Overview
This course examines the oil and gas industry, the renewable energy sector and nuclear power, and aims to cover the financial, technical, political, social and environmental aspects of modern energy management.
It is designed to teach you about the processes, threats and opportunities that underpin the successful management of the international energy sector in the 21st century. This course emphasises the need to develop sustainable energy solutions in our growing global world and aims to teach you about alternative energy sources alongside fossil fuels, providing the opportunity to choose where to focus your interest. Economics and health, safety and environmental (HSE) risks are two main strands that run through the course, along with an analytical approach to understanding energy production, and the environmental, social and political impacts of energy production.
Whether you are Interested in the oil and gas industry – still a relevant and global business - or are motivated by the transition to sustainable energy systems, built upon both local community renewables schemes and global environmental treaties, this course aims to educate and prepare you for careers related to all aspects of energy production.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
To ensure an optimised and continual student experience, the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedTeaching Excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their fieldCourse essentials
A degree which offers you more, at no extra costModules
In more detail...
This course is designed, upon successful completion, to prepare you for a rewarding career and aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to understand and be able to respond to the diverse issues and challenges facing the energy industry.
- Currently free access to sector-leading software used by over 500 international oil and gas companies across the world, such as standard PETREL and ECLIPSE reservoir simulation software worth US$12.S million (donated by Schlumberger), Petex Integrated Product Modelling [1PM) software worth over £1 million (donated by Petex), Weatherford's Pan System and WellFlo, Honeywell's UniSims Design Suite (software providers may be subject to change).
- Potential employment prospects in national and international organisations* concerned with the development, regulation and management of the international energy industry.
- Student membership of the Energy Institute (EI) for the duration of the course, the leading professional body for the international energy industry. Available free of charge to all enrolled students.
- Explore key challenges and opportunities facing the energy sector in the 21st century.
- Opportunity to join vibrant Student Chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE*) which organises activities such as SPE Students' Week, Students' Paper Contests, industrial/field trips* and other social/networking events. Membership is free, however additional activities may be subject to additional costs borne by the student.
*Please note that we are unable to guarantee any trip, placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Our main study themes are:
Oil and gas:
We examine the history and importance of the oil and gas industry to the global economic system, including the current structure of the industry and the technical process of exploration, production, refining, transportation and distribution. We will also explore oil and gas industry trends, future energy needs and alternative.
Petroleum geoscience and technology:
You will be introduced to the history of geology and geophysics, and the developments of these techniques in recent times. We will examine the formation of oil and gas, reservoir quality, source rocks, migration fairways and trapping mechanisms. We will look at the upstream processes, from exploration to drilling and completion into reservoir engineering and simulation. You should explore how the application of geological and geophysical techniques play a central and critical role in the exploration for oil and gas in onshore and offshore environments around the world. We also provide an overview of the downstream petroleum business, the main products, as well as the economics of the downstream business
Renewable Energy:
As countries around the world look to decarbonise their energy systems, we believe that renewable energy technologies are playing a key part in aiding this transition – be they solar, wind, bioenergy, marine, geothermal or hydropower. You will be introduced to the various ways that we can assess renewable energy resources and about the responsible deployment of renewable energy technologies. You’ll explore how we use energy in the modern world and learn about how advances in decentralised energy systems, electric vehicles, storage and smart grids are shaping our use of energy. The course also explores the innovations taking place to use energy more efficiently, particularly in the built environment, and you will gain a precise appreciation of the economics of this growing market.
Electricity production:
You will be introduced to the fundamental concepts and practices behind the operation of the modern electric generating industry, including production, transmission and consumption. We will outline the three main electrical production methods – fossil fuel based, nuclear power and hydroelectricity – explaining the merits and disadvantages of each methodology from an economic, social and environmental perspective.
Climate change:
Often described by politicians as the biggest threat to humanity, climate change is viewed by many as the most pressing issue facing the world today. We will examine in detail the science of climate change – the structure of the atmosphere in terms of natural and enhanced greenhouse states and the effects that a changing climate has on the biosphere. We also consider the development, future and effectiveness of national and international climate change policy.
