Course summary

The MSc Energy and Economics provides you with a detailed overview of current energy issues, enabling you to apply core tools of economic analysis to the conversion and use of energy resources. You’ll learn from a cutting-edge and globally recognised syllabus, informed by the economic research carried out by Heriot-Watt University on behalf of the energy sector. You’ll develop a practical and theoretical grounding in technologies and wider knowledge and skills relevant to the energy, economics, and business sectors. The industry-relevant programme will set you up for a wide range of careers, including practising engineers, economic analysts, decision-making managers, and policy makers. During the master’s programme, you’ll gain a broad yet details overview of energy resources conversion, the socio-economic and environmental impacts of energy-related activities and use the core tools of economic analysis, with applications to the energy sector. You’ll be introduced to current energy issues and specialist engineering and economics knowledge and skills to enable you to analyse, appraise, and design energy policy, systems, and equipment. You’ll develop a critical awareness of current issues in research and knowledge creation within specialist areas of the two disciplines, making you highly employable within the energy industry upon graduating. The career-focused master’s programme will develop your professional and advanced communication skills. You’ll gain relevant knowledge and skills which will prepare you for a dynamic career as an energy consultant, or for a graduate job in energy economics across business, government regulation and environmental NGOs. You’ll have the opportunity to choose from optional courses to customise your learning and gain additional expertise in applied economics and finance. You’ll use your learned knowledge and skills to carry out an original research project at the forefront of knowledge on your chosen topic through your energy and economics dissertation. You’ll benefit from the Economics department’s close links to industry-leading organisations, such as the World Bank and British Petroleum (BP), as well as wider links to the London Stock Exchange and Bloomberg. You’ll have access to several key industry figures, including Spender Dale, Chief Economist at BP, who delivers guest economics lectures. Your learning environment The MSc Energy and Economics programme is taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with the teaching staff and academics. You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme. During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including our professional-standard Bloomberg Trading Room with 12 Bloomberg Terminals to enhance your employability with data skills. These Terminals are equipped with industry-standard software that provides live financial data and trading tools to the world’s leading banks and corporations. Outside of the classroom, you can join Heriot-Watt’s Business Society which holds regular social events and provides networking opportunities and insights into career prospects in Economics, Business, Finance, and other relevant industries. Customise your learning You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of energy and economics that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or career pathway by studying two mandatory courses and choosing six further options from a suite of over 20 specialist energy and economics courses. In semester three, you’ll explore your chosen area of energy and economics through your dissertation. You will be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by developing new insight from the analysis of valuable primary research.