Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering

General Information

Civil engineering is a broad field of engineering dealing with the design, planning, construction and maintenance of fixed structures or public works as they are related to earth, water, or civilization and their processes.Most civil engineering today deals with structures, roads, bridges, railways,water supply, transportation and traffic,waste water, protection of the environment, flood control and power plants.

Engineering has developed from observations of the ways natural and constructed systems react and from the development of empirical equations that provide bases for design.Civil engineering is the broadest of the engineering fields, partly because it is the oldest of all engineering fields. Civil engineering is still an umbrella term, comprised of many related specialties such as structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, fire engineering,water resource & hydraulic engineering, traffic & transportation engineering and general civil engineering.

AboutYou

The Civil Engineering programme at UL is taught from year one using problem based learning techniques.This course will be particularly attractive to you if you are interested in the application of scientific and technical knowledge to the solution of real world problems. If you opt to study on this degree course, your ability to work in a team, research, apply knowledge, plan, present and build work will be developed from year one in design studio sessions in each semester of the programme. Some selected course activities are shared with related disciplines (e.g. Architecture) to develop team working skills.

This approach applies whether the problem relates to building, infrastructure or environmental engineering or a combination of these.The senior staff draw from their extensive industry experience in designing the problems.A central concern is to encourage individual creativity by including some open ended elements in each assignment. Examples of the approach can be found at http://ulcivilengineering.blogspot.com

Course Structure

Students of civil engineering will study subjects similar to all professional engineering programmes in the first year of study. Second year will build on this foundation by introducing further modules in mathematics,mechanics, computer aided design and materials.Core civil engineering modules on structural analysis, structural design, hydraulics and water engineering, geology and soil mechanics are also introduced in year 2 while a module on building services introduces an awareness of the necessity to integrate the requirements of heating, ventilation and drainage in successful design. In year 3 further study in structural theory, structural design and soil mechanics are undertaken along with a module on highway and transportation engineering. In advance of cooperative education in semester 6,modules on building & construction regulations and land surveying & GIS systems prepare the student for duties during an eight months work placement with a leading national/international company.

In the final year of the programme a module on Finite Element Theory and Practice underpins modules on Design of Large Scale Structures, Innovation & Design and Geotechnical Engineering Design. TemporaryWorks Design is covered in semester 8 as is a module on law specifically relating to the construction industry. The important subject of ethics is delivered through a series of well documented forensic engineering case histories, project work and seminars. Finally the student is involved in a final year project over the two semesters.This work comprises demonstrating critical and innovative skills in researching and solving problems related to the civil engineering profession. Ideally the initiative for this project should arise during the student's cooperative education period.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established leaving certificate (or an approved equivalent) with at least Grade C3 in two higher level subjects and a Grade D3 in four ordinary or higher level subjects (including Mathematics; Irish or another language and English).

In addition applicants are required to hold at least the following in the leaving Certificate (or approved equivalent) Grade C3 in higher level mathematics and a Grade D3 in a higher or ordinary level paper in any one of the following: Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Engineering,Technical Drawing/Design & Communication Graphics,Technology, Biology,Agricultural Science.

A Special Mathematics Examination will be offered at UL following the Leaving Certificate results for those students who did not achieve the Mathematics requirement.

Career Prospects

The details of a career path can vary depending on market forces and the preference of the graduate. In some fields and in some firms, entry-level engineers work primarily monitoring construction in the field, serving as the "eyes and ears" of more senior design engineers; while in other areas, entry-level engineers perform the more routine tasks of analysis or design. More senior engineers can move into doing more complex analysis or design work, or management of more complex design projects, or management of other engineers, or into specialised consulting e.g., offshore engineering, high-rise design and forensic engineering.

The flexibility offered by the breadth and structure of the course will produce graduates with the diverse skills necessary to adapt to the demands and challenges of civil engineering practice in the 21st century. Career opportunities exist in areas of infrastructure, building, water resources, environmental and government agencies.

Graduates may elect to pursue further studies by undertaking master or doctoral degrees at the University of Limerick. The recent establishment of BRE (Ireland) (Building Research Establishment) in Limerick provides graduates of this programme with unparalleled opportunities to pursue construction research particularly in the area of sustainable construction. The University of Limerick will seek accreditation for the new degree with Engineers Ireland so as to optimise employment opportunities for graduates and to establish them as members of a professional association.

For further details, log on to www.mst.ul.ie