| Code | PCORE |
|---|---|
| Duration | September to May |
| Teaching Mode | Part-Time |
| Qualifications | PG Cert |
| NFQ Level | Level 9 |
| NFQ Award Title | Postgraduate Certificate |
| Fees | €5,000 Springboard funding available See Fees and Costs for full details. |
| Closing Date | General Applications: 29 August 2025 Springboard+ Applications: 16 July 2025 |
| Next Intake | September 2025 |
| Start Date | 8 September 2025 |
Course Outline
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The Postgraduate Certificate in Offshore Renewable Energy is a part-time Level 9 course that provides the knowledge-base required for engineers and engineering practitioners to develop their skills in the area of offshore renewable energy, with a particular focus on offshore wind. The programme content covers cutting edge technologies in the renewable energy sector, as well as instructing students in the underpinning theory. There is a strong industry focus throughout the course, in the form of industry-informed content, and direct access via guest lectures. Graduates will thus emerge from the course up to date with the status of the offshore wind and renewable energy sector and the skills to make a successful entry and contribution to the industry.
The programme is part-time, and delivered in a blended format across two Semesters: September to December, and January to May. Students have the option of attending in-person lectures which will be recorded or doing the course entirely online in their own time. The objective of the programme is to provide a suitable route for engineering practitioners (non-engineers undertaking engineering roles), either in full-time employment or jobseeking, to transition to the offshore wind and renewable energy sector.
The course consists of six taught modules delivered across two semesters. For full details, please refer to the UCC Book of Modules.
- NE6003 Wind Energy (5 credits, Semester 1): Introduces students to wind energy theory and technology, resource assessment and wind farm site development. It covers data analysis and energy production estimates, turbine design and control, wind energy storage technologies and wind energy forecasting. It is an essential precursor to its offshore wind counterpart.
- NE6013 Sustainable Energy (5 credits, Semester 1: Introduces the concept of sustainable energy, renewable energy technologies, energy policy and economics as well as the interaction between cost competitiveness, security of supply and environmental responsibility. The module provides students with the tools to assess energy trends and their policy implications.
- NE6203 Ocean Energy (5 credits, Semester 1): This module covers wave and tidal energy. It introduces students to the background theory as well as the lastest technological developments in the marine renewable energy sector. This module is fully online and 100% continuous assessment. The students undertake an ocean energy project that looks at all aspects of offshore renewable energy site development in Irish waters.
- NE6010 Offshore Wind Energy (5 credits, Semester 2): Offshore wind educates students in the advanced engineering and non-engineering issues relevant to offshore wind energy systems design, construction, installation, operations, finance and governance, with a particular focus on these developments in Irish waters. The module covers both fixed and floating technologies. This module is fully continuously assessed with a large focus on project work. The module includes significant input from industry experts through several guest lectures.
- NE6212 Clean Energy Futures (5 credits, Semester 2): Clean Energy Futures teaches students about real-world complex energy systems and how to model them using PLEXOS, the industry-standard software.
- NE6004 Sustainability, Bioenergy and Circular Economy Systems (5 credits, Semester 2): Introduces students to sustainability concepts associated with circular economy systems with a particular emphasis on hydrogen and other advanced renewable fuels that can be produced using offshore wind energy.
Course Practicalities
The course will be delivered using a blended model: modules where lectures are delivered in-person will be recorded, and the recordings uploaded onto Canvas, the learning platform used across UCC, where they can be watched asynchronously by the students. The students thus have the option of either an in-person experience, a fully online experience or a combination of the two (blended). In-person attendance is only mandatory for formal written exams at the end of each semester.
Why Choose This Course
This course is aimed at engineers or engineering practitioners of all types who want to gain skills and employment in the offshore renewable energy sector. Students will benefit from up-to-date content, industry-relevant assessments and guest lectures from experts in the energy sector.
Who teaches this course:
The course is delivered by the School of Engineering and Architecture. Modules are taught by Dr Frances Judge, Dr Paul Leahy, Dr Paul Deane and Prof Jerry Murphy, as well as a range of guest lecturers from industry and academia. A teaching assistant will provide regular tutorial sessions (online).
Skills and Careers Information
By doing this course, students gain employer exposure through UCC-organised recruitment fairs and employer-led events. Our graduates have gone on to avail of local, national and international opportunities in renewable energy project development, engineering consultancy, resource analysis, project financing, operations and management, surveying, and energy policy development.
Requirements
The academic entry requirements are:
- A minimum Second Class Honours Grade II (or equivalent) in a primary honours degree in any discipline of Engineering (NFQ - level 8);
- or A minimum Second Class Honours Grade II (or equivalent) in a honours degree (NFQ - level 8) in areas of science that included mathematical subjects deemed equivalent to those of engineering (e.g. Physics, Mathematical Sciences, some Computing Science degrees), pending assessment by Programme Director via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL);
- or A pass in any accredited level 8 Engineering degree followed by professional experience deemed of sufficient added value, pending assessment by Programme Director via Recognition of Prior Learning.
Candidates will be required to provide evidence of meeting the academic entry requirements in addition to the University English language entry requirements (see https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/postgraduate/ for details).
RPL candidates will be assessed on previous experience as detailed in their application, CV and personal statement. RPL candidate suitability will be scored on a matrix, and an offer will be made to those who meet the minimum required RPL score. Where demand is high, unemployed candidates and returners will be prioritised.
Fees and Costs
General Applications:
€5,000
Springboard+ Applications:
There are a limited number of places available on this programme funded by Springboard+.
- Those in employment can avail of a 90% fee subsidy (Fee payable: €500)
- Those unemployed/returners can avail of a 100% fee subsidy
Those applying for Springboard+ funding may check their eligibility HERE
You should apply for this programme via the Springboard+ website HERE
How To Apply
You should apply for this programme via the Springboard+ website HERE