MSc Electrical Power Systems with Advanced Research

From the start of the MSc Electrical Power Systems with Advanced Research, a student at the University of Birmingham gains hands-on experience that goes far beyond classroom learning. The programme is structured so that every learner works with industry-grade tools, advanced laboratories and real-world engineering environments. During the second year, students step into a genuine research setting, working closely with academic specialists to develop high-impact, original work. This approach ensures that practical ability grows alongside technical knowledge, preparing graduates for both professional engineering roles and further research.

Students benefit from a rich combination of applied activities, specialist laboratories, digital tools and research opportunities. The programme’s facilities and teaching methods are built around real engineering challenges, ensuring every learner develops job-ready skills. The transition from structured laboratory work to independent research is supported by the university’s strong engineering infrastructure, which includes advanced testing rigs, open lab spaces and collaborative project areas. Specifically, students engage with:

• A state-of-the-art School of Engineering building featuring extensive electrical and electronics project spaces, including specialised equipment such as full-scale railway points, a pantograph testing system, and a test track designed for a scaled hydrogen-powered train.

• A teaching approach that blends lectures, tutorials, seminars and simulation-based lab experiments, allowing students to test concepts using modern power-engineering tools.

• A dedicated second-year Advanced Research Project, providing one-to-one supervision and access to research facilities for modelling, laboratory experimentation or theoretical investigations, often culminating in publishable work.

• Opportunities to collaborate with the Electrical Power and Control Systems research group, which focuses on smart grids, energy storage, control systems and cyber-physical security of infrastructure.

• A curriculum that includes areas such as HVDC and FACTS, renewable-energy integration, power-system protection, system operation and control, and power-system economics — all supported by digital simulation software and laboratory demonstrations.

Graduates from the MSc Electrical Power Systems with Advanced Research typically progress into strong engineering and research-focused careers. They are well-prepared for roles across power networks, renewable energy, utilities, and smart-grid innovation. Many graduates secure positions as Power Systems Engineers, Energy Systems Analysts, Renewable Energy Consultants, or Grid Operations Specialists.

Graduates benefit from several key strengths of this programme:

• The university’s dedicated Careers Network, which offers personalised career coaching, employer events, interview preparation, and access to industry recruiters, helping students make confident transitions into engineering roles or PhD pathways.

• The programme’s long-standing professional accreditation by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) — a credential that supports international career mobility and contributes to Chartered Engineer progression.

• Strong industry and research partnerships, supported by one of the UK's leading power and energy research groups, recognised for high-quality research outputs and applied innovation.

• Access to specialist labs and facilities, including advanced systems for power modelling, control, renewable-integration testing and transport electrification research.

• Positive graduate outcomes, with alumni progressing into sectors such as renewable energy, manufacturing, consultancy, utilities, transportation electrification, and smart-infrastructure development.

Further Academic Progression:
Graduates can continue into a PhD in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Renewable Energy Systems or Smart-Grid Technologies, supported by the research-intensive second year of the programme. They may also pursue professional development routes leading to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, or progress into specialised research and innovation roles within global energy companies, research labs, or governmental energy-strategy divisions.