Electrical and Electronic Engineering - University College Cork (UCC)

Fact File

Course Title: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

College: Science, Engineering and Food Science

Duration: 4 years

Teaching Mode: Full-time

Qualifications: BE (Hons)

NFQ Level: Level 8

Costs: Full-time EU/EEA/Swiss State undergraduate students may be exempt from paying tuition fees. The State will pay the tuition fees for students who satisfy the Free Fees Criteria. In 2013/14 the Student Contribution Charge will be €2,500 and the Capitation Fee will be €155. Some modules incorporate practical laboratories and for these you may be required to purchase basic safety items such as a laboratory coat or goggles. Other modules may require a kit of components to be purchased.

Entry Requirements: HC3 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at higher or ordinary level in the Leaving Certificate from Irish, English, mathematics, one laboratory science subject (i.e. chemistry, physics, biology, physics with chemistry (joint) or agricultural science) or technology and two other subjects recognised for entry purposes. Additional requirements: HC3 in mathematics or applied mathematics. If the HC3 is in applied mathematics, a HD2 in mathematics is also required.

Entry Points: 2012: 410. Points may vary from year to year.

Course Code: CK605

Next Intake: Sept 2013

Overview

BE Electrical and Electronic Engineering is a four-year professional engineering course which is designed to prepare you for employment in the electrical and electronic sectors in Ireland and abroad. It has a broad-based curriculum with a strong practical content, including a five-month work placement between years 3 and 4, and has a very good graduate employment record.

Years 1 and 2 of the course will develop your scientific knowledge, especially in mathematics, physics and the fundamental electrical signal concepts.

Years 3 and 4 concentrate on applied engineering topics such as the generation and distribution of electricity; the development of renewable energy systems; industrial automation and control; telecommunications; optoelectronics and photonics; medical electronic systems; consumer electronics and the design and fabrication of microelectronic integrated circuits (ICs).

In year 4, a wide range of module options allows you to tailor your studies to suit your particular interests and career ambitions.

Course Details

Year 1

Modules

Engineering Computation (5 credits)
Engineering Materials (5 credits)
Professional Engineering Communication and Ethics (5 credits)
Chemistry (5 credits)
Physics (10 credits)
Mechanics (10 credits)
Mathematics (10 credits)
In addition, you will study:
Electrical and Electronic Systems (5 credits) and choose one of the following:
Introduction to Process and Chemical Engineering (5 credits)
Engineering Structures (5 credits)
Introduction to Energy Engineering (5 credits)

This structure facilitates your possible transfer to another engineering course in UCC after year 1.Transfer places are limited and may be dependent upon your performance on the course.

Year 2

Modules:

Linear Circuit Analysis (5 credits)
Numerical Methods and Programming (5 credits)
Mathematics for Engineers (5 credits)
Engineering Thermodynamics (5 credits)
Non-Linear Circuit Analysis (5 credits)
Digital Electronics (5 credits)
Electronic Circuits and Microelectronic Physics (5 credits)
Signals and Systems (10 credits)
Power Engineering (10 credits)

Year 3

Modules (60 Credits):
Electromagnetic Field Theory for Engineers (5 credits)
RF Circuit Theory (5 credits)
Power Electronic Systems (5 credits)
Electromechanical Energy Conversion (5 credits)
Digital Integrated Circuits (5 credits)
Analogue Integrated Circuits (5 credits)
Heat Transfer and Cooling Systems (5 credits)
Analogue Telecommunications (5 credits)
Analogue Signal Processing (5 credits)
Photonic Engineering (5 credits)
Control Engineering (10 credits)

In addition, you will undertake compulsory work placement, usually in industry, from May to September. Host companies are drawn from a wide variety of sectors, including power/energy, microelectronics, telecommunications, consumer electronics, etc.

Year 4

Modules (60 credits)

You must choose six of the following modules (where timetabling permits):

Power Electronics (5 credits)
Drives and Energy Conversion Control Engineering (5 credits)
Telecommunications (5 credits)
Optical Electronics (5 credits)
Digital Signal Processing (5 credits)
Mechatronics and Industrial Automation (5 credits)
Mechanical Systems (5 credits)
Electrical Power Systems (5 credits)
RF IC Design (5 credits)
Medical Electronic Systems (5 credits)
Renewable Energy Systems (5 credits)
Engineering Management (5 credits)
Production Engineering (5 credits)
Digital IC Design (5 credits)
Analogue IC Design (5 credits)
Processing of Integrated Circuits (5 credits)
In addition, the following three modules are compulsory:
Engineering in the Commercial World (5 credits)
Digital Signal Processing (5 credits)
Digital Telecommunications (5 credits)

You will also undertake a project for 15 credits. Usually, teams of two undertake the final year project but individual projects are also possible.

See the College Calendar for more detailed information on the Programme and the Book of Modules for a more detailed description of Programme Modules.

Detailed Entry Requirements

HC3 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at higher or ordinary level in the Leaving Certificate from Irish, English, mathematics, one laboratory science subject (i.e. chemistry, physics, biology, physics with chemistry (joint) or agricultural science) or technology and two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
Additional requirements: HC3 in mathematics or applied mathematics. If the HC3 is in applied mathematics, a HD2 in mathematics is also required.?
Mature applicants should apply directly through the CAO (www.cao.ie) and may be required to attend for interview. Applicants are assessed on the basis of academic and/or professional background in a science-related discipline, evidenced by exam results and their personal statement. Thre are two places available for Mature applicants
International Students should visit the International Education website:http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/international/noneu-ug/apply/.

Application Procedure

Application to the first year of the degree programme is made directly through the Central Applications Office (CAO). Applicants should apply on-line at www.cao.ie. The normal closing date for receipt of completed applications is 1st February of the year of entry.

Course Practicalities

Each year, you will follow a prescribed list of modules that add up to a combined 60 credits, with the individual modules accounting for either 5 or 10 credits each. While there is some variation, a 5-credit module is normally associated with a load of 24 lecture hours and 12 laboratory hours. You will have 12 to 15 hours of lectures and six to eight hours of laboratories per week. Some unstructured time is reserved for work on self-driven projects and in your final year any time that is not scheduled for formal lectures is intended to be used for your large final year project.

Assessment

The assessment methods used in the course include end-of-term and end-of-year written examinations, in-class tests, laboratory reports, assignments and associated reports, projects and associated reports and oral and poster presentations. Most of the individual modules allocate 20%to 30% of the available marks to these continuous assessment elements.

The final year project module, which has a weighting equivalent to three standard modules, is continuous assessment-based and you have to prepare project logbooks, a large project report, a seminar and an open-day presentation. Following the third-year placement, you also have to prepare a report and present a seminar.