Nanotechnology and Renewable Energy MSc – 2023 entry

Could the design of novel nanomaterials based on atoms and molecules hold the secret to saving our planet from predicted climate catastrophe? Will solar energy provide the long-term alternative to fossil fuels? And how will we successfully harvest this energy?

Our MSc allows you to discover the practical implementation of nanoscience, quantum engineering, nanomaterials and nanotechnology for renewable energy generation and storage.

You’ll be taught by world-leading experts at the University’s Advanced Technology Institute, and gain specialised skills through an individual research project within our research groups, using the latest advanced equipment and facilities.

Our MSc explores the practical implementation of nanoscience and nanomaterials for clean and green energy applications.

You’ll begin by learning the fundamentals behind nanotechnology, before discussing its implementation using nanomaterials – such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, 2D materials and perovskite solar cells.

You'll discover how advanced nanotechnology tools are used to allow us to see things at a nanoscale, while learning about future trends and applications for energy generation and storage. Topics here include sustainable energy generation from solar, thermo electrics, piezo electrics, tribo electrics and hydrogen fuels cells, and storage with supercapacitors and batteries.

Completion of the course will provide you with the essential skills needed to advance your career in the rapidly developing renewable energy field. You can take part in the clean energy revolution taking place today, where the decarbonising of energy is the number one priority all around the world.

Please be aware: the course content and modules listed for this course are subject to change for the 2023/24 academic year, whilst we undertake a curriculum design review. Please contact the programme leader if you have any queries about the course.

If you’re studying this course full-time, you’ll study eight modules across the year – four in each semester. You will work on your project full-time during the summer period for approximately two and a half months, whilst prior to that during semester time you will work on the initial stages of the project part-time and complete an interim report. This means that if you begin your course in February, you will complete your project in between the two semesters, while if you begin your course in September, you will complete your project after the two semesters.

You can also study this MSc part-time, taking between two and five years. The length depends on how many modules you study each year. You can study between two and six modules each year. We recommend part-time students work on their project in their final year of study when all eight modules have either been completed or are near completion.

Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75 and 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:

Timetable

Course timetables are normally available one month before the start of the semester. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday). Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week, details of which can be obtained from the Academic Hive. View our Code of practice for the scheduling of teaching and assessment (PDF).

Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.