Mechanical Engineering  (NMS1)

This programme provides students with an internationally recognised professional training in mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is the branch of engineering dealing with the design, construction and use of machines - from small intricate devices to large complex systems. The role of a mechanical engineer is to take a concept from an initial idea to a final marketplace product. Mechanical engineering requires inquisitive and creative minds, which combine energy and passion for original design, in-depth analysis and innovative problem solving, while never losing sight of underlying ethical, environmental or human interaction that are central to the engineering profession. You will learn by participating in stimulating lectures, as well as engaging in design, team and project based learning activities.  Assessment is by a combination of end-of-trimester examinations, as well as continuous assessment based on individual assignments, practical laboratory exercises and group projects. In your final year, an individual capstone project is carried out, often in collaboration with an industrial partner or a university research group. Students graduate after four years of study with a Bachelor qualification, BE(Mech), or can progress after three years of study (subject to elegibility criteria) to a range of professionally accredited 2-year Engineering Masters programmes (Biomedical, Energy Systems, Engineering w/. Business, Materials, or Mechanical). Given the broad nature of your training, you can also pursue a career in mechanical or other engineering engineering or other disciplines such as business, finance, or project management.  

1 - PO 1 Knowledge and Understanding Exhibit knowledge and understanding of a range of mechanical systems and the underlying associated mathematical, scientific, analytical and data science principles.
2 - PO 2 Problem Analysis Demonstrate the ability to analyse and model mechanical components and systems within engineering problems and make appropriate judgements in a responsible way.
3 - PO 3 Design Design solutions to problems in mechanical engineering, using appropriate methodologies, including hardware or software, and taking into account professional responsibilities, relevant standards with reference to pertinent health & safety requirements.
4 - PO 4 Investigation Investigate and learn from existing knowledge; by designing and conducting experiments and by analysing and interpreting data.
5 - PO 5 Professional and Ethical Responsibilities Appreciate the role of a professional engineer in wider society and the associated professional and ethical responsibilities to individuals, communities and the environment.
6 - PO 6 Teamwork and Lifelong Learning Work effectively as an individual, in teams or in multidisciplinary settings, together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.
7 - PO 7 Communication Communicate effectively engineering proposals and solution options to colleagues, clients and the public, as well as having the capability of listening to the needs of peers, clients and society.
8 - PO 8 Engineering Management Manage projects and resources, taking account of relevant legal principles and contractual arrangements.
9 - Students will acquire the necessary knowledge and understanding of mathematics, science, engineering science and technologies which underpin mechanical engineering.
10 - Students will have the ability to identify, formulate, analyse and solve challenges and problems related to mechanical engineering.
11 - Students will have the capability of designing systems, components or processes to meet specified mechanical engineering needs.
12 - Students will have the ability to design and conduct experiments as well as conducting research or technical projects.
13 - Students will appreciate and understand the need for high ethical standards in the practice of mechanical engineering, including the responsibilities of the engineering profession towards people and the environment.
14 - Students will have the ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams or in multidisciplinary settings, together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.
15 - Students will be effective communicators with the ability to communicate their own ideas and solutions to colleagues, clients and the public as well as having the capability of listening to the needs of clients, society and colleagues.
16 - Students will have the confidence to be independent critical thinkers with the willingness to engage in self-directed learning throughout their careers.

Mechanical Engineering graduates from UCD are highly sought after both at home and abroad.

Mechanical Engineering graduates can work in a wide variety of industries including:

- Aerospace: From rocket motors to life-support systems

- Automotive: The design, development, testing and manufacture of cars, buses, trucks, bulldozers and tractors

- Biomedical: The design of highly successful medical devices, such as heart valves and artificial joints

- Heavy industry: The efficient production of steel and other metals

- Manufacturing: Computer chips, catheters, mirrors and matches: mechanical engineers design the product, the process and the machinery to manufacture them in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way

- Power generation: Electricity may be taken for granted, but generating it would be impossible without mechanical engineers to design, operate and control the powerful machinery that drives the generators

- Software: Mechanical engineers make excellent computer programmers. Many have joined software firms, while others have started their own

As the leader in Mechanical Engineering research and education in the country, laboratory and workshop facilities at UCD are very comprehensive. The BE in Mechanical Engineering is a professional, as well as an academic, qualification of the highest international standard, entitling the bearer to membership of professional engineering bodies across the globe. The degree is accredited by Engineers Ireland and, through the Washington Accord, by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and by professional engineering institutions worldwide.

