Geothermal and Hydro Energy

This course comprises:

• 11 weeks of teaching
• one week of revision
• then your final exam.

The course totals around 150 hours of study and assessment time. That’s around 10 – 15 hours per week. 

This is a rough guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes.

You can largely set your own study hours each week to cover the materials. MyAberdeen is available 24/7, so you can log in and study when it suits you.

You’ll be assessed via:

• continuous online assessment (20% of your final mark)
• a written exam – that you must sit in person (80% of your final mark).

We’ll help you find a convenient location to sit your exam, wherever you are in the world. See the exam section below for more information.

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your tutors via email. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

• Careers and Employability Service
• Disability support
• IT support
• Library support
• Student Support Service – help with finances, stress, wellbeing and non-academic issues
• Student Learning Service – study support, with advice sessions available via phone or Skype
• Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
• Toolkit – clever apps and free training that make online study easier

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

This course includes a final exam that you must attend in person.

Where

You can take your exam:

• on campus at the University of Aberdeen
• at another university or exam centre that is closer to you
• at your local British Council Office.

We can help you find a convenient location for your exam. You then make the arrangements and book the exam yourself.

We’ll contact you six to eight weeks before your exam date to confirm your exam location. We recommend exploring your options well before then. Get in touch with our friendly enquiry team if you need any help with this.

When

For courses starting in September, exams usually take place at the beginning of December.

Your precise exam date will be made available nearer the time.

If you’re unable to sit the exam during the December exam period, you’ll have a further opportunity to sit the exam during our resit exam period at the end of June/start of July.

Exam support

If you have any disabled access or support needs for your exam, let us know as part of your online application. This will give us plenty of time to ensure the right support is in place for you. Find out about the wide range of exam support available.

You can contact a disability adviser anytime by emailing student.disability@abdn.ac.uk to discuss how we can help.

Exam costs

Sitting your exam on campus at the University of Aberdeen is free.

Other universities, exam centres and British Council Offices may charge you for this service. This is an additional cost on top of your course fee. You pay this fee to your chosen exam centre, not us.

Entry requirements

We welcome students from all over the world. You do not need a visa to study online with us.

This course has no formal entry requirements, so you do not need to provide proof of your qualifications.

However, check the entry guidance above. It indicates the level of teaching delivered. You can view equivalent qualifications from your country on our International Entry Requirements page.

English language requirements

This course is delivered in English.

You do not have to provide proof of your English language skills to join this course. But we want to make sure you can use English well enough to study this course successfully. At this level of teaching, you would usually have:

IELTS – 6.5 overall

• 5.5 for listening, reading and speaking
• 6.0 for writing

TOEFL iBT – 90 overall

• 17 for listening
• 18 for reading
• 20 for speaking
• 21 for writing

PTE Academic – 62 overall

• 51 for listening, reading and speaking
• 54 for writing

Cambridge English Advanced and Proficiency – 176 overall

• 162 for listening, reading and speaking
• 169 for writing

Trinity ISE

• Integrated Skills in English III (ISEIII)
• A pass in all components with distinction

See our English Language Requirements page for more information about English language qualifications.

You will need access to:

A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on:

• Windows 7 or later
• Mac OS 10.10 (Yosemite) or later, preferably Mac OS 10.12 (Sierra)

All our teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. However, you’re likely to need a proper laptop or computer keyboard for completing assignments comfortably.

Reliable internet access

With reasonable download speed. We broadly estimate at least 2Mbps so that you can take part fully in live sessions.

Speakers or headphones

• A headset with built-in microphone and earphones is useful if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
• A webcam may be desirable for some interactive sessions.

Software

We will give you access to Office365 applications. This means that you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires any specialist software, then we’ll provide you with copies of this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment to your course will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your course each week:

• Be realistic
• Create a weekly schedule as a guide

If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help. 

Fee payment

Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.

We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.

Exam fees

It’s free to sit your exam on campus at the University of Aberdeen.

If you sit your exam at another university, exam centre or a British Council Office, they may charge you for this service. This is a fee that you pay directly to the service provider when booking your exam with them, not to us.

Ways to save

There are several ways you may be able to get help funding your studies:

• Discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
• Employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors
• Student loans
• Scholarships – search our funding database for scholarships
• Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

Find out more about funding options.

Student card

All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.