible). 
  • Access to industry partners, including leading organisations and companies such as BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Lloyds Register and TfL. 
  • Access to world-class research and teaching facilities that include a fluid mechanics laboratory, a fuel cell laboratory and four of the highest-spec engine test cells. 
  • Gain skills to analyse new and sustainable energy systems, and assess their suitability for different engineering contexts according to their technical limitations, their key parameters and applications, and their relationship with the energy grid and local environment. 
  • Study at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, in the heart of a London district famous for its cultural and educational institutions. London is a great place for culture, history, art and leisure and was recently ranked the best city in the world for university students (QS Best Student Cities 2024).

The foundation of your career

Graduates from this programme have the opportunity to forge careers in a range of sectors internationally, including manufacturing, transportation engineering rail, road, shipping and aviation as well as power and renewably energy.

Employability

The skills and knowledge you’ll gain through this multidisciplinary Master’s will open the door to exciting and meaningful careers across a huge range of industries and sectors, particularly in fields related to transportation (including rail, road, shipping and aviation), manufacturing and energy and renewables.

Your project management skills will also increase your capabilities for more senior leadership and strategic roles with an engineering focus. 

Recent graduates of this programme have gone onto work in organisations such as the Royal Navy (UK), Houlder, Lloyds Register, BAE Systems and BMT. Others have successfully launched their own enterprises, including environmental firm Greenr, custom-fit cycle helmet company Hexr, and biomedical outfit Oxford Heartbeat.

Networking

You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your Master’s. 

  • Explore a wealth of tailored events at both the faculty and departmental level facilitated by UCL Careers, UCL’s alumni team, and UCL Innovation and Enterprise. 
  • Attend student-led events, such as industry visits or guest lectures, with a focus on specific industrial sectors. 
  • If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, connect with like-minded innovators and successful entrepreneurs through UCL’s innovation hubs and startup incubators.

Accreditation

The Power Systems Engineering MSc has been accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Marine Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements. The accredited MSc will meet, in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Accredited MSc graduates who also have a BEng (Hons) accredited for CEng will be able to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.

Teaching and learning

This MSc programme is delivered through a mix of tutorials/example classes, lectures, projects and practical work, which frequently draw upon real-life industry case studies.

Assessment is through examinations, presentations, coursework, and your individual research project.

Students on this programme can expect approximately 12-16 hours of contact hours per teaching week. The exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the terms depending on the module choices of the student.

A full-time weekly schedule will amount to 35-40 hours a week, which comprises contact time, self-directed study, and preparing for assessments.

Your project module will see you conduct research, write up your final report, and engage in regular contact with your project supervisor(s), who will guide and support you throughout your project.

Modules

The taught part of the programme is comprised of seven subject modules: six compulsory modules (one of which is the group project), and one optional, chosen from a list of modules. 

The first two academic terms consist of the taught modules, including the group project. 

The Individual Research Project comprises a large part of the programme from March to September. It is carried out under the supervision of an academic member of staff and is assessed on the basis of a written report and a project presentation.

The taught part of the programme comprises eight compulsory subject modules (one of which is the group project). The taught modules comprise lectures, seminars, tutorials and example classes. 

Students on the modular-flexible programme select how many of these modules they wish to take in each year of study, and have up to five years to complete the programme. Teaching takes place for the taught modules across the first two academic terms of each year (this includes the group project). 

The individual research project must be taken in your last year of study. This is carried out under the supervision of a member of staff and is assessed on the basis of a written report and a project presentation. Progress is monitored via progress reports.

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 Power Systems Engineering.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Where you'll study

Five students in mechanical engineering lab housing multiple computers and technical equipment on tables

UCL Mechanical Engineering’s facilities are fundamental to our students’ studies and research. From a Thermofluids Laboratory focusing on fuels and emissions, and our Fluids Laboratory, to MechSpace, a large, dedicated teaching lab that sees students design and build prototypes, honing practical engineering skills. The Department also offers excellent resources in our Advanced Propulsion Lab (APL), the Advanced Characterisation Laboratories for Materials & Manufacturing (ACLMM), and now UCL East’s state-of-the-art Manufacturing Futures Lab (MFL), where we take a multidisciplinary approach to the creation of next generation sustainable manufacturing technologies, supported by a Precision Fabrication Workshop (PFW).

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Study at UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences

At UCL Engineering, our graduates turn discoveries into solutions - improving medical treatments, housing, transportation, the products, processes and students we produce change the world. Join us at this virtual event to hear more about our Faculty and where a UCL Engineering degree could take you. You'll learn about our huge range of programmes, our research, industry connections and careers support, with a chance for Q&A.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you - Alumni Perspectives

Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you? Join us for a panel and Q&A event with UCL Engineering alumni. You'll learn what you can expect from postgraduate study at UCL Engineering and get application advice from previous students! This is an opportunity for all applicants to hear personal experiences of studying with us, but may be most relevant to those applying from the USA, Latin and South America.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you - Alumni Perspectives

Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you? Join us for a panel and Q&A event with UCL Engineering alumni. You'll learn what you can expect from postgraduate study at UCL Engineering and get application advice from previous students! This is an opportunity for all applicants to hear personal experiences of studying with us, but may be most relevant to those applying from the USA, Latin and South America.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme 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 a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

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

There may occasionally be small, incidental expenses which can be reimbursed by the department once claimed.

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 £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. 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

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

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 programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you think you have the skills to study Power Systems Engineering
  • why you want to study Power Systems Engineering at graduate level
  • why you want to study Power Systems Engineering at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and/or professional background meets the demands of a challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (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: 2025-2026

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.