If you enrolled before the 2025/2026 academic year, consult the list of Programmes and Regulations available on your School website.
The information provided about the programme refers to the academic year 2025/26 and may be subject to change in the academic year 2026/27.
MSc in Energy Engineering
The energy production, its rational use and the resulting environmental impact are today at the forefront of attention not only in industrialized societies, but also in the economies of emerging and developing countries. Continuous technological progress, the changing energy scenarios driven by societal evolution, and increasingly complex geopolitical conditions affecting international relations and the supply of raw materials make the energy sector an area of intense scientific, technical and economic activity, which is expected to remain so in the long term. This context calls for “specialists in energy technologies” with a strong and in-depth preparation, able to make the best use of the tools offered by ongoing scientific and technological developments, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, and to devise informed energy and industrial policies aimed at increasing prosperity for people and society while respecting the environment.
The Master of Science programme in Energy Engineering aims to train professionals – energy engineers – capable of tackling specific issues related to the thermodynamic conversion of the various forms of energy, the environmental effects associated with energy production, indoor climate control and thermal comfort. These professionals acquire a solid understanding of the technological and operational aspects of systems and components, of methods for energy and economic modelling, and they develop analytical and synthesis skills that enable them to maintain an overall view of energy production, transmission and utilisation processes, together with their economic and environmental implications.
The Master of Science completes and integrates the technical background gained in the Bachelor programme – which provides a solid foundation in basic subjects and industrial engineering disciplines, in particular applied thermodynamics and energy machines and systems – with more advanced knowledge and an approach geared towards complex, cutting-edge applications and research and development. Specialist topics include technologies for controlling pollutants from combustion and mitigating the greenhouse effect, advanced thermodynamic cycles for energy conversion, sophisticated design methodologies for HVAC systems and indoor environmental quality, and the solution of complex design problems related to heat exchangers and thermal machines. These competences require a methodologically rigorous deepening of thermodynamics-based sciences and a broad openness to interdisciplinary topics such as power systems, chemical engineering, and management and economic methodologies.
Info
For further details, please refer to Section 6 of the academic regulations.
Applicants holding a foreign academic qualification equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree may apply, provided they have an adequate background in fundamental engineering subjects and disciplines relevant to Energy Engineering.
Admission is subject to an Eligibility evaluation of the applicant’s previous academic career, carried out according to the procedures and criteria established by Politecnico di Milano.
The Master of Science in Energy Engineering is structured into seven tracks, each designed to address specific needs of the energy sector:
EEG – Green Power Systems
This track provides advanced training in the production of clean energy from traditional and renewable sources and in the efficient use of energy through both standard and innovative technologies. Particular attention is devoted to energy storage systems and alternative energy carriers, which are essential to manage the intermittent nature of renewable sources, as well as to the integration of new technologies into the current energy production and transmission system.
EEH – Oil and Gas Production
This track trains professionals able to operate in the oil and gas industry with a comprehensive overview of the different sectors: upstream (resources, reservoirs, drilling), midstream (well-head treatment, transport) and downstream (refining, final products), building on the general skills of the energy engineer. Given the strong international dimension of the sector, scholarships are available for study periods abroad at highly reputable foreign universities, and paid internships may be offered at ENI Group industrial sites, also aimed at the preparation of the graduation thesis.
EEP – Power Generation
This track prepares professionals with a broad set of cross-disciplinary skills to operate in the production of different forms of energy through thermodynamic conversion: propulsion systems for mobility, industrial applications, power plants, distributed generation, cogeneration and renewable sources. This curriculum, offered in the first year, provides the common basis for two specialized branches in the second year:
- EST – Energy Systems for Transition: focuses on plant analysis and process engineering, with particular emphasis on the decarbonization of energy systems
- PRP – Propulsion and Power (jointly with Mechanical Engineering): deepens the fluid dynamics of machines and components, with a focus on turbomachinery and internal combustion engines
EES – Energy for Development
This curriculum trains professionals with specialized technical-scientific knowledge and transversal skills to operate in the energy sector from a multiscale perspective, from the development of appropriate technologies to energy scenario analyses in a sustainability framework. The track combines engineering fundamentals with modelling tools for energy planning, the development of evolutionary scenarios and the assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of different solutions. International internship opportunities are offered for thesis work with NGOs, public institutions, international organizations and foreign research centers.
