Humanity is at a crossroads in which the world’s energy use needs to be reconsidered at a fast pace: it needs to be based more on renewable energy sources and technical solutions which are increasingly based on electricity. Renewable forms of energy production and the technical competence required by them play an increasingly central role in the development of both societies and the corporate world. The degree programme in Energy and Environmental Technology will provide you with a degree which yields the opportunity to do meaningful work in curbing climate change, in the field of renewable energy now and in the future. In the degree programme, you can obtain a good overall view and competence from the field of renewable energy.

As an engineer in energy and environmental technology, you can work in operating, planning, research and product development tasks, as an independent entrepreneur and in official duties related to the field. By studying the energy field in the degree programme in energy and environmental technology you develop skills and knowledge with which you will learn to understand the challenges and opportunities involved in energy production, storage, distribution, use and energy efficiency. 

In studies in the field, you develop your abilities to produce tangible solutions to issues related to the following topics, for example: 

• distributed renewable energy production, wind and solar power
• different energy systems based on renewable energies
• energy transfer and storage technologies

Specialization in renewable energies

In English-language education in energy and environmental engineering you can direct your studies by specializing in renewable energies. The extent of the degree is 240 ECTS credits, and it consists of: 

• basic studies (90 cr)
• professional studies (75 cr)
• elective studies (30 cr)
• practical training (30 cr)
• the thesis (15 cr)

The education is based on natural sciences: mathematics and physics, core studies in engineering, language and communications studies and basics in project studies. These topics will be covered in the degree programme in energy and environmental technology in particular in the first two years of studies. The professional studies in the energy field are placed throughout the entire study path, similarly to elective studies. Practical training is mostly completed between academic years, mainly in the summertime. The thesis is completed in the fourth year of studies.

In the specialization in renewable energies, you will focus on the efficient production, transfer, storage, distribution and use of energy. The studies mainly focus on future solutions which are distributed and related to smart production, storage and consumption. You also can deepen your competence by working in research and development projects in the field, in the research group in New Energy. 

Versatile career opportunities

The global shift in the field of energy, the downright energy crisis, the need for developing technical solutions targeted at environmental challenges and the good prospects of Southwest Finland attract young people to study energy and environmental technology at Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Engineering competence in energy and environmental technology are in high demand, and the career opportunities are excellent. The degree programme’s strong core studies and versatile studies in the field of specialization, together with the new laboratories and strong research and development activities of the degree programme, enable placement in very versatile companies and tasks. Typical tasks can be found in consulting firms, industrial companies, energy plants and in production and technical trade tasks. Along with experience, the career opportunities will become more versatile into demanding expert tasks and supervisor and management tasks.