Gain professional training at the master's degree level and prepare to perform state-of-the-art work on energy systems.

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Part Time | Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    MSE

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To receive additional information about this program and speak with a member of our team, please complete the form.

MSE Overview

solar01

At UMass Lowell, we offer two options, which lead to a wide range of career opportunities.

  • The Renewable (Solar) Engineeringoption (through the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department) began over twenty-five years ago with a focus on solar energy, but over time has expanded to encompass several renewable energy technologies, including wind turbines, fuel cells and green combustion.
  • The Nuclear Engineering option (through the Department of Chemical Engineering) began in the 1960s with the establishment of the nuclear science center that include the 1 MW research reactor and the accelerator in early 1970s. UMass Lowell is the only public institution in New England with a nuclear energy and technology focus. Our nuclear engineering program faculty have research expertise in nuclear power plant safety, radiation shielding and protection, advanced radiation detectors, nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear safeguards, modeling and simulation of nuclear fuel cycle.

The programs are designed to achieve a balance between hands-on experience and theory. Energy engineering draws students from all branches of engineering, mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Curriculum

Thesis, Project, and Course-only Requirements

There are three pathways to earning an MS degree in Energy Engineering:

  1. Thesis: 30 credits - 24 credits of courses (15 credits from core), plus 6 credits of thesis,
  2. Project: 30 credits - 27 credits of courses (15 from core), plus 3 credits of project, (available to Nuclear option students only)
  3. Course-Only: 30 credits - all from courses (15 from core, none from thesis or project credits)

A student's thesis must be defended in an oral examination conducted by the student's thesis committee.

Course Requirements

All students working toward the Master of Science Degree in Energy Engineering must take the following core courses:

Nuclear Option

  • Energy Engineering Workshop
  • Nuclear Reactor Physics
  • Nuclear Reactor Engineering Analysis
  • System Dynamics
  • Advanced Transport Phenomena

Renewable Option

One advanced mathematics course from the following three:

  • Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations
  • Transport Processes in Energy Systems
  • Dynamic Systems and Controls

Three out of the following five core courses:

  • Fundamentals of Solar Utilization
  • Wind Energy Fundamentals
  • Solar Systems Engineering
  • Advanced Thermodynamics
  • Fundamentals of Sustainable Energy
  • All Renewable Energy MSE students must take Engineering Energy Workshop

Elective Courses

For all students in both the Renewable and Nuclear option, the remainder of the course requirements are to be made up of elective courses which should be approved by the appropriate graduate coordinator.

For more information on the MSE curriculum including course listings and degree pathways, visit the Graduate Catalog.

Admissions Requirements

Visit Graduate Admissions for more information on the application process.

  • Current tuition information for on-campus and online students is available on the Graduate & Professional Studies website.

  • Renewable energy engineers are leading the way to a cleaner, safer future across the globe. From designing small off-grid, solar-powered agricultural water pumps in Peru to improving the reliability of towering wind turbines off the coast of Rhode Island, our students and graduates are making a positive impact on our society and our environment.

    In recent years, more power has come on-line in the US from renewable power plants than from any other source, and that trend is likely to continue for decades to come as more and more states require utilities to add renewables to their portfolios. This boom has led to an incredible growth in the number of solar jobs in the US -- up 168% since 20101. Hence, the job prospects for our graduates here in the US are outstanding. Likewise, developing nations in Asia, Africa, South and Central America are turning to renewables to power their growing economies. Our students are very successful at finding work in the solar industry, in both summer co-ops and post-degree full time positions.

    1 National Solar Jobs Census, January 2017

Why Study Energy Engineering at UMass Lowell?

Headshot of Jyotik Savaj

“Conserving our environment is why we do this.”

Jyotik Savaj aims to help fulfill the need for solar power and has a paid co-op job at Exyte, an engineering and project management company specializing in high-tech facilities. Read more
UMass Lowell students and Loyola Electrical Students installing PV modules on a roof in a developing country.

Solve Global Challenges

In the Energy Engineering Program, companies, faculty, and students are working together to research solutions addressing the grand challenge of achieving clean and sustainable energy. Learn more
Harish Hande

Empower Lives

Social entrepreneur and alumnus Harish Hande is helping the poor in India in an economically and environmentally sustainable way, by bringing affordable solar power to the countryside. Read more

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