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MEEN40740

Academic Year 2026/2027

ME MSE Project (MEEN40740)

Subject:
Mechanical Engineering
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Mechanical & Materials Eng
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
25
Module Coordinator:
Dr Adam Boyce
Credit Split by Trimester:
Autumn 10
Spring 15
Trimester:
2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

A research thesis will be undertaken during year 2 of the ME Materials Science and Engineering programme. A thesis title, description and academic supervisor will be allocated to each student at the start of the academic year. The thesis will involve some or all of the following aspects: statement of aims and objectives in line with thesis proposal; literature review; design, development and commissioning of an experimental facility or prototype design; experimentation; computational analysis; critical assessment of project outcomes.
Students will be required to disseminate their thesis outcomes during the academic year in four parts (i) an interim report with research plan, (ii) an oral presentation (interim), (iii) written thesis and (iv) final project oral examination.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, the student will be able to:

(a) Describe the scientific, mathematical and engineering principles relevant to the thesis;
(b) Conduct a technical literature review;
(c) Identify specific research objectives and formulate a research plan;
(d) Design an appropriate engineering solution to address the thesis objectives;
(e) Implement solutions through analysis, simulation and/or experimentation;
(f) Analyse results, discuss critically and draw appropriate conclusions;
(g) Manage the execution of an engineering thesis in a limited time;
(h) Collaborate with supervisor, co-workers and/or support staff to achieve a technical solution;
(i) Present the research thesis and results to both specialist and non-specialist audiences through written technical reports, oral presentation and poster presentation;
(j) Engage with and observe applicable ethical considerations relating to their thesis content, personal conduct and the delivery of thesis components.

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

600
Total

600

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
-active/task-based learning,
-lab work,
-problem-based learning
-critical writing,
-reflective learning,
-oral presentations

AI Policy:
AI tools may be used throughout the project in any way deemed appropriate by the project supervisor. All use must be explained in the submitted deliverables as per the module handbook, with discussion of the risks and mitigation involved. Students will be expected to understand, defend, discuss and expand on all AI output as if it was their own original work.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Practical Skills Assessment: Final Project Oral Presentation Week 12 Spring Graded No
15
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Interim Presentation Week 1 Spring Graded No
5
 No
Report(s): Project Plan Week 12 Autumn Graded No
10
 No
Thesis/Dissertation: Final Thesis and Oral Exam Week 12 Spring Graded Yes
70
 Yes

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat Within Two Trimesters
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Neal Murphy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
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