Key Info

Bachelor/ Masters of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering

NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree/ Level 9 Major Award Honours Masters Degree 

Entry route(s):

Course code
LM116
Duration
4/5 Years
Subject area
Engineering
Course Director
John Mulvihill
Email
john.mulvihill@ul.ie
Tel
061 237719
Admissions:
Tel
+353 (0)61 233755

What is Biomedical Engineering?

Biomedical engineering uses problem-solving techniques and engineering mechanics to solve biology and medicine-based problems. Modern medicine has given rise to a wide range of novel engineering solutions to these clinical problems – and a Biomedical Engineering degree is your way to help address current clinical problems and diseases. Biomedical Engineering is a relatively new area of Engineering, but it is the fastest growing area due to increased demand for biology-based engineers from the MedTech Sector. 

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What you will study

The Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) and Masters of Engineering (M.E.) programme in Biomedical Engineering are 4 years and 5 years in duration, respectively. 

Both include an eight-month period of Cooperative Education spent in an appropriate industrial environment. The course provides a broad and practical programme of study, which gives you a good understanding of anatomy, physiological fluid mechanics, medical devices, medical imaging, tissue mechanics, cell mechanobiology, biomicrofluidics, and computational modelling. 

The first two years provide you with a foundation in the fundamental engineering disciplines, and subjects taught include: 

  • Introductory Anatomy and Physiology,  
  • Cell & Tissue Behaviour for Engineers,  
  • Physiological Fluid Mechanics 1 
  • Chemistry 
  • Engineering Mechanics  
  • Computing for Engineering 
  • Mathematics for Engineering 
  • Materials 

At the end of Year 2 you are placed in a company in the biomedical engineering industry both in Ireland and internationally for an 8-month Co-operative Education Period. Typical companies include Boston Scientific (Ireland & USA), Abbott (Ireland & USA) and Medtronic (Ireland and USA). This will take place directly after your Year 2 exams (Summer semester) and continue to start of your second semester of Year 3 (i.e. June to following January). 

During your final two years you will undertake modules that again specific to biomedical engineering field. These modules will now focus on novel and cutting-edge topics in biomedical engineering. You experience more challenging and group based projects in interesting topics within the Biomedical Engineering field. Modules include: 

  • Biocompatibility 
  • Tissue Engineering 
  • Orthopaedic Biomechanics 
  • Biomaterials 
  • In Vitro Models for Bio Engineers 

The ME Programme have modules designed around the Research and Development of medical devices as well as commercialising such devices. The ME students will get the opportunity to apply their knowledge of medical devices, anatomy, materials and mechanics in the ‘Medical Device Design’ project. This is run over two semesters where students design a medical device and build a business plan around it. In conjunction with the ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ module you will follow a path to realise such a medical device and how to get it to market.  

  Semester 1   Semester 2
MA4001 Engineering Maths 1 MA4002 Engineering Maths 2
ME4121 Engineering Science 1 ME4111 Engineering Mechanics 1 
CH4701 Chemistry for Engineers ME4412 Fluid Mechanics 1
EE4011 Engineering Computing ME4042 Introduction to Design for Manufacture
EE4001 Electrical Engineering 1  MT4002 Materials 1
ME4001 Introduction to Engineering 1     
  Semester 3   Semester 4
MA4003 Engineering Mathematics 3 MA4004 Engineering Maths 4
ME4213 Mechanics of Solids 1 ME4736 Physiological Fluids 1
ME4523 Thermodymanics 1 IE4214 Industrial Organisation
LS4003 Introductory Anatomy and Physiology ME4052 Cell and Tissue Behaviour for Engineers
ME4112 Engineering Mechanics 2 ME4114 Engineering Design and Communication 
  Semester 5   Semester 6
CO4310 Cooperative Education MA4006 Engineering Mathematics 5
    ME4226  Mechanics of Solids 2 
    ME4526 Heat Transfer 
    ME4306 Biocompatibility
    MT4006 Tissue Engineering
  Semester 7   Semester 8
ME4017 Project 1 ME4018 Project 2
ME4746 Physiological Fluid Mechanics 2  ME4028 Project 3 
ME4178 In Vitro Models for Bio Engineers  ME4029 Orthopaedic Biomechanics 
ME4427 Medical Device Design and Placement 1 IE4248 Project Planning & Control 
ME4307 Biomaterials 1 ME4308 Biomaterials 2

 

