MSc Net Zero Engineering
Belfast, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 27,600 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
* international fee
Key Summary
About: MSc Net Zero Engineering at Queen's University Belfast focuses on sustainability to prepare students for decarbonization challenges. It gives a foundation in engineering skills, covers emerging technologies and offers field trips to partners (Wrightbus, NI Water), industry projects and research links with Green Lizard Technologies, Nuada and Catagen.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can move into roles such as project engineer, renewable energy coordinator, sustainability consultant, researcher/PhD candidate, or energy policy advisor. Employers include manufacturers, transport firms, sustainability consultancies, government, oil and gas, start-ups and renewable suppliers. Skills support work in low‑carbon systems, green hydrogen, environmental impact assessment, energy systems design, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Governments around the world have set legally binding targets in support of achieving ambitious low-carbon objectives and are investing heavily in the development of technology that will deliver decarbonisation of the energy sector.
Achieving these objectives is, however, a substantial challenge and requires input and engagement across a broad range of sectors. The rapid development of these sectors also emphasises the need for advanced skills and training portfolios to be delivered to not only address these challenges but also create future opportunities.
Therefore, the aim of this programme is to provide students with a strong foundation of engineering and associated skills that are needed to underpin and contribute towards achieving sustainability and greener societies. In doing so, they will have an excellent platform to support existing and new industries in their transition towards achieving net-zero targets.
Students completing this course will possess skills which are increasingly sought after by local and international employers, particularly those in the manufacturing and energy sectors. The course will also introduce students to a suite of emerging technologies which are being considered and will provide them with the skills to be able to assess them, providing opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in a variety of sectors.
Net Zero Engineering highlights
Student Experience
Students will have an opportunity to participate in field trips to industrial partners who are currently deploying renewable energy solutions in the transport (Wrightbus) and water treatment (NI Water) sectors. In addition, students will be able to engage with companies by working on industry-academia projects.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Sustainability is one of the School’s two core themes. Core staff are leading multi-million pound research projects on sustainability and net-zero research. Our experts are well placed to equip the next generation of scientists to address these subjects.
Industry Links
Researchers in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering maintain close links with government departments and industrial partners, focused on the development of policy and processes for a net-zero future.
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of global employers from a variety of sectors, including large energy producers as well as smaller industries. Furthermore, we work with a range of local and start-up/spin-out companies, including Green Lizard Technologies, Nuada and Catagen.
Career Development
Students will learn and enhance the skills required to both help governments meet sustainability targets and respond to industry demands to maximise innovation in renewable energy deployment. These skills will be crucial as we transition towards a low-carbon society around the globe.
QUB Chemical Engineering is ranked joint 8th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Outcomes; Complete University Guide 2026).
Course Structure
All modules below will be assessed by 100 % coursework, which will comprise written, oral and calculation-based assignments.
- Sustainability and Net-Zero-Carbon Criteria (20 CATS)
- Tools for Quantifying Energy and Carbon (20 CATS)
- Applied renewable energy and low carbon technologies (20 CATS)
- Fundamental Principles of Hydrogen Generation and Use (20 CATS)
- Hydrogen System Integration (20 CATS)
- Hydrogen System Design and Practice (20 CATS)
The final module will be assessed based on the research project, which is summarised below:
- Research Project in Net Zero Engineering (60 CATS) – written dissertation (50 %), laboratory performance, methodology and design records (40 %) and oral presentation (10 %)
Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) basis. Full-time students typically complete three modules per semester. Part-time students typically complete one or two modules per semester. The MSc is awarded to students who successfully complete six taught modules (120 CATS points) and a 15,000 - 20,000-word research dissertation (60 CATS points). Exit qualifications are available: students may exit with a Postgraduate Diploma by successfully completing 120 CATS points from the six core taught modules or a Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from either of two defined sets of three taught modules.
There is a straightforward option to build towards a Master's degree through short courses. For example, you can choose to complete the taught sections as two individual PGCerts (60 CATS each) and then complete a research or design project and be awarded the full MSc in Net Zero Engineering.
Introduction
Achieving the Net Zero Emissions targets set by governments around the globe will not be simple. It requires engagement across a range of disciplines that are underpinned by a strong understanding of the fundamental science and engineering behind sustainability and renewable energy. This course will target that challenge by equipping students with an enhanced skill set, which will provide them with the tools to not only evaluate and assess sustainability but also deliver low-carbon engineering solutions to a range of international industries. As a result, our graduates will be well placed to contribute and play a crucial role across multiple sectors as we transition towards a Net Zero society.
Semester One teaching
The modules during semester one, which are listed below, are focused on the core concepts of sustainability, the associated developments and importantly, how we evaluate and assess those. This includes exploring the tools for quantifying the availability of resources and applying knowledge of Life Cycle Analysis, carbon footprinting and model development. It also involves deploying these skills when learning about the range of renewable energies such as wind, marine, solar and bioenergy.
- CHE7301 Sustainability and Net-Zero-Carbon Criteria
- CHE7302 Tools for Quantifying Energy and Carbon
- CHE7303 Applied renewable energy and low carbon technologies
Semester Two teaching
The second semester of the full-time course will focus more specifically on hydrogen energy systems as an approach to achieving sustainability and decarbonisation of key sectors. The underpinning science and engineering of current manufacturing routes and emerging technologies will be explored, along with discussing the growth of the hydrogen economy. The sub-components of hydrogen energy systems will also be investigated to demonstrate how they are influenced by the chemical and thermodynamic properties of hydrogen and how they can integrate with existing technology, such as batteries and gas separation. The relevant modules are:
- CHE7304 Fundamental Principles of Hydrogen Generation and Use
- CHE7305 Hydrogen System Integration
- CHE7306 Hydrogen System Design and Practice
Students will also conduct a research project under the supervision of an academic and/or industrial supervisor, within an applied area of net-zero engineering. Students will be able to conduct their projects under two themes: lab-based or theoretical and modelling-based, which both align with research clusters within the school and reflect the scientific and engineering principles of the taught material.
* CHE7207 Research Project in Net Zero Engineering
Queen’s University Belfast is ranked 174th in the QS World University Rankings 2027
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.
This MSc will equip you with the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in sustainability and the renewable energy sector. We have good links and regularly consult with a large number of global employers from a variety of sectors, including energy (including Shell, BP and Petronas), transport (WrightBus) and other chemical industries (Seren Technologies and Johnson Matthey). Furthermore, we work with a range of local companies and start-up/spin-out companies, including Green Lizard Technologies and MOF Technologies. Graduates have also progressed into research at various universities.
Employment after the Course
Where would you like to be in five years' time?
Graduating from this course could lead to you becoming a project engineer in the design and development of components for low-carbon energy systems. You could also conduct environmental and sustainable impact assessments as a renewable energy coordinator for windfarms, solar installations and biorefineries. Alternatively, you might want to contribute towards the development of emerging technologies such as artificial photosynthesis through a research post or PhD. You may play a key role as a sustainable consultant for the government in policy development to ensure the safety of new infrastructure for distributing green hydrogen.
Achieving net zero emissions is a global objective, and therefore, after your MSc, you might want to travel and gain experience in places like Asia, South America or Africa. This could also be valuable for understanding the role you can play in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Employment Links
Employers who are interested in people like you include manufacturers (energy systems), construction companies, sustainability consultancies (local, national and international), government (e.g. Department for Energy and Climate Change), businesses that are transitioning to net zero, transport sector (public transport), the oil and gas sector, the pharmaceutical sector, academia and education and renewable energy suppliers.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world-leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this the Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.