STAGE 1
You will receive a solid grounding in science and computing, with an introduction to core Mechanical Engineering subjects.

STAGES 2 & 3
These stages are tailored to focus on the application, in a Mechanical Engineering context, of the sciences you studied in Stage 1, and to develop your analytical and critical capabilities. Key new Mechanical Engineering subjects are introduced and additional laboratory sessions encourage you to apply your new knowledge in a real-world context. Later, you will concentrate on the design of systems and will work in groups to develop novel designs in specific areas.

STAGE 4
In your final stage you build on your knowledge and also pursue a range of optional modules. A key objective is to develop your understanding of the mechanical engineer's role in a global society. You will undertake a substantial project, which could involve anything from building a rocket motor to designing a wheelchair.

Students have the opportunity in their third year to spend either one or two trimesters studying abroad in a partner University. There are options to study in countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, USA.

UCD is Ireland’s Global University and its largest university with a track record in empowering students to enter a diverse range of careers that reflects the most diverse curriculum on the Island of Ireland. Consistently, over 90% of graduates are employed or in further study or training 9 months following course completion. The QS World Ranking on Graduate Employability has placed UCD at number 1 in Ireland for Graduate Employability since 2018. On the global stage UCD leads the Irish higher education sector and is the only Irish university to be ranked inside the world’s top 80 for Graduate Employability.

At University College Dublin we are aware that for many students, programme outcomes in terms of graduate jobs and career options is important. The purpose of this statement is to help you understand and appreciate the range of skills you may develop during your time at UCD and how you may develop your employability. Visit the UCD Careers Networks website and MyCareer, the UCD Career management Platform, to access career information, internships and graduate roles as well as information about the range of initiatives, supports and events available to you.

Opportunities are extraordinarily diverse, making graduates highly resilient to changing economic circumstances. Recent graduates are currently employed in the energy, biomedical, aeronautical, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing and IT sectors.

You can also pursue graduate study internationally or as a part of UCD’s accredited Masters degree, e.g. ME in Biomedical Engineering, ME in Computer & Electronic Engineering, ME in Electrical Power Engineering, ME in Engineering with Business, ME in Energy Systems Engineering. Those with a strong interest in research also have the opportunity to pursue a PhD.

UCD Engineering and Architecture College Office

Tel: +353 1 716 1916
e. katie.oneill@ucd.ie

Stage 2

Stage 2 Mechanical Engineering comprises 50 credits of Core Modules, and 10 credits of Elective/Additional Option Modules. Students should choose one of their Elective/Additional Option Modules from each Trimester so as to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Students progressing towards the BSc (Engineering Science) and in turn ME degrees must obtain 100 Level 2 and Level 3 credits over the combined Stages (Years) 1, 2, and 3. Please check your Credit Statement for compliance with this.

Stage 3

Stage 3 Mechanical Engineering comprises 50 credits of Core Modules and 10 credits of Elective/Additional Modules. Students should choose an Elective/Additional Option Module from each Trimester, so as to ensure a balanced workload of 30 credits per Trimester. Students progressing towards the BSc (Engineering Science) and in turn ME degrees must obtain 100 Level 2 and Level 3 credits over the combined Stages (Years) 1, 2, and 3. Please check your Credit Statement for compliance with this.

Stage 4

Stage 4 Mechanical Engineering comprises of 60 credits as follows: 30 credits of Core Modules, 15 credits of Option Modules, and 15 credits for a capstone project (MEEN30180 Professional Engineering Project). Students should choose appropriate option modules from each Trimester, so as to ensure a balanced workload per trimester.

See the UCD Assessment website for further details, including worked examples of how degree award GPAs are calculated

---

Module Weighting Info