Engineering (Common Entry)

About You

Are you the type of person that has an inquiring mind and is good at mathematics and science? Do you want to know how and why things work? Do you like to solve problems? Engineering requires each of these personal characteristics, is interesting and varied and has excellent career prospects.

Why study Engineering at UL?

Engineers are concerned with developing economical and safe solutions to practical problems, by applying mathematics and scientific knowledge while considering technical constraints. LM116 Engineering common entry is designed to provide you with a gateway to your preferred engineering discipline. You will complete a broad first year which will introduce you to various topics in engineering. Having gained a better understanding of each subject area, you then choose your preferred pathway to specialise for the remaining 3 years of your degree programme. At UL, you get to try before you decide.

LM116 Engineering is the gateway to a degree in either:

Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Design and Manufacture Engineering

The programmes above start in Year 2.

Having selected LM116 Engineering you will be given time to understand and ask questions about the various options and engineering paths available. During Year 1 you will be requested to rank the various engineering degree programmes in order of your preference. In the event that a programme is over-subscribed, places will be allocated based on UL exam performance. In all these programmes, industrial work experience is provided through a positive and motivating thirty-week period of Cooperative Education. This will provide you with experience of the practice and application of your chosen area of engineering in a suitable working environment. Students are typically paid by employers for this work which will take place during Year 3.

What you will study

In Semester 1 you will study a wide range of topics from Maths to Computing which are important for any engineering career. You will also have an introduction to engineering modules which will introduce you to the various engineering options and the differences between them.

This will broaden your knowledge base as you find out more about the many areas of engineering. You will be exposed to the fundamental principles of each discipline, the programmes of study and the career paths open to you upon graduation. Guest professional engineers will describe their experiences in their field of engineering. You will, therefore, be empowered to make an informed choice as to your own programme of study.

In Semester 2 you will continue to study fundamental engineering topics such as materials and mechanics as well as one elective module, Structural Engineering Design or Design and Manufacture Engineering. These are project based where students work together to solve problems. These modules are hands-on with the aim of helping students to make an informed decision at the end of Year 1.

Students who choose this programme will experience a common first year which will ensure a broad learning experience and offer the possibility to make an informed decision at the end of Year 1. The first year is designed to ensure that you are well informed and well prepared to enter one of the possible 4 options; topics such as computing, maths, mechanics and materials are covered across Year 1.

There are a number of introductory modules such as Introduction to Engineering, where guest speakers and practising engineers will be invited in to explain potential career prospects and job requirements. In Semester 2, to help make informed decision students will have an elective option where students will choose from either Structural Engineering Design or Design and Manufacture Engineering Design. These modules are designed to be project based.

Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate modules also feature where students work collaboratively to form solutions to engineering problems in either a structural or production-based setting. Picking one of these options does not restrict your potential degree option - for example, if you pick the structural module you will still be able to choose mechanical or biomedical.

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.

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, Computer Science, Biology, Agricultural Science, Applied Maths, Construction Studies.

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.

In the event that a programme is over-subscribed, places will be allocated based on UL exam performance.

The career opportunities will depend primarily on the BE course chosen by you. Typical career areas include:

Biomedical Engineering
Medical Device Design, Manufacture of Medical Devices. Design of New Products including medical implants and surgical instruments, Biomaterials Development.

Mechanical Engineering
Engineering component design, Design and Control of Energy Utilisation Equipment, Safety and Reliability, Automobile Design, Materials Development, Mechanical Design in Aerospace, Biomedical, ICT, Process, Pharmaceutical and Manufacturing Industries, Gas turbine design.

Civil Engineering
Civil/Structural Engineer, Design Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Traffic/Motorway Engineer.

Design and Manufacture Engineering
Mechanical Design for Biomedical, ICT Process, Pharmaceutical and Manufacturing Industries, Project Management, Materials and Structural Analysis, Consultancy, Design Engineering, Quality Engineer, Automation Engineer, Computer Aided Engineering.