This course can be studied full-time over three/four years and part-time over six years.
Your course will be based on a series of lectures with associated seminars, site visits and practical classes. We try to incorporate a wide range of learning and teaching methods as part of our innovative activity-led learning, which is aimed at motivating you to learn through stimulating activity, such as a project, problem, scenario, case study or enquiry in a classroom or work setting.
We hope that this will engage students and create challenge, relevance, integration, professional awareness and variety to help you learn technical, personal and professional skills. For example, debates on topical issues are regularly held in a variety of modules on issues ranging from ‘fracking’ (hydraulic fracturing) to planning consent for onshore wind turbines. Formative presentations are commonly used, such as paper summaries, and assessments using posters and videos.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include coursework, tests, essays, formal examinations and dissertation work.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: The nature, practical value and application of energy management as a researched academic discipline, and its concepts, methods and techniques; the constitution and character of specific energy sources specifically Oil, Gas, Renewable and Nuclear Power; the concepts of financial, technical, environmental, social and political management in the energy industry; the use of practical research and numerical techniques applied to the energy industry management; the impact of political, social and environmental trends on the oil, gas and energy industry; the nature, mitigation and management of contemporary environmental problems and hazards when applied to the energy industry.
- Assess, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information critically.
- Undertake research using a variety of methodologies and reporting techniques.
- Recognise the moral and ethical issues involved in debates and inquiries.
- Understand the way in which organisations are structured and operate.
Actual teaching contact hours will vary depending on the level of study and the requirements of a particular semester. In a typical week your contact hours will be divided amongst personal tutorials and small group teaching; medium group teaching (e.g. seminars, tutorial sessions, lab sessions and workshops); and large group teaching (lectures).
In addition, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study each week depending on the demands of individual modules. The number of contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 13-14 contact hours per week in the first and second year dropping to around 12 contact hours per week in the final year as you become a more independent learner.
Coventry University is committed to providing a global educational experience and we encourage you to undertake a placement year or study year abroad after your second year of study. Previously students have studied at Arizona State University in the United States.*
Focusing as it does on a rapidly developing global industry, this course aims to offer ample opportunity to enhance your international experience. You will have the opportunity to discuss key energy issues with students from around the world as part of our student-led online international learning (OIL) network.
We also recently hosted a summer school for Saudi Aramco graduate trainees, who shared experiences with our current students, and all subjects drawn extensively on international material, much of which is linked directly to the research activities of your tutors. For example, carbon, capture and storage reservoir modelling, wastewater treatment, offshore health and safety, and oil spill clean-up.
*Please note that we are unable to guarantee any trip, placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
international experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
Entry Requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
For more information, please visit our Finance pages.
Course essentials at no extra cost
We're committed to communicating study costs clearly to make sure you're not faced with having to make any unexpected payments.
This is why our ‘Flying Start’ package provides you with a few course essentials. Your full-time fee for an undergraduate degree will cover the following:
UK field trips
Any mandatory site visits and trips within the United Kingdom.Key material
This can include core textbooks, software and equipment.Laser prints
1,000 A4 sides of black and white laser printing credits per year.Optional year
Pay no tuition fees for optional work placements or study abroad trips.Course essentials - additional costs: This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas. This course may incur additional costs associated with any equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire.
- Students will be provided with appropriate fieldwork clothing and footwear.
EU student fees
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
This course is designed to help prepare you for potential future employment with national and multinational oil companies, environmental consultancies, government agencies and regulatory bodies.
Where our graduates work
Recent graduates are developing their careers in energy resources with companies such as Eon Energy, Severn Trent Water, Lloyds Register and a nuclear decommissioning authority.
Recent graduates have also joined graduate training schemes at Horizon Energy and Siemens (Energy), with some other past graduates have becoming analysts for Gemserv and the Energy Saving Trust.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
