About the course

Overview

The MSc in Smart Energy Management is aimed at developing an advanced knowledge of the underlying principles and concepts of smart grids, enabling technologies of smart energy such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as cross-disciplinary issues such as sustainability.

The course will also develop and extend the practical skills that are necessary for the designing, building, and evaluation of smart energy systems such as strategy management and consultancy skills.

Graduates from this programme should be able to undertake both development and management roles. The course recognises the wide variety of potential destinations for students after completion of their course and as such uses compulsory modules to deliver key skills and enable students to obtain the required knowledge.

The course also teaches you the skills needed to become a consultant through dedicated modules where you are taught and assessed through applying your learning to real-world problems. The programme will be delivered in conjunction with the £15M SEND (Smart Energy Network Demonstrator) at Keele University. SEND centres on strong collaborations between Keele, Siemens and local SMEs with the aim to create Europe’s first ‘at scale’ Smart Energy Network Demonstrator on Keele campus – a living laboratory where new smart energy, data analytics, and IoT technologies can be researched, developed and tested.

Students on the course will also have access to information and links to the other sustainability projects taking place on the Keele campus, such as HyDeploy. HyDeploy is a pioneering hydrogen energy project, delivered in conjunction with Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, ITM Power, HSE, and Progressive Energy, designed to help reduce UK CO₂ emissions and reach the Government’s net zero target for 2050. As the first ever live demonstration of hydrogen in homes, HyDeploy aims to prove that blending up to 20% volume of hydrogen with natural gas is a safe and greener alternative to the gas we use now.  

In the first part of the programme you will study 8 taught modules over two semesters. In the second part you will have the choice to undertake a formal academic project supervised by academic staff in the School or to take an industry placement. As a result of the link to the SEND programme, there may be a number of paid industrial placement opportunities available to the students on this MSc programme. In both options you will apply the skills you have learned during the taught modules.

Teaching facilities

You will be taught in dedicated teaching and laboratory space equipped with cutting edge computer systems. We also have a MakerSpace, a multi-purpose research lab equipped with a variety of robots and a Vicon motion-tracking system, a Gaming Lab and a perception lab with state-of-the-art virtual reality equipment. You will have the opportunity to access data and systems from the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) and to visit the Horwood Energy Centre on the Keele campus, the control room for SEND.

Course structure

How the course is taught

You will have formal lectures delivered by academic staff as well as small group tutorial and practical sessions. The course uses a variety of innovative learning tools and methods working with real clients, such as the industrial partners working on the SEND programme.

Small group teaching is central to deliver the course and our staff and students are able to very quickly create supportive working relationships.

Each module in the first semester is taught intensively over a six-week period. This means that you will be able to learn the key competencies and skills very quickly. In the second semester each module is taught every week. This is a truly interdisciplinary course, with modules in the first semester concentrating on the technological aspects of the course while the second semester modules expand this knowledge into sustainability and strategy management by covering topics including environmental sustainability, research skills, and information management. 

You will have sixteen hours of lectures and tutorials each week. Alongside this you will expected to work independently on exercises and coursework projects, as well as researching course topics online and in Keele’s University library.

Assessment

The taught modules are mainly assessed by coursework. For example, in Data Analytics & Databases: students analyse a large dataset (using, for example, R and/or SQL) and create a report of their findings which is then assessed.  Some modules are assessed by examinations. Examinations are normally 2 hours in length where students can not use books and notes are not allowed. 

Taught Modules

Throughout the MSc Smart Energy Management programme you will study a range of both core and optional modules. Indicative modules can be viewed below to provide you with an idea of the modules that may be available to study - we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Entry Requirements

Academic entry requirements

Undergraduate degree in any subject with second class lower (2:2) or an international equivalent.
We will also consider students with equivalent industrial work experience.

English Language Entry Requirement for International Students

IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. The University also accepts a range of internationally recognised English tests.

If you do not meet the English language requirements, the University offers a range of English language preparation programmes.

During your degree programme you can study additional english language courses. This means you can continue to improve your English language skills and gain a higher level of English.

Funding

Scholarships and Funding

We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage for more information.

There will also be the potential of a number of paid placements with businesses linked to the SEND project for which students on the MSc will be able to apply.

It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in this case, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.

Our expertise

As an interdisciplinary MSc the Smart Energy Management course is taught in the School of Computing and Mathematics, along with the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment and Keele Business School.

The School of Computing and Mathematics has highly rated research in cutting-edge areas including smart energy, software and systems engineering, machine learning & computational intelligence, computational neuroscience and biomedical engineering, evolutionary systems, and regularly wins funding from the leading UK research funding agencies, ESPRC, Innovate UK and BBSRC as well as prestigious funding bodies such as the Leverhulme Trust. Professor Zhong Fan, the course director, is the Academic Director of the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator project on the Keele campus – a living laboratory where new energy-efficient smart technologies can be researched, developed and tested in a real world environment. In collaboration with both multinationals and local SMEs, we are conducting leading-edge research in smart energy, encompassing the Internet of Things, multi-vector energy systems, data analytics and behavioural science.

Academic staff on the MSc include:

• Professor Zhong Fan, MSc Smart Energy Management Course Director and Academic Director of the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (Computing)
• Dr Jun Cao, Research Fellow in Energy (GGE)
• Professor Peter Andras, Professor (Computing)
• Professor Chris Fogwill, Professor of Glaciology and Paleoclimatology (GGE)
• Dr Sharon George, Lecturer (GGE)
• Dr Thomas Neligwa, Lecturer (Computing)

Careers

Through our close collaboration with industrial partners we continually seek to ensure that the MSc Smart Energy Management gives you cutting edge technical skills and knowledge - as well as the consultancy, sustainability and project management skills that are required for success in careers where smart energy systems are developed or used.

Through the multidisciplinary nature of the MSc, and the close links to companies and placements through Keele’s Smart Energy Network Demonstrator, you will gain the knowledge and experience to work in a range of roles within the energy and sustainability sectors, including smart energy systems, artificial intelligence, and sustainability consultancy. 

Some of our students who have worked on advanced projects in Keele’s Smart Energy Network Demonstrator have progressed to study their PhD at Keele after successfully completing MSc degrees at Keele.

The University has a Careers and Employability team who can provide you with advice and guidance about your future career. The team offer specialist workshops, for example 'Options with Postgraduate Study' and Moving on with your PhD', and can also meet you individually to give guidance and support to help you develop your career.  We also hold regular careers fairs on campus and informal events where you can meet employers. You will also have access to our database of job opportunities and digital resources such as online psychometric testing.

Athena SWAN

The Athena SWAN Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research. Established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) employment, the Charter is now being used across the globe to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

Over the past years, we have developed our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda and this is now embedded throughout all levels and activities. In September 2020, the School of Computing and Mathematics successfully renewed the Athena SWAN Bronze Award. The School is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture in which students are able to thrive, regardless of their gender. You will have the opportunity, if you wish, to attend the annual BCS Women Lovelace Colloquium, LMS Women in Mathematics Day and other Women in STEM events.