Objectives and competences
Recent generations have benefitted from unprecedented economic and social progress thanks to the abundance of energy provided by fossil fuels. However, all the evidence suggests that this period of plenty is coming to an end: on the one hand, because it is increasingly difficult to obtain supplies of fossil fuels; on the other, because the scale of their impact on the environment is a cause of growing concern. In this context, sustainability has emerged as the new paradigm of prosperity for the immediate future.
This master's degree addresses the concept of sustainability from every angle and with the necessary academic rigour. It prepares students to work in companies and institutions that contribute sustainable solutions or actively integrate a concern for sustainability into their business strategies. As several studies have shown, this is a major growth sector that offers a significant number of positions for individuals with training in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. A document prepared in 2012 by the Spanish Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving notes that this sector generates high-quality jobs and forecasts a national increase in employment of 20% by 2015 and of 75% by 2020.
Face-to-face teaching is used, and the teaching staff are drawn from different departments of the faculties of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Sciences, Law, and Economics and Business. In addition, students will attend seminars given by professionals from companies in the sector based in and around Barcelona. Students will also have the opportunity to carry out curricular placements at some of these companies and can in some cases use the experience as the basis for their final project.
Face-to-face teaching is used, and the teaching staff are drawn from different departments of the faculties of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Sciences, Law, and Economics and Business. In addition, students will attend seminars given by professionals from companies in the sector based in and around Barcelona. Students will also have the opportunity to carry out curricular placements at some of these companies and can in some cases use the experience as the basis for their final project.
Basic information
| Type | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Faculty or school | Faculty of Physics |
| Branch of knowledge |
|
| Mode of delivery |
|
| Credits | 60 |
| Number of places available | 35 |
| Length of course | 1 academic year |
| Language(s) of instruction | 95% Spanish ' 5% English |
| Approximate price per credit | 27.67 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2024-2025 |
| Coordination | CRISTIAN FABREGA GALLEGO |
| master.merse@ub.edu | |
| Course details | Indicators |
| Open pre-enrolment | No |
| Open enrolment | Yes |
| Lead to doctoral studies | Yes |
| Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualification | No |
| Bridging courses | Yes |
Objectives and competences
Objectives
Competences
- plan and manage the consumption of energy and mineral resources for renewable and non-renewable power;
- determine life cycles and ecological, water and carbon footprints;
- calculate energy balances to determine performance and improve energy processes;
- identify and clearly explain the environmental impacts associated with power generation projects and plan solutions based on the use of renewable energy and minimal environmental footprint;
- act as advisors for renewable energy projects and sustainability initiatives and examine the economic viability of power generation projects;
- identify different methods of energy storage and the corresponding logistics and stock management strategies;
- identify systems for the production, transport, distribution and use of different forms of energy and the associated technologies;
- use legal concepts and sources of legal knowledge (law, doctrine and jurisprudence) to protect the environment; and interpret and apply international and Spanish guidelines to the regulation and promotion of renewable energy.
Access and admission
Applicant profile and access requirements
Recommended applicant profile
Applicants should be particularly sensitive to the challenges of energy sustainability and wish to acquire rigorous academic training in this field, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy, in order to work in the area of research, innovation and development.To ensure success in this master's degree, applicants should have a strong level of physics, chemistry and mathematics, user-level IT skills, and a good working knowledge of English. The degree is also open to professionals in the private sector who wish to broaden their knowledge of specific fields or techniques.
Access requirements and conditions
General requirementsIn accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:
- Official Spanish university degree.
- A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.
- A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.
Specific requirements
Prospective students should hold a bachelor's degree in physics, chemistry, geology, environmental sciences, materials engineering, geological engineering, chemical engineering, electronic telecommunications engineering, energy engineering or industrial technology engineering. Candidates with degrees in other disciplines may also be considered, depending on the suitability of their academic record and professional experience. If they are admitted, these students will be asked to complete additional bridging courses to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to start the master's degree syllabus. The bridging courses will be compulsory subjects from the bachelor's degrees in Physics and Chemistry taught at the UB.
Holders of undergraduate degrees issued outside Spain with a study load equivalent to 180 credits may be admitted directly or asked to complete bridging courses, depending on the content and strength of their academic records. As above, the bridging courses will be compulsory subjects from the bachelor's degrees in Physics and Chemistry. Students will be required to complete up to 30 additional credits.
Pre-enrolment
Calendar
The pre-registration period for the academic year 2024-2025: February 1 - June 21.Notes:
- Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
- Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.
Required documentation
- Pre-enrolment application
- Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
- Other specific documentation related to the selection criteria
Equivalence of Average Grades in University Studies Completed Abroad
Selection criteria
The Coordination Committee will evaluate each application on the basis of the following weighted criteria:- degree qualification and academic record: 70%
- professional experience: 15%
- English (minimum B1): 10%
Notification
The Master's Degree Committee is responsible for the selection process. Applicants shall be notified of the decision.Enrolment
As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned
- Documents required for enrolment
- Procedure to formalize enrolment
- Grants and financial aid (in Catalan)
- Economic information (in Catalan)
Course curriculum
Subjects and course plans
Distribution of credits
| Type | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Compulsory | 30 |
| Optional | 15 |
| Compulsory placements | 0 |
| Compulsory final project | 15 |
| TOTAL | 60 |
List of subjects
Previous years
Placements
Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.
Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record. There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.
Institutional information