Subject guides / Energy Economics
Energy Economics
Also appears in programme titles as: Energy and Resource Economics · Economics of Energy Markets
What an energy economics degree actually is
Energy markets are where physics meets price — and the transition has made their economists scarce: electricity-market design, carbon pricing, security-of-supply economics, the finance of stranded assets. Energy economics degrees train exactly this.
Aberdeen — Europe's energy capital — runs the classic MScEcon; UCL pairs energy with environmental policy in London; NHH in Bergen anchors the Nordic school; Curtin serves the resources-heavy Asia-Pacific; LSE's environmental-economics row borders the field.
What you study — and the quantitative bar
Microeconomics of energy markets, econometrics, electricity-market design and regulation, resource and environmental economics, and energy finance. The bar is a proper economics one: intermediate micro and comfort with econometrics are assumed; engineering backgrounds with economic appetite also convert well (Curtin and Aberdeen see many).
Where it leads
Energy regulators and system operators, utilities' and traders' market-analysis desks, energy consultancies, ministries and international agencies (IEA-style bodies), and transition-finance teams. Regulators are the quiet growth employer: every market redesign — and the transition forces many — needs referees who understand both the physics and the incentives.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- Economics graduates specialising into the transition's hardest market problems
- Energy-sector engineers adding the economics their roles now demand
- Regulator and ministry staff from energy-transition countries — a textbook funding profile
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants avoiding econometrics — the methods core is real
- Those who want engineering: see the renewable-energy-engineering guide
- Activists seeking advocacy training — this field prices trade-offs, it does not pick sides
Where to study it: the programme map
Five verified programmes: Aberdeen and UCL (one-year UK), NHH (two-year Nordic), Curtin (18-month Asia-Pacific) and LSE's environmental-economics row shared with the climate governance map.
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalmers University of TechnologySweden | Sustainable Energy Systems, MSc | 24 mo | SEK 160,000/yr | — |
| Cornell UniversityUnited States | MPS in Applied Economics and Management | 10 mo | USD 73,946 | — |
| Curtin UniversityAustralia | Master of Science (Minerals and Energy Economics) | 18 mo | — | — |
| ESCP Business SchoolFrance | MSc in Energy Management | — | GBP 26,200 | — |
| ETH ZurichSwitzerland | Master in Energy Science and Technology | 24 mo | CHF 4,380/yr | — |
| Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityQatar | Master of Science in Sustainable Energy | 24 mo | QAR 132,000 | — |
| Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States | MA in Sustainable Energy (Online) | 21 mo | USD 65,645 | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change | 12 mo | GBP 37,300 | — |
| NHH Norwegian School of EconomicsNorway | MSc in Economics and Business Administration — Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment | 24 mo | NOK 204,000/yr | — |
| Queen's UniversityCanada | Master of Earth and Energy Resources Leadership (MEERL) | 20 mo | CAD 49,300 | Minimum 3 years of work experience in the natural-resource sector |
| Sciences PoFrance | Master in International Energy Transitions | 24 mo | EUR 20,640/yr | — |
| University College LondonUnited Kingdom | Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc | 12 mo | GBP 39,200 | — |
| University of AberdeenUnited Kingdom | Energy Economics and Finance (MScEcon) | 12 mo | GBP 26,250 | — |
| University of AdelaideAustralia | Master of Economics and Resource Policy (Public Economics and Policy) | 24 mo | AUD 52,200/yr | — |
| University of AlbertaCanada | Master of Business Administration with Specialization in Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment | — | — | — |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 16 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
Aberdeen (£26,250) is the specialist value pick with the industry hinterland; UCL (£39,200) the London-policy premium. Both are one-year and Chevening-compatible. NHH is tuition-free-for-EU territory and strong for Nordic careers; Curtin (Australia Awards) for resource-economy applicants. Market-reform narratives — unbundling, tariff reform, carbon pricing at home — are among the most concrete scholarship pitches available.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- Chalmers University of Technology — study destination outside the scheme
- Cornell University — study destination outside the scheme
- Curtin University — study destination outside the scheme
- ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
- ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
- Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
- Johns Hopkins University — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- NHH Norwegian School of Economics — study destination outside the scheme
- Queen's University — study destination outside the scheme
- Sciences Po — study destination outside the scheme
- University College London
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Alberta — study destination outside the scheme
- Chalmers University of Technology — study destination outside the scheme
- Cornell University — study destination outside the scheme
- Curtin University — study destination outside the scheme
- ESCP Business School — study destination outside the scheme
- ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
- Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
- Johns Hopkins University — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- NHH Norwegian School of Economics — study destination outside the scheme
- Queen's University — study destination outside the scheme
- Sciences Po — study destination outside the scheme
- University College London
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Alberta — study destination outside the scheme
Frequently asked questions
Energy economics vs energy transition — which guide?
This is the markets-and-methods specialism; the energy-transition guide covers the broader multidisciplinary field. If econometrics excites rather than deters you, stay here.
How much mathematics is really required?
Intermediate microeconomics and basic econometrics at entry; the degrees build from there. A pure policy background without quantitative evidence is the common rejection profile.
Which scholarships apply?
Chevening/Commonwealth for Aberdeen and UCL; Australia Awards for Curtin; Norwegian Quota-successor schemes are limited, so NHH suits EU applicants best.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.