Learn to better analyse the complex uncertainties of the energy sector.
Join our online MSc in Energy Economics and Finance and train in the economic principles that businesses and governments use to understand world energy markets.
You’ll graduate ready to work as an economist or consultant within the energy industry, government or the third sector.
You’ll learn how economics and finance techniques are used to guide decision-making in the industry. And you’ll explore how the industry works. Studying with our expert team of economists and energy industry partners, you’ll cover:
- the drivers of energy demand and supply
- how the energy sector makes investment decisions
- how governments design and implement energy and environmental policies
- how to gather, use and analyse energy data.
No need for a career break
This flexible online degree can be studied part-time. You decide how many credits to study for each term, controlling the pace and cost of your degree term by term.
Who can study MSc Energy Economics and Finance?
This online energy economics degree is for anyone keen to understand the energy industry, how decisions are taken, and policies made.
It’s designed for energy professionals looking for a recognised path to career progression, or for anyone who wants to begin a successful career in the energy industry.
You can study this degree online with us anywhere in the world, with no need for a study visa. If you’d rather study full-time on campus, you may be interested in:

Outstanding expertise
Professor Alex Kemp OBE will be teaching you on this programme.
One of the world’s best-known energy experts, Alex has been a specialist adviser to governments and energy companies, in the UK and globally, for decades.
You’ll benefit from his unique experience, insights, and analysis of international energy markets.
Read more about AlexBy the end of this degree, you’ll be able to...
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Analyse energy markets and trends.
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Evaluate the profitability of energy investments.
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Apply quantitative skills to better utilise data to inform strategic decisions.
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Employ the global perspectives essential to professional success in this sector.
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Critically assess energy policies of different countries.
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Evaluate the links between energy, climate change and environmental policy.
What you’ll study
You can choose to study for a:
- Masters (180 credits)
- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits).
How you’ll study
Online learning
MSc Energy Economics and Finance is delivered flexibly, 100% online.
Your teaching
Your teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources at your fingertips, including online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.
Your tutors
You’ll learn from a team of academic experts from the University of Aberdeen Business School.
Your tutors include Professor Alex Kemp, OBE. A Professor of Energy Economics, Alex is also Director of the internationally recognised Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economics and Finance (ACREEF). All your tutors are members of ACREEF, and are active in research and teaching across energy economics.
As well as interacting with leading researchers in the field, you’ll benefit from direct input from our significant range of energy industry partners.
Live online webinars
Each course that’s part of this degree features eight live webinars with academic experts in energy economics. These live online webinars support your learning material. They’re central to your learning. Your participation in them will count towards your final grades.
Ahead of each live webinar, you’ll be asked to study the online materials provided, post questions to your tutor online, and undertake multiple-choice quizzes and other tasks. You may also be asked to work in small groups to prepare for some of the live sessions.
Free course demos
Get a taste of what and how you’ll study with our free course demos. Log in as a guest to see introductory videos and some of the course content for this degree.
This degree is assessed entirely online via methods including:
- online quizzes
- a written online assessment at the end of each course
- your participation in live online forums and webinars (worth 5% of your final grade).
Study hours for live online webinars
Each 15-credit course features eight online webinars. Each webinar is live and scheduled to last for around one hour.
Webinar dates and times will be organised flexibly at the start of each course. Your course coordinator will consider everyone’s circumstances and time zones before setting up live webinar times that best suit the convenience of students on the course.
Study hours for online courses
To study part-time, we recommend you take no more than 30 credits per term. Students typically take one or two 15-credit short courses per term.
15 credits
- Around 150 hours of study and assessment time to complete.
- You’ll study 8 – 10 hours per week per term, plus more at assessment times.
30 credits
- Around 300 hours of study and assessment time to complete.
- You’ll study 15 – 20 hours per week per term, plus more at assessment times.
This is an indicative 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.
Activities at fixed times
You’ll have live online webinars at fixed times, plus assessments with deadlines. But otherwise, you can access and work through your courses at your convenience.
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.
Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your tutors via MyAberdeen, email and Microsoft Teams. 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 – including one-to-one advice sessions
- 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 can make your study life easier
Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.
Your support team
Our friendly team are here to answer any queries you have before, during and after your studies.

Dr Yakubu Abdul-Salam
Salam is the degree coordinator. He’ll be on hand to answer any questions about degree content before you start and to help you throughout your studies.

Cherie Connon
Cherie is part of the School’s postgraduate teaching support team. She’ll be there throughout your studies to answer any of your non-academic queries.

Get in touch
Our online education team is here to answer any questions you have right now about this qualification, or about studying online.
Ask us a questionWhere this will take you
Careers
MSc Energy Economics and Finance will prepare you for career success in energy companies, consultancy, government, and environmental or regulatory departments of energy.
Your MSc qualification will be recognised by industry and educational institutions around the world.
If you’re a professional already working in the energy sector, this degree provides a strong route to career progression.
It will also prepare you for work with governments and NGOs who need high-quality graduates with an excellent understanding of the energy sector.
You’ll graduate ready to take up roles including:
- Commercial Analyst
- Economist
- Energy and Business Consultant
- Market Analyst
- Oil and Gas Associates
- Project Manager
- Strategy Analyst.

Lifelong career support
Our careers support doesn’t stop when you graduate.
You have access to our free careers service while you study, and beyond.
We’re here with 1:1 appointments, CV checks, interview prep, and to connect you with job opportunities around the world.
Fees and funding
The fees quoted above are based on you starting your studies with us in the 2023/24 academic year.
Fees for future academic years are provisional. Our indicative costs assume a 5% fee rise each year.

