Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation  (T390)

This programme aims to upskill graduates to become leaders in sustainability implementation across a wide range of sectors. The graduates of this programme will gain core skills needed to quantify the sustainability of a product, process or system, identify areas for improvement, and devise and manage measures for implementation to improve sustainability.

 

To enable implementation, students take a suite of modules in sustainability assessment, equipping them with the skills to calculate and report evidence-based environmental footprints in compliance with ISO standards. This is complemented with modules on methods to mitigate climate change through development of renewable energy systems and green technologies. Diverse assessment strategies will encourage the development of the core competencies e.g. data acquisition, analysis and interpretation, ability to develop a problem and solution specific project approach and project management.  

 

This programme will produce graduates with the capability to become leaders in sustainability implementation who can apply their skills within large companies, SMEs, local authorities, consulting companies etc., to drive the transition to a zero-carbon economy in Ireland. 

1 - Advanced knowledge and systematic understanding of the sciences, engineering sciences and technologies underpinning the concept of environmental sustainability,
2 - The ability to identify, formulate, and critically analyse processes and technologies for implementation of sustainability,
3 - The ability to apply knowledge to quantify the environmental sustainability of products, process and systems using analysis and interpretation of relevant data,
4 - An understanding of the need for high ethical standards in the practice of engineering, including the responsibilities of the engineering profession towards people and the environment,
5 - The ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary settings, and to act as a change agent within organisations to integrate and lead sustainability implementation initiatives,
6 - The ability to communicate effectively on complex sustainability challenges and opportunities within organisations and with society at large.

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.

There is very significant industry demand for engineers and scientists with knowledge on methods to quantify sustainability for internal benchmarking, process improvement, and reporting purposes. In January 2023 there were  more than 2000 sustainability-related jobs advertised in Ireland (based on data from LinkedIn).

Upon completion of this Graduate Diploma, graduates will have the skills needed to lead the sustainability agenda for a company either individually or as part of a team.

Stage 1

T390 Grad Dip Environmental Sustainability Implementation FT is a one-year, 60-credit, 2 trimester full-time Graduate Diploma Programme. This is a pathway programme from the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sustainability Implementation which comprises 60 credits (i.e. the modules taken in Autumn and Spring Trimesters). Students who successfully complete the Graduate Diploma, will have the option to continue through to the pathway programme to obtain the MSc qualification. All students must take 60 credits of taught modules across the Autumn and Spring Trimesters, with a balanced workload of 30 credits per trimester. Students must take BSEN40210 & BSEN30610 in the Spring Trimester.

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

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