  Semester 7   Semester 8
ME4188 Bio-Imaging  EP4003 

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

ME4746 Physiological Fluid Mechanics 2  IE4248 Project Planning & Control 
ME4178 In Vitro Models for Bio Engineers  ME4029 Orthopaedic Biomechanics 
ME4427  Medical Device Design and Placement 1  ME4009 Medical Device Design and Placement 2
ME4307 Biomaterials 1  ME4308 Biomaterials 2 

 

  Semester 9   Semester 10
ME6241 Project 1 ME6242 Project 2 
ME6051 Advanced Technical Communication for Engineers    
  Choose 3   Choose 3
ME4616 Finite Element Analysis ME6071 Non-Linear FEA
MT6011  Adv. Characterisation of Materials 1  MT6032 Adv. Characterisation of Materials 1
ME4438 Computational Fluid Dynamics  ME6062 Advanced CFD 
MT6061 Polymers for Biomed Devices  MT6062 Polymer Therapeutics
ME6008 Microfluidics ME6252 Biomicrofluidics
ME6251 Cellular Mechanobiology  ME6262 Cell Derived Therapies

Entry requirements

Minimum grades

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher Level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary Level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

Subject requirements

In addition, applicants must hold a minimum grade H4 in Mathematics and grade O6/H7 in one of the following: Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Engineering, Technology, Design & Communication Graphics/ Technical Drawing, Biology, Agricultural Science, Applied Maths, Construction Studies.

Additional considerations

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

We welcome applications from mature students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.

Application information for mature student applicants (PDF)

Non-EU Entry Requirements

How to apply

Where are you applying from? How to Apply
Ireland Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. 
The UK  Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. 
The EU EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website.
Non-EU country If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here.

 

Fees and funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.

A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.

An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.

EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
SUSI pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant

Student pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Non-EU Students

Student pays Tuition Fees €20,900
Student pays Student Levy €100
€21,000

Student course fees are comprised of the following components:

Student Contribution

Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.

Tuition Fees

These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.

Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows

  1. Residency
    • You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
  2. Citizenship
    • You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
  3. Course Requirements (all must be met)
    • You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
    • You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
    • You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)

Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -

  • Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
  • EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
  • Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.

More information about fees can be found on the Finance website

These scholarships are available for this course

These scholarships are available for all courses

Your future career

Employability skills from this degree

  • Solving problems using logic, creative and innovative approaches
  • Planning, prioritising, working to deadlines and under pressure
  • Communicating effectively (verbally and written)
  • Working in multidisciplinary teams
  • Numeracy and IT skills, with excellent use of statistics
  • Project management
  • Awareness of cost/value
  • Awareness of social, cultural, environmental, health and safety, and wider professional responsibilities
  • Attention to detail
  • Good judgement and acceptance of responsibility

Further Study Options

Job titles for graduates with this degree

Graduates progressing directly into employment take up a wide variety of roles. The following provides a sample of initial roles listed on the Graduate Outcomes Survey by graduates approximately one year after graduation:

  • Associate Regulatory Affairs Specialist
  • Design Engineer
  • Graduate Manufacturing Engineer
  • Graduate Process Engineer
  • Graduate Programme
  • Graduate Trainee
  • Lab. Assistant
  • Manufacturing Engineer
  • Operations Graduate
  • Procurement & Commercial Analyst
  • Quality Engineer
  • R&D Engineer
  • Research Assistant
  • Risk Analyst
  • Technical Biomedical Engineer
  • Validation Engineer

Student Profile

Clíona McCarthy

I graduated from the University of Limerick with a First Class Honours in Biomedical Engineering (BE) in 2019. I chose to study at UL for a number of reasons, the main one being the Cooperative Education placement. The placement allowed me to apply my knowledge from the classroom to real world industry projects. Before graduating I had almost a years’ worth of industrial experience, which was a great talking point for job interviews in final year.   

The BE course consisted of both classroom learning and lab work e.g. designing and making a motorised car model. My final year project looked at using porcine tissue in tissue engineering as an alternative to organ donors. I was awarded the Stryker Final Year Project award for this work in 2019 from the School of Engineering in UL. 

In my final year, I began to apply for graduate engineering roles. The UL careers fair helped me decide what areas in industry I would like to work in and, upon graduating, I had secured a job as a manufacturing engineer for a medical device company in Galway. I spent a year in industry before returning to UL to begin my PhD, which focuses on the biomechanics of biological tissue.