EIT – Energy Use and Built Environment
This track prepares specialists for the design, implementation and management of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in civil and industrial applications. It covers heat transfer applications in industrial processes and components, renewable energy technologies for thermal uses, ventilation and air-contamination control techniques, and energy and environmental planning.
EEE – Renewables and Environmental Sustainability (Piacenza Campus)
This track trains professionals with cross-disciplinary skills in Energy and Environment and a strong sensitivity to European “societal challenges”: clean and secure energy, sustainability, smart transport, efficient use of energy and materials, and sustainable bio-resources. The curriculum focuses on system-level aspects, grounded in an in-depth understanding of energy processes and component analysis methods, and addresses low-carbon and low-impact systems, techno-economic regulation of energy systems, scenario analysis and sustainability assessment.
The job market offers a wide range of opportunities for energy engineers. The production, distribution and rational use of energy are essential needs of our time. In this context, the energy industry is undergoing major transformations: market liberalization, increased competition, decentralization of production, greater attention to environmental impact and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. All these challenges require highly trained technicians with appropriate skills. It should also be noted that there is a very high concentration of companies operating in the energy sector in the Lombardy and Milan areas, ranging from large organizations involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy to a great number of small and medium-sized enterprises working in the fields of industrial and civil plants, HVAC systems and plant components.
The graduate with a Master of Science in Energy Engineering is a highly qualified technician, able to deal with all issues – including the most innovative ones – related to the design and operation of plants for the production, distribution and use of energy, heating and air-conditioning systems, their components and civil and industrial thermotechnical systems. His/her training allows effective work in a competitive industrial context characterized by significant environmental, regulatory and safety constraints.
The possible career opportunities for the Master of Science graduate in Energy Engineering are:
- in the energy management field, in industry and in companies and public boards that supply energy; in this regard, Italian legislation (Law 10/91) has made it obligatory for companies with significant energy consumption to have a “technician responsible for the conservation and efficient use of energy” (Energy Manager);
- in public institutions, international organizations, and sustainability or strategy offices of private companies and consulting firms, where specialized technicians and energy analysts are required to contribute to the definition of strategies, energy scenarios and technological roadmaps;
- in activities related to the design, testing, operation and maintenance of energy plants, such as heating and air-conditioning systems, food preservation systems, and small- and medium-scale plants for the production, distribution and use of energy;
- in the design and planning of heating and cooling systems in buildings and in their construction phase;
- in industries producing and marketing machinery and components such as boilers, air-conditioning units, refrigerators, heat exchangers, engines, compressors and gas or steam turbines;
- in energy companies operating in the thermal power, hydropower, engine, oil and natural gas sectors, at production or distribution level.
In these fields, Master of Science graduates have access to research and development activities, as well as to feasibility studies and the design of the most specialized and demanding applications, such as large-scale plants, innovative processes and the development of technologically advanced machinery and components. The broad and flexible preparation provided by the Master of Science programme also opens up employment opportunities in cross-sectoral areas involving the energy domain.
Master of Science graduates may take the State Examination required for enrolment in Section A of the Professional Register of Engineers (Industrial Engineering sector).
Employment data
For an up-to-date overview of professional opportunities and employment prospects for recent graduates in Energy Engineering, you can consult the Career Service statistics of Politecnico di Milano, which provide information on employment rates, sectors of employment and salary levels.
Post-graduate education
After the Master of Science, graduates may enrol in the PhD Programme in Energy and Nuclear Science and Technology, aimed at training engineers with an extremely in-depth and high-level scientific preparation, who are expected to cover positions of major responsibility in companies with a strong focus on research and development.
Website of the School of Industrial and Information Engineering
Know more about the programme through a current student’s experience. Book your online one-to-one meeting through #Askastudent – Our voice for your choice project.
Coordinator of the Programme: Prof. Paolo Chiesa (paolo.chiesa@polimi.it)
Secretary of the Programme: Prof. Luca Molinaroli (luca.molinaroli@polimi.it)
Orientation: Prof. Augusto Della Torre (augusto.dellatorre@polimi.it)
Student representatives: rappresentantistudenti-ccsenergetica@polimi.it