Master's Programme in Battery Technology and Energy Storage

120 credits

The Master's Programme in Battery Technology and Energy Storage prepares you for a career in both world-class academic research and the Swedish battery/electromobility industry, where qualified professionals are in high demand. Through the programme, you will gain a keen understanding of the fundamentals of battery materials, cells and systems to be able to participate in both academic and industrial research in this expansive labour market.

Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024, Uppsala, 100%, On-campus, English

Autumn 2025 Autumn 2025, Uppsala, 100%, On-campus, English

Transforming toward sustainable and resilient societies requires high-performing batteries for powering electric vehicles, balancing wind and solar power and enabling thousands of other devices ranging from medicine to microelectronics. Contributing to this development requires extensive knowledge in chemistry, materials, and engineering to design, construct, and implement these electric storage units.

Within the Ångström Advanced Battery Centre (ÅABC), Uppsala University harbours one of Europe's largest education and research facilities dedicated to the science and development of batteries, with close ties to global industrial producers and users of batteries. You will meet some of the main actors in the European and Swedish industries in the field of batteries through study visits, guest lectures, and thesis work. As a student, you will experience the research frontier of battery materials and cells as well as their state-of-the-art production and application.

During the programme, you can expect to:

  • gain a fundamental understanding of the governing principles of energy storage in general and rechargeable batteries in particular,
  • mix research in chemistry, material science, and engineering with practical skills in production, application, and recycling of batteries,
  • apply advanced diagnostics and modelling to understand how the composition and construction of batteries affect their performance,
  • build a network of potential employers during training, both in academia and industry,
  • practice presentation technique, argumentation and societal analysis.

Student profile

You have a strong foundation in chemistry, physics, materials science and/or engineering, possibly with previous relevant practical experience after earning a Bachelor's degree. You have good social skills and expect to contribute as much to the educational experience of others as you expect to learn from their previous experiences and knowledge.

Regardless of whether your future ambitions are targeted towards a PhD education or a career in industry directly after graduation, this programme will cater to your educational requirements.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with Battery Technology as the main field of study.

While you will have the freedom to choose your courses and build your own profile according to your interest and career plan, two tracks are targeted: one towards battery materials, and one towards battery cell production and battery applications.

In addition to topics related to batteries, there will be an outlook on other energy storage systems, and the advantages of different technical solutions will be explained. Your knowledge will also be put into the context of battery integration, with a special emphasis on electric vehicles. While your studies are directed either to the material level or the cell and system level, you will have the opportunity to create your own unique profile. Either way, the courses give you a robust background when aiming for either a career in either academia or industry.

In the first year, you will study advanced courses in materials chemistry, electrochemistry and battery technology, complemented with courses in electromobility, digitalisation and modelling.

During the second year, you will study more advanced courses targeting the application of batteries, societal aspects of energy storage and future battery technologies.

The final semester is devoted to the 30-credit Master's thesis required to obtain the degree. It can be performed at a company or together with a research group at the university.

Courses within the programme

See the programme outline for courses within the programme.

All of the courses are given by active researchers in the field, which guarantees your knowledge and understanding of the latest research. Several courses have guest lecturers from industry, while some courses include projects and industrial visits.

The courses are organised and supported by a variety of teaching methods, but with a strong emphasis on student-active learning and hands-on experiences. Interactions with other study programmes, are a natural part of the education. Several courses are studied in parallel. The programme takes place in Uppsala, including some visits to other sites. The language of instruction is English.

The European labour market in the battery sector is growing exponentially, promising hundreds of thousands of new jobs until the year 2030. Sweden is a vital part of this development, and at least 1 000 students should be educated per year in this sector to fulfil the future demands. At the same time, Asia is dominating the global market and America is rapidly moving forward with a high demand for qualified professionals in the field.

While many jobs are found at the core of this development - the battery production industry - most are expected either upstream (battery materials, components) or downstream (electric vehicles, for example). The programme also serves as an excellent introduction to PhD studies in the battery field.

Examples of jobs suited for graduates of the programme:

  • Battery specialist
  • Battery production engineer
  • Electric vehicle developer
  • Project manager
  • Researcher
  • Consultant

Examples of possible future employers:

  • Northvolt
  • Saft
  • Volvo Cars
  • AB Volvo
  • Scania
  • CEVT
  • VW
  • Tesla
  • ABB

Career support

During your time as a student, UU Careers offers support and guidance. You have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and events that will prepare you for your future career.

Contact

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