MSc

MSc Community Energy

Write the operations manual for a small heat scheme

Online or on campus

18 months36 creditsEnglish

Overview

Resident meetings, a tariff a scheme can explain, metering complaints, and the grant file. The scale is a block or a village scheme in Scotland, not a national grid plan. The project is an operations manual. MSc Community Energy is taught as one award, not a list of unrelated modules. The published length is 18 months, and the credit total is 36. Students move from Scheme scale through Scheme scale; Residents; Tariff; Grant file; Metering complaints; Operations manual, and finish on Operations manual. Each course has a question, a method, and a submission. In this field, students draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses. Reading is a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. The artefact a marker expects is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. The award is built so that a graduate can do the following in practice: Explain a tariff to a resident File a grant condition Handle a meter complaint Teaching assumes the student can read a source, attempt a problem before the seminar, and revise after feedback. Attendance at live seminars is part of the design. The capstone or final course must use the methods of the earlier courses; a project that ignores them does not pass. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. The pages for each course name the topics that are examined. Those topics are the syllabus. A brochure line is not a substitute for them.

The credit total on this page is the sum of the courses in the curriculum. Assessment is the work named on each course.

Who This Programme Is For

Housing energy officers
Community scheme volunteers
Advice workers
Graduates in energy or housing

Faculty spotlight

University of Brigant supervises the courses and the final assessed file. Supervision is assigned from the school that owns the award.

How you can study

Recommended

Study online

100% tuition-free online

Online tuition is free. Online examinations are free. There is no exam fee for online study.

✦ Tuition: £0 / $0
✦ Examinations are free. There is no exam fee.
✦ Learn from anywhere · Live online seminars

Apply online →

On-campus study

Study at our campus

Prefer to learn at our Edinburgh campus? Campus tuition and campus examinations are charged. The published campus price is on each programme page.

✦ Tuition: £9,500 / US$12,000/year
✦ Location: 3 Lady Lawson St, Edinburgh EH3 9DS, United Kingdom
✦ Campus examinations are charged
✦ In-person seminars, library & student services

Apply for campus →

What You Will Learn

Explain a tariff to a resident
File a grant condition
Handle a meter complaint
Plan a residents' meeting
Write an operations manual

Curriculum

Stage 1 — Methods and cases

Code	Course	Credits · hours
CEN501	Scheme scale Scheme scale (CEN501) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Scheme scale as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN501-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Scheme scale CEN501-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Scheme scale CEN501-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Scheme scale CEN501-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Scheme scale CEN501-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Scheme scale CEN501-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Scheme scale	6 · 60 h
CEN502	Residents Residents (CEN502) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Residents as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN502-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Residents CEN502-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Residents CEN502-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Residents CEN502-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Residents CEN502-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Residents CEN502-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Residents	6 · 60 h
CEN503	Tariff Tariff (CEN503) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Tariff as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN503-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Tariff CEN503-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Tariff CEN503-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Tariff CEN503-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Tariff CEN503-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Tariff CEN503-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Tariff	6 · 60 h

Code

Course

Credits · hours

CEN501

Scheme scale

Scheme scale (CEN501) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Scheme scale as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN501-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Scheme scale
CEN501-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Scheme scale
CEN501-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Scheme scale
CEN501-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Scheme scale
CEN501-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Scheme scale
CEN501-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Scheme scale

6 · 60 h

CEN502

Residents

Residents (CEN502) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Residents as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN502-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Residents
CEN502-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Residents
CEN502-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Residents
CEN502-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Residents
CEN502-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Residents
CEN502-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Residents

6 · 60 h

CEN503

Tariff

Tariff (CEN503) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Tariff as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN503-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Tariff
CEN503-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Tariff
CEN503-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Tariff
CEN503-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Tariff
CEN503-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Tariff
CEN503-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Tariff

6 · 60 h

Stage 2 — Practice and project

Code	Course	Credits · hours
CEN504	Grant file Grant file (CEN504) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Grant file as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN504-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Grant file CEN504-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Grant file CEN504-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Grant file CEN504-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Grant file CEN504-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Grant file CEN504-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Grant file	6 · 60 h
CEN505	Metering complaints Metering complaints (CEN505) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Metering complaints as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN505-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Metering complaints CEN505-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Metering complaints CEN505-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Metering complaints CEN505-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Metering complaints CEN505-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Metering complaints CEN505-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Metering complaints	6 · 60 h
CEN506	Operations manual Operations manual (CEN506) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Operations manual as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence. CEN506-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Operations manual CEN506-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Operations manual CEN506-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Operations manual CEN506-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Operations manual CEN506-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Operations manual CEN506-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Operations manual	6 · 60 h

Code

Course

Credits · hours

CEN504

Grant file

Grant file (CEN504) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Grant file as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN504-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Grant file
CEN504-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Grant file
CEN504-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Grant file
CEN504-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Grant file
CEN504-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Grant file
CEN504-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Grant file

6 · 60 h

CEN505

Metering complaints

Metering complaints (CEN505) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Metering complaints as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN505-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Metering complaints
CEN505-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Metering complaints
CEN505-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Metering complaints
CEN505-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Metering complaints
CEN505-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Metering complaints
CEN505-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Metering complaints

6 · 60 h

CEN506

Operations manual

Operations manual (CEN506) is a 6-credit course on MSc Community Energy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can draw the system, name the constraint that binds it, and compare two responses, using Operations manual as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a system description, an indicator note, and a project option paper. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a recommendation for one decision, with the evidence and the downside. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course does not confer a professional engineering licence.

CEN506-M1 · System boundary, constraint, and actors — Operations manual
CEN506-M2 · Indicators, sources of error, and a better measure — Operations manual
CEN506-M3 · Two options on cost, time, and downside — Operations manual
CEN506-M4 · Safety, environmental limit, and who bears the risk — Operations manual
CEN506-M5 · A site, grid, or product decision — Operations manual
CEN506-M6 · A recommendation with evidence and residual risk — Operations manual

6 · 60 h

Career Paths

Scheme manager
Energy advice officer
Housing energy lead
Community energy volunteer moving into staff
Metering coordinator

Programme Highlights

Six courses, 36 credits
Capstone is an operations manual
Block or village scale
No grantor partnership is claimed

Assessment

Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.

Admission requirements

Academic entry

A bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, or equivalent professional standing considered by admissions

English language

English sufficient for postgraduate study, or evidence of prior English-medium study

Documents

A statement of about 500 words on why this award fits your work
Two references, academic or professional
A CV showing study and relevant work

Programme questions

How long is the MSc Community Energy?

The published duration is 18 months. Teaching language: English. Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.

Can I study this from my country?

You may study this award fully online from your country, or — where published — on campus at Brigant. Online study does not require a student visa. Campus study may.

What does it cost?

Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.

What are the entry requirements?

Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.

How is the programme assessed?

Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.

Will this award be recognised where I live?

Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. University of Brigant publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.

How do I apply?

Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@brigant.uk.

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