Pay as you go
Don’t worry, you do not have to pay the full degree fee upfront.
You can pay for your degree one term at a time. This gives you a flexible way to spread the cost.
Pay as you go allows you to spread payments over several terms.
When you pay
You make a payment before the start of each term.
How much you pay
You only pay for the credits you want to study in the upcoming term.
It’s up to you how many credits you take each term. This gives you control over your costs and your workload.
- Taking fewer credits will increase the length of your studies.
Costs for this degree, starting in academic year 2023/24
15-credit courses
- £1,410 in academic year 2023/24.
- £1,480 in academic year 2024/25 (provisional).
- £1,555 in academic year 2025/26 (provisional).
Tuition fees typically rise a little each academic year. The fees quoted for 2024/25 and 2025/26 are provisional and subject to change.
This is an example payment schedule for tuition fees. It’s based on the typical route through the degree.
You can take more or fewer credits per term than is shown in this example.
Term 1) September – December 2023 | Academic year 2023/24
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,410 each.
- Fee for term = £2,820.
- Payment due in September.
Term 2) January – April 2024
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,410 each.
- Fee for term = £2,820.
- Payment due in January.
PgCert exit point
With 60 credits earned, you now have the option to exit with a PgCert.
Total fee for this route to your PgCert = £5,640.
Term 3) May – August 2024
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,410 each.
- Fee for term = £2,820.
- Payment due in May.
Term 4) September – December 2024 | Academic year 2024/25
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,480 each (provisional).
- Fee for term = £2,960 (provisional).
- Payment due in September.
PgDip exit point
With 120 credits earned, you now have the option to exit with a PgDip.
Total fee for this route to your PgDip = £11,420 (provisional).
Term 5) January – April 2025
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,480 each (provisional).
- Fee for term = £2,960 (provisional).
- Payment due in January.
Term 6) May – August 2025
- Take two 15-credit courses @£1,480 each (provisional).
- Fee for term = £2,960 (provisional).
- Payment due in May.
MSc complete
On completing all courses, you’ll have earned 180 credits and will be awarded an MSc.
Total fee for this route to your MSc = £17,340 (provisional).
Note: Fees for academic year 2024/25 are provisional and subject to change.

Learning resources
Access to all the books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.
Printing
You may wish to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.
There are several ways you may be able to get help funding your studies:
- Employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors
- Student loans
- Scholarships – search our funding database for scholarships
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.
20% Alumni discount
You’re entitled to 20% off our postgraduate taught degrees and short courses if you have a degree from the University of Aberdeen. View Alumni discount details and eligibility criteria.
How discounts work
Discounts are applied during your application process. You can only use one discount per application.
Entry requirements
MSc, PgDip, PgCert
The minimum entry requirements for this degree are:
- a relevant honours degree with a 2:2 or above.
You’re also welcome to apply if you have:
- other relevant qualifications, and
- professional experience with supportive references.
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world.
See the minimum entry requirements above. If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check equivalent qualifications from your country.
Visa requirements
You do not need a visa to study online with us.
Do you need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency?
Teaching is delivered in English.
We can assess your English language proficiency through your:
- nationality
- qualifications, or
- a recognised English language test.
Use our English requirements checklist to find out if we need to see evidence of your English language proficiency when you apply.
English language tests and scores
If you do need to provide English language test scores, these are the tests and minimum scores we accept.
These are our Postgraduate Higher requirements.
IELTS Academic and IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)
- 6.5 overall
- 5.5 for listening and speaking
- 6.0 for reading and writing
TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition
- 90 overall
- 17 for listening
- 21 for reading
- 20 for speaking
- 21 for writing
- TOEFL DI code is 0818
Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency
- 176 overall
- 162 for listening and speaking
- 169 for reading and writing
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken)
- Overall High Pass
- 33 for listening, reading and speaking
- 38 for writing
PTE Academic (online test not accepted)
- 62 overall
- 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing
For more information about language qualifications see our English Language Requirements page.
You apply through our online Applicant Portal. It allows you to upload relevant qualifications and documents.
Applying to the University of Aberdeen is always free.
What you need to apply for this degree
- Degree transcript
- Personal statement
- CV / Resume
Apply now
Start with our step-by-step guide. It explains degree transcripts, what to write in your personal statement and how to use our Applicant Portal.
You can apply to start in either January or September.
Apply as early as you can. This is so we have time to review your application and get a decision to you. We also want to ensure you have time to enrol before teaching starts.
September 2023 intake
Teaching starts on 18 September 2023.
Application deadlines will be announced in due course.
January 2024 intake
Teaching starts on 22 January 2024.
Application deadlines will be announced in due course.
You will need access to:
A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on either:
- Windows 10 or later
- macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.
Reliable internet access
We recommend:
- a wired connection
- a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.
Speakers or headphones
- We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
- A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one from some interactive sessions.
Software
We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means 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 specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.
See our detailed IT requirements for more information.
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Master of Science
180 credits
£17,340
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2023.
Postgraduate Diploma
120 credits
£11,420
This indicative cost is based on 120 credits of study over four terms, starting in September 2023.
Postgraduate Certificate
60 credits
£5,640
This indicative cost is based on 30 credits of study per term, starting in September 2023.
Apply for this programme
- Start month
- September or January
- INDICATIVE COST
- £17,340
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2023.
Apply via our Applicant Portal