The Course

Energy and its sustainability is a key global issue for modern societies. The redesigning of current energy production and supply systems, the efficient integration and sustainable management of such systems as well as issues concerning the environmental impact of all types of energy technologies are burning issues for both private companies as well as the public sector. Professionals who are thus versed in both the technical as well as the managerial and financial aspects of Energy Systems are equipped with a competitive edge in today’s demanding job market. This trend is expected to increase further in the coming years, with increasing interest both for renewable energy as well as for conventional energy sources professionals.

In order to really stand out, young professionals in the Energy sector need education that is interdisciplinary: technical as well as economics/management related. The International Hellenic University offers just such a diverse MSc in Energy Systems programme that is open to candidates from different academic disciplines and which has been in high demand since its first intake of students in 2010. Leading academics from the USA (Purdue), Germany (TU Aachen, TU Muenchen), Israel (Ben Gurion), the UK (Cass Business School) and Greece, together with instructors from public authorities and key players from energy-related organizations, have taught in this programme in the past. The programme focuses on the following two fields: Energy Management (financial, managerial, legal aspects of modern energy systems and overview of current fossil and renewable energy technologies), and Renewable Energy (state of the art renewable energy technology with an overview of managerial/financial aspects of energy systems).

The energy industry is so wide and varied that it offers a promising career choice to prospective students from a variety of different backgrounds. The following employment opportunities are available to our graduates after the completion of the MSc in Energy Systems:

Energy Management

• Managerial Positions in Energy departments (private and public sector) i.e., Regulatory Authorities and/or Electrical Energy Providers and multinational corporations
• Energy Project coordination and management (public & private sector, European Union)
• Energy Finance, Trading and Regulation
• Energy Strategic Management companies (Trading & Risk Management Analysis)

Renewable Energy

• Senior technical positions in renewable energy engineering
• Managerial positions in the booming Renewable Energy sector (Hydro, Tidal Wave and Bio-Energy, Wind, Solar and Geothermal) as well as Utilities management
• Government policymaking
• Management of Smart Grid technology networks

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The Structure

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The First Term

"IHU is not the typical public university.. I would proudly recommend it to anyone as a Greek university according to European Standards."
Georgia Grigoriou, Cyprus
MSc in Energy Systems
2010-2011During the first term, all MSc in Energy Systems students follow four (4) core modules. These modules offer a thorough grounding in key functional areas of the Energy sector by providing the required technical, legal and managerial education for all incoming students. These core modules sum up to a total of 30 ECTS units.

• Introduction to Energy Technology Systems
• Introduction to Energy Economics and Quantitative Methods
• Energy Project Valuation and Financing
• Energy Law in Europe

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The Second Term

".. I believe in a prosperous future, because IHU has given me the opportunity to do so"
Panagiotis Badras, Greece
MSc in Energy Systems
2010-2011During the second term, students follow the stream that they have chosen during application. Stream required and elective modules help students specialize further in their chosen stream. All students attend the respective Stream Required Modules, which sum up to 18 ECTS. In addition, during the second term students tailor their programme further by choosing elective modules. The choice of elective modules must sum up to 12 ECTS.

Stream Required Courses (6 ECTS each)

Energy Systems Management Stream

• Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy Economics
• Energy Markets, Trading and Risk Management
• Energy Strategic Management and Enterprise

Renewable Energy Stream

• Solar Energy Systems
• Wind and Geothermal Energy
• Hydro Power - Wave and Tidal Energy - Bioenergy

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The Stream Elective Modules (6 ECTS each)*

Energy Systems Management Stream

• Emission Allowance Markets
• Environmental Law & Policy for Natural Resources & Energy
• Energy Transportation
• Energy Efficiency and Savings

Renewable Energy Stream

• Energy Transmission and Storage
• Autonomous Energy Networks (Smart Grids)
• Hydrogen Energy
• Sustainable Built Environment
• Urban Energy Systems
• Energy Conversion Technologies
• Energy Efficiency and Savings

*Some of the elective courses may not be offered in a particular year, depending entirely on student demand. The same course may be offered in a two-year part-time study mode.

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The Third Term

During the third semester, students work on their Master’s Dissertation project, the thematic area of which is relevant to their programme of studies and their interests. The dissertation provides a good opportunity to apply theory and concepts learned in different courses to a real-world energy-related problem or challenge. Students are supervised throughout their projects by a member of the academic faculty and the academic assistants. After submission of the dissertation, students present their projects to classmates and faculty at a special event.

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