Modern medicine has given rise to the development of a wide range of novel engineering solutions to clinical problems. Examples of these developments vary from orthopaedic implants such as total hip replacements to cardiovascular implants such as coronary stents (small wire scaffolds inserted into the blood vessels around the heart). As a result of the increased collaboration between engineers and doctors, the new discipline of biomedical Engineering developed. Biomedical Engineering is the fastest growing area of Engineering.

Students who follow this programme can look forward to exciting and rewarding careers in the biomedical engineering industry, an industry that is undergoing major expansion internationally and in Ireland. The biomedical engineering industry in Ireland has factories from all the major multinational companies resulting in the need for highly skilled biomedical engineers.

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Read about our students experiences

What you will study

Year 1

The programme has a common first year with academic programmes Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Design and Manufacturing Engineering. You will study modules in areas of Engineering, Mathematics, Engineering Mechanics, Chemistry for Engineers and Computing.

Year 1 modules

	Semester 1		Semester 2
MA4001	Engineering Maths 1	MA4002	Engineering Maths 2
ME4111	Engineering Mechanics 1	ME4112	Engineering Mechanics 2
CH4001	Chemistry for Engineers	ME4412	Fluid Mechanics 1
ME4611	Engineering Computing	MT4002	Materials 1
EE4001	Electrical Eng. 1		Elective
ME4001	Introduction to Engineering	ME4031	Structural Engineering Design 1
		ME4042	Introduction to Design for Manufacture

Year 2

During year 2, you will study subjects including Introductory Anatomy and Physiology, Mechanics of Solids, Computer Aided Design, Materials, Thermodynamics and Physiological Fluid Mechanics 1. 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).

Year 2 modules

	Semester 3		Semester 4	Summer
MA4003	Engineering Mathematics 3	IE4214	Industrial Organisation	Cooperative Education
ME4213	Mechanics of Solids 1	MA4004	Engineering Mathematics 4
ME4523	Thermodymanics 1	ME4736	Physiological Fluid Mechanics 1
ME4112	Engineering Mechanics 2	ME4114	Engineering Design and Communications
LS003	Introductory Anatomy and Physiology	ME4052	Cell and Tissue Behaviour for Engineers

Year 3

In Year 3 (1 semester) you will undertake courses including Physiological Fluid Mechanics 2, Biocompatibility and Finite Element Analysis. The opportunity to study the Year 3 semester at Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, exists for the top students in the class.

Year 3 modules

	Semester 5		Semester 6
CO4310	Cooperative Education 2	MA4006	Engineering Mathematics 5
		ME4306	Biocompatability
		ME4226	Mechanics of Solids 2
		MT4006	Tissue Engineering
		ME4746	Physiological Fluid Mechanics 2

Year 4

In Year 4 the Biomedical Engineering students take courses including Biomaterials, Medical Device Design, Microfluidics and Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Mechanobiology. You also undertake hospital visits to view operations and observe Biomedical Engineering devices in practice. In Year 4 you will complete a major project with a Biomedical Engineering theme.

Year 4 modules

	Semester 7		Semester 8
ME4017	Project 1	ME6008	Microfluidics
ME4427	Medical Device Design and Placement	ME4018	Project 2
ME4438	Computational Fluid Dynamics	ME4028	Project 3
EP4007	Enterprise Management and Growth	ME4008	Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Mechanobiology
ME4307	Biomaterials 1	ME4308	Biomaterials 2

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Entry requirements

CAO points history
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)

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Fees & funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Centre 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 Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

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 Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

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 Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

Non-EU Students

Student pays	Tuition Fees	€16,373
Student pays	Student Centre Levy	€92
		€16,465

Student course fees are comprised of three 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 curent student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Centre Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Centre Levy of €90. Please note the Student Centre 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

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
Citizenship
- You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
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

Title	Award	Scholarships available
Stryker Scholarship	€2,500	3
Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Awards	€1,500 and a trophy	1
Women in Engineering Bursary Awards	€500	8

These scholarships are available for all courses

Title	Award	Scholarships available
Johnson and Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme	Individual Award - a bursary to the value of €2000. Team Project Grant - €1750	1 of each
Plassey Campus Centre Scholarship Programme
All Ireland Scholarships - sponsored by J.P. McManus	€6,750	125
Higher Education Grants & VEC Grants
Financial Aid Fund
Elaine Fagan Scholarship	€5,000	5
Stuart Mangan Scholarship
Provincial GAA Bursaries Scheme	€750
The Michael Hillery and Jacinta O’Brien Athletics Scholarship	Various benefits equating to over €7,000 in value
Paddy Dooley Rowing Scholarship	€2,500
UL Sports Scholarships	Varies depending on level of Scholarship	Multiple
Cooperative Education Award		1 medal per faculty
UL 40 Entrance Scholarship	€2,000	40

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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

The year after graduating with this degree

The University of Limerick Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) is a detailed review of the employment outcomes of UL graduates conducted annually by the University and supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The survey forms part of a nationwide review of the employment outcomes of Irish University Graduates. The table below illustrates a five-year trend for UL graduate employment levels and location the year after graduation.

Employed in Ireland	Employed abroad	Further study	Not available	Seeking employment	No. of responses	Total no. of graduates	Year
46%	8%	38%	4%	4%	24	24	2014
47%	0%	53%	0%	0%	17	19	2015
63%	0%	31%	0%	6%	35	37	2016
76%	3%	18%	3%	0%	33	38	2017
84%	0%	8%	3%	5%	37	44	2018

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

Graduate Profile - Grace Kelly

I knew I wanted to study engineering because I wanted to know how stuff worked, from hairdryers to pacemakers, and I didn't fear mathematics.

I had heard good stories about the social life but I also heard about UL???s great reputation with employers. When I found that I could enter mechanical engineering and later branch into more specialized streams such as biomedical I was sold. Like any first year when I started out I didn't know what to expect but throughout my four years of studying I never regretted choosing this course. Engineering could never be accused of being boring - I learned so much more than how hairdryers work! CoOp in a medical device company confirmed my interest in the biomedical field; it introduced me to the working environment and proved the relevance of the modules I was studying.

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