Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering

MScPostgraduateEngineering

Part Time Available

About This Programme

The University of Sharjah is the first university in the region to offer the unique specialty of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering. With a strong world momentum towards exploring new technologies for energy conversion, storage, and management, the department has graduated hundreds of engineers since its establishment who have proven themselves as distinguished ambassadors for the University. Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering is an intertwining of all engineering specialties that caters to energy conversion, efficiency, storage, and sustainability. The discipline is often claimed by classical engineering departments, such as mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering, while sometimes architecture engineering lays claim to certain aspects of building design. Thus, classifying oneself as a sustainable and renewable energy engineer includes individuals working on materials science, mechanical power, electrical power, chemical processes, energy management, and environmental engineering. Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineers are involved in the design, analysis, management, and problem-solving of a variety of projects that are linked to their community. The Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering (SREE Department) at the University of Sharjah (UoS) currently offers one undergraduate program in sustainable and renewable energy engineering which leads to a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering (BScSREE) degree. The program became fully accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the UAE Ministry of Education in 2018. The SREE Department at the University of Sharjah is proud to have obtained the initial accreditation for a Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering (MScSREE) Program from the Ministry of Education, UAE. The overall objective of the MScSREE Program is to provide the opportunity for qualified engineers and scientists to advance their knowledge and expand their skills in the energy engineering specialization. The intent is also to prepare students to conduct independent and collaborative research in academic, governmental, and industrial contexts. Throughout the process, students will participate in knowledge exchange and improvement, research design and analysis, and knowledge/technology transfer. The program is also intended to support the development of a critical mass of researchers, especially in applied research, in pertinent fields to the UAE and the region. The multi-disciplinary nature of this program will require the engagement of several faculty members specialized in a variety of specializations such as Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Chemical Engineering, Architecture Engineering, as well as across disciplines from other specialties such as Applied Physics, Material Engineering Sciences, Chemistry, and Biotechnological Sciences. As such, this will add to the research diversity and research potential of both students and the faculty in the University.

Course Highlights

33 credit hours
Taught in English
College of Engineering
Study system: Courses and Theses
Full-time and part-time study
AED 3,200 per credit hour

What You'll Study

Degree Completion Requirements The requirements for graduation from the MSc in SREE Program are: • Passing all courses required for graduation in the study plan. • Accumulating a GPA with a minimum of 3.0 on a 4-point scale. • Completing all the other requirements of the study plan. • Spending the minimum period stipulated for the award of the MSc degree and not exceeding the maximum. Program Structure The program requirements for the MSc in SREE Program comprise of 33 credits and are classified into the following categories: • Compulsory Courses • Elective Courses • Thesis Compulsory Courses: 4 courses, 12 credit hours Elective Courses: 4 courses, 12 credit hours MSc Thesis: 9 credit hours Total: 33 credit hours

Compulsory Courses (12 credit hours)

Four compulsory courses.

0406510Research Methodology3 credits
This course addresses the fundamentals and advanced aspects in the field of sustainable and renewable energy engineering. It introduces the planning and implementation of research projects for maximum impact in engineering research. It aids graduate students from the identification of an appropriate research topic through to the successful presentation of results. It aims at improving the research outcomes by presenting essential quantitative and qualitative research methods to carry out high-quality, rigorous research, including statistical analysis, survey design, and optimization techniques.
0406511Simulation and Modeling of Energy Systems3 credits
The course aims at providing the basis for modeling, simulation, and optimization of various energy systems. It aims also to provide an introduction to effective modeling methods to assess the dynamic behaviors of systems for energy supply and conversion. It covers modeling and simulation of energy demand and supply sides, model building, classification of models, conservation principles, thermodynamic principles, energy costs calculation, and economic uncertainty, techno-economic assessment of energy systems, process energy and mass balances, process energy integration, and energy modeling and simulation for buildings.
0406512Numerical Methods in Energy Technology3 credits
The course covers the application of numerical methods to solve renewable energy engineering-related problems, including the solution of linear and nonlinear algebraic equations, numerical integration and differentiation, ordinary and partial differential equations. The course also covers programming using MATLAB software and Excel spreadsheet. It addresses numerical solutions of governing equations of fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer along with the verification and validation of numerical solutions.
0406513Advanced Mathematics3 credits
The course covers ODEs, linear algebra and vector space theory, scalar and vector field theory, PDEs, and complex numbers, providing graduate students with a solid background in the mathematics used to solve the problems that arise in engineering and science fields.

Elective Courses (12 credit hours)

Four elective courses.

