Decisions and guidelines

According to a decision taken by the Vice Chancellor 2012-09-17, Uppsala University will offer a one-year Master programme in Wind Power Project Management.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. The main field of study must be within engineering, science or social science.

Language requirements

Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries. Detailed instructions on how to provide evidence of your English proficiency are available at universityadmissions.se.

Aims

After completing the programme a student can receive a Master’s degree in Wind Power Project Management. The interdisciplinary

programme will provide the student with the knowledge, skills and competence needed for a professional carrier within the renewable energy sector by focusing on the planning, development and management of wind power. The programme educates generalists who can lead the transition to renewable energy production and who can take an energy project from idea to reality. The education provided is linked to current research within the subject area. Graduates of the programme are expected to be able to work nationally and internationally within industry, government and academics.

Learning outcomes

According to the Higher Education Act, the following applies for second-cycle studies:

Second-cycle studies shall be based fundamentally on the knowledge acquired by students during first-cycle courses and study programmes, or its equivalent.

Second-cycle studies shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, aptitudes and accomplishments in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall:

• further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge,
• develop the students' ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
• develop the students' potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work. Ordinance (2006:173).

Objectives for a Degree of Master (60 credits) according to the Higher Education Ordinance, System of Qualifications.

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) students must

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in their main field of study, including both a broad command of the field and deeper knowledge of certain parts of the field, together with insight into current research and development work; and
• demonstrate deeper methodological knowledge in their main field of study.

Skills and abilities

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) students must

• demonstrate an ability to integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, even when limited information is available;
• demonstrate an ability to independently identify and formulate issues and to plan and, using appropriate methods, carry out advanced tasks within specified time limits;
• demonstrate an ability to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments behind them, in dialogue with different groups, orally and in writing; and
• demonstrate the skill required to participate in research and development work or to work in other advanced contexts.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) students must

• demonstrate an ability to make assessments in their main field of study, taking into account relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, and demonstrate an awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work;
• demonstrate insight into the potential and limitations of science, its role in society and people’s responsibility for how it is used; and
• demonstrate an ability to identify their need of further knowledge and to take responsibility for developing their knowledge.

Within the framework of the objectives set out in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) Appendix 2, the student should have shown, in the area of the programme:

• demonstrate a broad and thorough knowledge within the fields of wind power planning, development and management as well as insight into current research and development work (K)
• evaluate methods within wind power project development and management (K, J)
• concretize and handle specific tools/methods to identify, formulate and analysis issues (S)
• apply qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the physical, environmental and societal conditions and limitations for wind power planning, development and management (K,S)
• analysis and engage on interdisciplinary issues by applying or linking knowledge within the relevant topic areas (S, J)
• work in, plan and lead projects (S)
• perform decision analysis within project development and planning using pertinent scientific, societal and ethical characteristics (S, J)

K stands for Knowledge goal, S for Skills goal and J for Judgement goal.

Layout of the programme

The interdisciplinary programme is organized with teaching on the topics of planning, development and management of wind power.

The programme examines different perspectives in many subject areas that are relevant for wind power project management. Wind resource assessment, energy calculations, planning for wind power, project economics, environmental impact, permissions and permitting, acceptance, wind power technology and grid integration are areas that are addressed in the programme.

The programme’s teaching is to a great extent interactive with practical exercises like negations, steering group meetings and consultations. Students contribute with their experiences and their knowledge of different subject areas in project assignments, which closely resembles project groups within the wind power industry.

Critical thinking and writing ability are essential parts of the programme and are also important in the profession. The 15 credit Master’s thesis course at the end of the spring term uses these skills.

Instruction

The Master’s programme’s teaching builds on the different experiences and knowledge the students bring with them to this multidisciplinary education. Students are expected to take part and be active in the teaching as well as to take responsibility for both their own and their fellow students learning. The programme’s teachers are primarily responsible for creating the conditions for active individual and collective learning. The teaching is shaped and developed continuously through a respectful dialog between teachers and students, where everyone can contribute to the development and mutual learning.

The teaching methods included in the programme include lectures, seminars, roll play, study trips, labs, problem based and case exercises as well as project work. In a final project course the students exercise and apply knowledge of analysis, leadership and communication gained from previous courses during the programme.

Training in both written and oral communication happens throughout the program to give the future project leaders the communication skills they’ll need to be successful. All teaching during the programme is done in English.

Degree

Upon request, a student who has received a pass grade in a course is to receive a course certificate from the higher education institution. Upon request, a student who meets the requirements for a qualification is to receive a diploma from the higher education institution.

A Degree of Master is a so called general degree, which means that the student achieve the degree in its main subject according to the criteria below, regardless of the courses being part of the program or not, therefore there is a possibility also to include single subject courses in the degree.

Regulations according to Higher Education Ordinance

A Degree of Master (60 credits) is obtained after the student has completed course requirements of 60 higher education credits with a certain area of specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself, including at least 30 higher education credits with in-depth studies in the main field of study. In addition, the student must hold a Degree of Bachelor, a Degree of Bachelor of Arts in…, a professional degree worth at least 180 higher education credits or an equivalent foreign qualification.

For a Degree of Master (60 credits) students must have completed an independent project (degree project) worth at least 15 higher education credits in their main field of study, within the framework of the course requirements.

Local regulations

A Degree of Master (60 credits) may, except for courses on advanced level, contain one or several courses on basic level comprising not more than 15 higher education credits. The course or the courses are meant to provide such additional competence as is needed for in-depth studies in the main field of study and cannot be included in the student's basic degree.

Other directives

In order to be admitted to a later part of the programme the student must:

• fulfil the general and specific entry requirements for the programme.
• have 15 credits of courses relevant to the programme, at Master's (advanced) level, in addition to the Bachelor's degree.
• have sufficient prior knowledge to be able to follow the programme at the level at which the student is admitted, which means that the student is able to study at least 15 credits from the programme outline (for the semester to which the student is admitted). The other 15 credits are specified in the individual study plan.

All points above must be satisfied, and the courses completed (modules do not count), at the latest by the deadline for supporting documentation of qualifications (see below). Students can only be admitted to a later part of a programme or a specialisation within a programme if there are available places in the programme in the semester in question.

An individual study plan for the first semester should be established by the programme study counsellor.

For studies starting the spring semester the application period is 15 September - 15 October. Supporting documentation of qualification for the application may be submitted not later than 1 December (for spring semester). If the specified dates for the application deadline or completion date fall on a public holiday, the deadline is postponed to the nearest following weekday. After the last application day, it is possible to submit a late application until 1 December (for spring semester). Late applications will be handled in the order they are received. 

If the number of applicants is larger than the number of available places according to the dimensioning applicable, the selection criterion of average grade on prerequisite courses from a higher education institution (courses relevant to the programme) is used.