Contents of studies Sustainable Energy Systems
Holistic and innovative
The four-semester master's degree program is open to graduates of engineering, science, or industrial engineering bachelor's degree programs. It combines compulsory and elective modules with practical experience. The compulsory modules offer you a 360-degree view of the energy system as well as selected methods in the field of Business and Management and Digitalization. You will learn about the entire energy chain from generation to demand. The focus is on a networked, digital, future-proof energy system:
- How can buildings, industry and mobility be designed to be energy efficient?
- Which renewable energies are suitable for the provision of electricity, heat and fuels?
- Which technologies enable intelligent distribution and storage of energy?
- How do energy markets and energy trading work?
- How do I establish the topics of sustainability and energy efficiency in companies?
Study programme structure
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy Economics | 3 | 2 |
| Efficient denentralized energy technologies | 6 | 4 |
| Programming techniques | 3 | 2 |
| Promotion of individual competencies | 6 | 2 |
| Specialisation 1 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Specialisation 2 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Total | 30 | 18 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Smart grids and infrastructures | 3 | 2 |
| Renewable Energies and Storage | 3 | 2 |
| Laboratory practical course | 3 | 2 |
| Data Science | 3 | 2 |
| Contextual Studies Choice of 1 or 2 modules *K | 6 | 4 |
| Specialisation 1 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Specialisation 2 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Total | 30 | 20 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy markets and energy trading | 3 | 2 |
| Financing and Profitability | 3 | 2 |
| Internet of Energy | 3 | 2 |
| Master's thesis seminar | 3 | 2 |
| Contextual Studies Choice of 1 or 2 modules *K | 6 | 4 |
| Specialisation 1 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Specialisation 2 *V | 6 | 4 |
| Total | 30 | 20 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy and society | 1 | 1 |
| Business and Management | 2 | 1 |
| Sustainability management | 3 | 2 |
| master's thesis | 22 | 0 |
| final master's examination | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 4 |
*E | Courses in English
*V | Specialisation: specialisation modules are elective modules specific to the course
*K| Contextual Studies Selection of 1 or 2 modules totalling 6 ETCS
ECTS: Performance points according to the "European Credit Transfer System". According to international standards, 120 ECTS points are to be earned over 4 semesters.
SWS: One hour per week (SWS) corresponds to 15 educational components of 45 minutes each.
Specialisations
From the first semester onwards, you will specialize by choosing two out of three specialisation modules and thus sharpen your competence profile.
If you have the appropriate previous education, you can take a specialisation module from another technical master's degree in, for example, mechatronics.
The selection of specialisations is made at the beginning of the course and is fixed for three semesters.
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Optimization basics | 3 | 2 |
| Efficient networks | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Decisions under uncertainty | 3 | 2 |
| Dynamics of processes | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Efficient systems - Selected chapters | 3 | 2 |
| Project work - Efficient systems | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Heat transfer and fluid mechanics | 3 | 2 |
| Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Simulation of plants and buildings | 3 | 2 |
| Modeling of thermal systems | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Smart buildings - Selected chapters | 3 | 2 |
| Project work - Intelligent buildings | 3 | 2 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy project - brainstorming | 6 | 3 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy project - engineering | 6 | 3 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Energy project - business case | 6 | 3 |
Learning content in detail
Study and career: yes, it's possible!
Studying part-time is challenging and at the same time very rewarding. Contact hours at the FHV, e-learning units, self-organized learning and group and project work alternate during your studies. You need the necessary discipline, consistent time management and an appropriate agreement with your employer. We recommend a reduction of the professional activity to 50 to 70 percent.
The four-semester master's degree in is geared to the time resources of working professionals and managers. With these organizational measures, we support you:
- Optimized schedule design with little idle time and variety in offerings
- Preview of contact hours and exam dates several months in advance
- Presentation and examination times are only changed in exceptional cases (e.g. illness of a lecturer)
- Exam dates if possible right after the completion of a course to avoid compressed exam situations at the end of the semester
- Small group sizes - this creates room for individual supervision when working on exercise examples, case studies and projects.
- The availability of electronic media (lecture notes, eBooks, essays in subject databases) is very high and is constantly being expanded.
Thinking ahead with Contextual Studies
The Contextual Studies at the FHV is a flexible part of your master's degree programme and a special feature among Austria's universities of applied sciences. It allows you to pursue personal questions of interest, to work independently and explore new territory: in research, in other cultures or disciplines.
Master's degree programmes at our university of applied sciences are characterised by three elements:
1. Core Studies:
The compulsory fundamental subjects in core studies establish the specialist skills and support your professional competences.
2. Specialisation Studies:
In the chosen field of specialisation, you will enhance and specialise - depending on the degree programme - your professional access based on your interests and career goals.
3. Contextual Studies:
In a selection of more than 40 courses, you cross the boundaries between:
- disciplines and schools of thought (interdisciplinarity)
- cultures, languages and countries (internationality)
- current knowledge and the future (research and development)
Your degree programme takes you through all three basic elements. This process allows you to deepen and broaden your skills while letting you incorporate your personal interests in your programme of study.