0406514Chemical Thermodynamics of Energy Systems3 credits
Students will use the principles of the first and second law of thermodynamics in performing energy, entropy, and mass balance for open and closed systems. Students will calculate the energy production efficiency of different cycles, as well as calculate the energy and exergy efficiencies of different energy conversion/storage processes. The students will design sustainable cycles with low or no environmental impacts.
0406515Cooling Systems for Buildings3 credits
This course will cover the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that are ubiquitous in all modern buildings. It covers thermal comfort, indoor air quality, cooling load, duct and piping systems, and strategies for operating the system and their basic means of control. The course also discusses refrigerant types and their environmental impact.
0406516Energy and Environment3 credits
This course is intended as a high-level introduction to the technical, socio-economic, environmental, and policy dimensions of various energy resources, their extraction, conversion technologies, and end uses. It also provides a broad understanding of current energy demand challenges and technologies to improve environmental effects. A case study from Dubai's 2030 plans for the Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashed Solar Park will be presented.
0406517Heat Exchanger Design3 credits
The course introduces different types of heat exchangers and the principles of design, manufacture, and use of major types of heat exchangers. It discusses applications of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and empirical relations for common heat exchangers. Various methods and parameters for design and performance evaluations are covered.
0406518PV Nanostructures and Nanotechnology3 credits
Overview of solar cell technologies and device architectures; nanotechnology designs in crystalline solar cells; nanotechnology designs in thin-film solar cells; light management and harvesting; nanostructure/nanomaterial engineering in solar cells; nanostructure modeling/simulation.
0406519PV (Optoelectronic) Device Physics and Modeling3 credits
Overview of optoelectronic devices, semiconductor and device physics, carrier transport, optical waves and photon generation, optoelectronic modeling approaches, and heat generation and dissipation.
0406520Energy Management and Optimization3 credits
0406521Sustainable Transportation Technologies3 credits
0406522Thermal Devices3 credits
0406523Advanced Heat and Mass Transfer3 credits
0406524Bioenergy3 credits
0406525Integration of Renewable Energy into the Electrical Grid3 credits
0406526Low Energy Buildings3 credits
0406527Desalination with Renewable Energy3 credits
0406529Hybrid Energy Systems3 credits
0406530Solar Energy Systems for Buildings3 credits
0406531District Heating and Space Cooling Systems3 credits

The course descriptions say the student must select one course from each of three groups, but neither the page nor the study plan document says which courses form each group. The page describes six of the seventeen electives.

Thesis (9 credit hours)

The student must complete the following course to fulfill the Master Degree Requirements.

0406534Thesis9 credits
Prerequisite: Completion of at least 15 credit hours
Students must select their research topic with a supervisor from the SREE department, prepare a written document, and defend it before a committee. The proposal should exhibit good potential for independent research. Students are expected to submit at least one refereed article before passing the defense.

The course descriptions list two thesis entries, 0406540 MSc Thesis Proposal and 0406541 MSc Thesis, each of 9 credit hours and with the same description; the course list and the programme structure give one Thesis, 0406534, of 9 credit hours. The prerequisite is from the course descriptions.

What You'll Learn

SREE department provides our graduate engineers with top-rated, professional education in the field of sustainable and renewable energy engineering. The program is intended to be a leader in providing theoretical knowledge and practices required for the design, development, implementation, and improvement of integrated sustainable energy systems that include people, materials, information, and equipment required to generate, store, and distribute energy from sustainable and renewable sources.

Entry Requirements

Academic: • In accordance with the university requirements for graduate degrees the MSc Committee grants regular enrollment for applicants to the MSc program who satisfy the following academic qualifications and criteria: The applicant must have a Bachelor's degree Engineering (or a closely-related field) from a recognized college or university with an overall Bachelor's grade point average of 3.00 (out of 4.0) or higher. • Students with a CGPA of 2.5 to 2.99 may be admitted conditionally provided that they register maximum (6) credit hours (Master's level) in the first semester of their study and obtain a CPGA of 3 out of 4. If he/she does not meet this requirement, the student is entitled to register only 3 credit hours in the second semester. If the student does not meet these conditions, he/she will be expelled from the program. • Candidates are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by obtaining: A minimum score of 1400 in EmSAT, or 550 on the Institutional TOEFL (administered at the University of Sharjah) or its equivalent on the iBT or CBT; or 6 on the academic IELTS. Students may be admitted conditionally if they obtain 1250 or higher in EmSAT, 530 or higher on TOEFL. Such a student must meet the following requirements during the period of conditional admission or be subject to dismissal: • must achieve an EmSAT score of 1400 or equivalent, by the end of the student's first semester of study; • may take a maximum of six credit hours in the first semester of study, not including intensive English courses; • must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in the first six credit hours of credit-bearing courses studied for the graduate program; Admission requirements for master programs: • The student must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university with a CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00. • Students with a CGPA between 2.5 and 2.99 may be admitted conditionally. • The degree must be in a major that qualifies the student to study the master's program. • Students must meet the English language proficiency requirement. • Attachment of ‘no objection of study certificate’ from the authorities responsible for national service for male Emirati students (ages from 18 to 30 years old). • Attachment of a letter of study approval from the Kuwait Embassy Cultural Office for Kuwaiti students only. • Attachment of People of Determination card (if applicable). • In case the student works in a certain place, please attach a letter from the employer stating that the student is working for this agency. • For individuals with foreign qualifications, it is necessary to provide a Certificate of Equivalency.

English: For programs taught in English, a score of 550 in TOEFL (ITP) (or its equivalence), or 6 in IELTS must be obtained. Native English speakers are exempt from the English proficiency requirement if the language of instruction for their undergraduate studies was English. Additionally, students who graduated from academic institutions where English is used as the primary medium of instruction for bachelor’s studies are also exempt. Equivalent scores (EmSAT / paper-based TOEFL ITP / IELTS academic): 950-1075 / 450 / 4.5; 1100-1225 / 500 / 5.0; 1250-1375 / 530 / 5.5; 1400-1525 / 550 / 6.0. The paper-based TOEFL ITP is offered only by the University of Sharjah, AMIDEAST Dubai, and Abu Dhabi head offices. The UoS reserves the right to require students to attend an interview in the Languages Institute. Students may be required to take a further in-house test to ensure their scores are consistent with their English Language proficiency.

Accreditation & Professional Recognition

The SREE Department at the University of Sharjah is proud to have obtained the initial accreditation for a Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering (MScSREE) Program from the Ministry of Education, UAE.