Renewable Energy with AI and Data Science: Geology and Geophysics
Apply computational techniques to geological and geophysical data to characterise sites for renewable energy.
Course key facts
Qualification
MSc
Duration
1 year
Start date
October 2027
Study mode
Full-time
Delivered by
Location
-
South Kensington
-
Minimum entry standard
2:1 in any Geological or Physical Science or Engineering subject.
Course overview
Gain the expert skills needed in geology, geophysics and computation, to characterise the shallow subsurface for a broad range of renewable energy applications.
You will examine how data science, numerical methods and machine learning can help solve problems in the renewable energy sector.
You will develop an understanding of the geological, geotechnical and geophysical knowledge and data essential to develop ground models for renewables projects.
You’ll gain exposure to geophysical surveying equipment in a fieldtrip, and get hands-on experience with real-world data. You’ll also have the opportunity to work on real-world problems through an independent project in an area of your choice.
Exposure to industry will be provided through guest lectures, seminars and the option to conduct your independent project in an industry placement.
This course is suitable for those from a geoscience, physical science or engineering background looking to advance their computer science skills applied to renewable energy problems. This also includes those in industry looking to transition to the renewables sector.
This course is part of the Ada Lovelace Academy, an initiative from the Department of Earth Science and Engineering aiming to deliver gender-balanced post-graduate education in computational subjects to solve the science and engineering challenges of the 21st century.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Receive an introduction to numerical programming using Python and use it to understand, interpret and solve earth science problems.
Explore the essential mathematics underpinning computational science, data science and machine learning.
Work collaboratively to solve problems using software and summarise your work using presentations.
Discover how to build neural networks to recognise images and language, generate new content, and make predictions by learning complex patterns from data.
Learn the fundamentals of subsurface properties and gain industry insight with lectures from professionals across the renewables industry.
Investigate key depositional environments that renewables infrastructure are commonly installed in and the associated geohazards and engineering challenges.
Learn the theories of stress and strain, elasticity, poroelasticity, and thermoelasticity and gain exposure to geotechnical data analysis.
Gain hands-on experience in interpreting offshore high-resolution geophysical data, and the development and VR visualisation of ground models.
Discover the core concepts and practical workflows of data science and machine learning, including time series analysis and the foundations of small language models in modern data science.
You'll conduct an independent analysis of a technical problem relevant to the renewables sector.
The process will see you devise, implement, test, modify, validate and document a computational or data science-based solution.
You can opt for a problem provided to you, or solve a problem of your own devising. Computational projects as part of external industry placements will also be considered.
You'll present your work in a written report and an oral presentation.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Seminars and formal presentations
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Practical coding activities
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Individual Research
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Group work exercises
Balance of assessment
This is an example of how assessments are usually divided, based on a typical pathway through the course. The actual breakdown may be different depending on the modules you choose.
Key
- Coursework and practicals
- Research project
- 67% Title 1 goes here
- 33% Title 2 goes here
Assessment methods
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Individual and group coursework
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Research project report
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Oral presentations
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Applications open on Wednesday 30 September 2026
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Round 1
Business School courses only.
Round 2
- Applications open on Wednesday 30 September 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 6 January 2027
- Decision by Wednesday 3 March 2027
Round 3
- Applications open on Thursday 7 January 2027
- Applications close on Wednesday 10 March 2027
- Decision by Wednesday 5 May 2027
Round 4
- Applications open on Thursday 11 March 2027
- Applications close on Wednesday 28 April 2027
- Decision by Thursday 1 July 2027
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
We strive to increase and broaden inclusivity and support everyone, regardless of background, in breaking down any barriers to your application the Department.
If you are interested in this MSc, we strongly encourage you to contact the Postgraduate Admissions Administrator prior to starting your application: adalovelace-admissions@imperial.ac.uk.
If you are applying for a Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
The application fees for postgraduate courses are:
- £90 for all Master's applications, excluding those to Imperial Business School
- £125 for MSc applications to Imperial Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to Imperial Business School
There is no application fee for Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs. This includes MRes and PhD combined (1+3) courses with the Centre for Doctoral Training.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Fees and funding
Home fee
2027 entry
Not set
As a guide, the fee for 2026-27 was £24,600.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £13,206 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2026.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note that the loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start. If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Overseas fee
2027 entry
Not set
As a guide, the fee for 2026-27 was £46,000.
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £13,206 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2026.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note that the loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start. If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Scholarships
View all scholarshipsHow will studying at Imperial help my career?
Graduates from our Department go on to succeed in a wide range of sectors. These include sustainable energy, technology, research and development, data science, finance, consulting, project management, civil service and government.
Who do our graduates work for?
Our graduates have worked for companies including BP, Mott MacDonald, Civil Service, McKinsey & Co, Bulb, Rolls Royce, IBM, Perenco, Total Energies, Goldman Sachs, Geotech Solutions Limited, Petronas, Acturis, Hydro Wind Energy, Citigroup.
What jobs do our graduates do?
Project Engineer, Trainee Well Site Engineer, Reservoir Geologist, Quantitative Analyst, Petroleum Geoscientist, Analyst, Data Engineer, Business Intelligence Associate, Sustainability Executive, Quality Inspector, Computational Scientist.
What about further study?
PhD at leading institutions worldwide.
What careers support does Imperial offer?
Our Careers Service can support you as you consider your next steps. You can access one-to-one guidance, workshops, employer events and online resources to help you explore your options and plan your career.
Further links
Contact the department
Email: adalovelace-admissions@imperial.ac.uk
Please quote the course title in your email.
Course Director: Dr Rebecca Bell
Visit the Department of Earth Science and Engineering website.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications