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4. Masters
5. Engineering - Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Systems

Course Fact File

Code	MENEPB
Duration	Full-time 12 months;
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	MEngSc
NFQ Level	Level 9
Closing Date	Applications have now closed for 2025 entry.
Non-EU Closing Date	Applications have now closed for 2025 entry.
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

The Full-Time Master of Engineering Science (MEngSc) in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems is a unique offering of the discipline of Process and Chemical Engineering designed to provide participants with an advanced qualification related to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical processing. These encompasses all aspects of modern pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing including product containment, powder/ particle technology, design of API and secondary production facilities, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), design of classified facilities, aseptic processing facility design, utilities and services, data analyses, process validation, sustainability and management in manufacturing.

Modules are delivered not only by academics from UCC but lecturers from leading industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and PM Group and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Dublin, providing hands-on-training and insights into state-of-the-art pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and practises.

This programme has been designed specifically for full-time students (both EU and non-EU) with background in Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors, with participants having the opportunity to:

• Gain a formal Level 9 qualification in Engineering
• Learn directly from the industry with guest lecturers from Pharma/Biopharma industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer and PM Group.
• Experience hands-on training at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) providing valuable insight, skills and knowledge that bridge the gap between academic teaching and industry practice.
• Get to learn about all-encompassing aspects of Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical manufacturing including project management and sustainability.
• Get to study in Cork, which houses 9 out of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies.
• Enhance employability through continuing professional development and access to UCC Careers Services team.
• Access a multidisciplinary learning environment and project-based learning combining both individual elements and group work, enhancing learning outcomes and inter-personal skills.

The MEngSc in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems is a full-time programme running for 12 months over one academic year.

If you are a working professional or wish to take the degree part-time, please refer to the Part-Time Masters in MEngSc Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Course Structure

This programme is principally organised to accommodate full-time students (both EU and non-EU) with background in Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors. The programme comprises 60 credits of taught modules, including both mandatory and elective modules and 30 credits of a research thesis.

Students must take 9 mandatory modules worth 5 credits each to the value of 45 credits. The remaining 3 modules can be selected from a list of 4 modules worth 5 credits each to make up the final 15 credits of the total of 60 credits.

Semester 1 September to December, 35 credits

Mandatory modules

• PE6009 Pharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)
• PE6011 Biopharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits) by NIBRT
• PE6023 Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Utilities and Auxiliaries (5 credits) by industry lecturers from Eli Lilly
• PE6024 Process Safety Engineering (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Flemings Professionals
• PE6026 Project Engineering - From Concept to Completion (5 credits) by industry lecturer from PM Group
• PE6058 Contamination Control in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Pharmalliance

Elective (Select 1 out of 2 modules)

• PE6007 Mechanical Design of Process Equipment (5 credits)
• PE6056 Pharmaceutical Process Validation (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Eli Lilly

Semester 2 January to March, 25 credits

Mandatory modules

• PE6022 Aseptic Manufacturing Design (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
• PE6032 Pharmaceutical Industry Advances and Developments (5 credits) by industry lecturers from Eli Lilly and Pfizer
• PE6057 Sustainability in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing (5 credits)
• MG6902 Project Management (Pharma & Biopharma Manufacturing) (5 credits) by lecturer from Cork University Business School

Elective (Select 1 out of 2 modules)

• PE6016 Pharmaceutical Industry: Manufacturing and Optimisation (5 credits)
• PE6019 Process Analytical Technology (5 credits)

Research Thesis in in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems (30 credits)

Semester 3 April to September

The MEngSc in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems comprises a research thesis or work-related research project (PE6051), worth 30 credits, carried out primarily in an industry or academic research laboratory between May and August during one academic year.

Students must pass all taught modules with an average grade of 50% or higher to be eligible to proceed to the Research Thesis.

Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems

Students who achieve 40% in each individual taught module but fail to achieve the requisite grade of 50% across the taught modules may opt to exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems.

Course Practicalities

This is a full-time programme comprising both full-time and part-time modules shared with MEngSc Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering and BE and ME Process and Chemical Engineering. The students take a higher number of credits in Semester 1 (35 credits or 7 modules) than the second semester (25 credits or 5 modules). The second semester is a shorter January to March semester to allow the students allocate greater time towards their dissertation and take part in industry placements (if any) counting towards their dissertation.

Attendance Information

All full-time modules are held weekly between 8 am and 6 pm, Monday to Friday throughout the semester.

Each Part-time module has two in-person sessions per semester: 

• a start-up lecture session, typically around 4 hours long and occurring over Friday and Saturday at the start of each semester (September in Semester 1 /January in Semester 2)
• a lecture/tutorial session around 6-8 hours long occurring over consecutive Thursday, Friday and Saturday 4 weeks after the start-up session.

All lecture materials, course notes, videograms and lecture recordings (if available) will be made available online via Canvas, UCC’s online student learning portal, giving students the flexibility to cover the material at their own convenience during the week.

Assessment

Full-time modules may either be assessed through a combination of continuous assessments and written end-of-semester exams or continuous assessments only. All part-time modules will be assessed via continuous assessment only and will consist of live end-of-semester assessments or and online Canvas assignments as per UCC Marks and Standards.

Details of the assignments including submission dates will be communicated by the Programme Director and individual lecturers at the start of term in September.

Why Choose This Course

The enormous need for Engineers to work in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and medical devices industries has been well documented in recent years, most recently by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). The 2024 report suggests the possibility of creation of over 6000 jobs in this sector by 2027, primarily driven by jobs in manufacturing, followed by jobs in the services sector. This will require significant upskilling of the existing workforce in the Pharma/Biopharma sectors, and development of industry-academia collaborations fostering re-skilling.

Many graduates working in the pharmaceutical industries with a scientific background find themselves working in areas which increasingly overlap with engineers and engineering. Many would like to develop an engineering-based understanding of processes and production in a formal manner. This course offers you the opportunity to do this, developing your skill set and employability across a wider range of roles.

The course also presents the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry with an opportunity to enable greater cohesion and understanding among inter- and multi-disciplinary teams as graduates with science backgrounds receive a formal qualification in engineering.

Take a look at this short video which outlines the opportunities in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industries in Ireland.

What are the key learning outcomes?

Upon completion of this programme, candidates will be able to:

• Apply an enhanced knowledge and understanding of the mathematics, sciences, engineering sciences and technologies to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical engineering.
• Identify, formulate, analyse and solve problems related to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical engineering.
• Design pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and processes, including unfamiliar, ill-defined scenarios, underpinned by a sustainability informed paradigm, taking account of environmental, health and safety and risk factors, and know how to apply relevant codes of practice, industry standards and emerging practices and technologies.
• Effectively design experiments and gather experimental data, apply a range of standard and specialized research tools and techniques and conduct critical evaluation of results.
• Assess and take key decisions towards improving the sustainability of a pharmaceutical/ biopharmaceutical production process.
• Work effectively as an individual and in teams in planning and carrying through on assignments and projects in a lifelong learning context.
• Manage stakeholders and effectively create a baseline project plan.
• Communicate effectively with the engineering community and with society at large.

Who should apply?

The aim of this (NFQ level 9) programme is to provide a formal qualification in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing to graduates in the Engineering and Manufacturing sectors. This programme is structured to provide higher education encompassing all aspects of modern pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing including product containment, powder/ particle technology, design of API and secondary production facilities, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), design of classified facilities, aseptic processing facility design, utilities and services, data analyses, process validation, sustainability and management in manufacturing.

For working professionals, looking to upskill/re-skill for the Pharma/Biopharma sectors, they should refer to the part-time programme, MEngSc in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering.

 

Placement or Study Abroad Information

There are no structured placement or study abroad opportunities provided directly through programme, however, candidates spend a day at the NIBRT Biopharmaceutical Training Facility in Dublin.

MEngSc participants can perform their research project in any location including in an industry or an internationally location deemed suitable by their academic mentor.

Skills and Careers Information

Over the past two decades, Ireland has established itself as a global leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and has been tremendously successful in attracting multinational companies to establish manufacturing operations across the country.

The Irish pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry remains highly advanced, employing latest technology, state-of-the-art techniques and equipment and following strict quality control procedures. The pharmaceutical industry in Ireland is a world leader in offering products and services, from research and development for new medicines to the manufacturing and marketing of new medicines for humans and animals.

Ireland is now home to more than 85 biopharmaceutical sites and 9 of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies have substantial operations in Ireland. Around 60% of all exports from Ireland is contributed to the Biopharmaceutical industry which is directly employing over 25,000 people. Ireland is now the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the EU accounting for over 50% of all exports from the country.

Cork has established itself as a thriving industrial hub, boasting a resilient and diverse economy with more than 190 multinational firms operating in clusters across the technology, financial services, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals and life sciences sectors. Cork’s Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences sector continues to grow rapidly, exemplified by the investment of over €10 billion in new facilities over the last decade. Seven of the ten of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies including Janssen, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck/MSD, Novartis, and Thermo Fisher Scientific are based in Cork, more specifically around the Cork Harbour Region. In total there are now over thirty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries operating in Cork with a workforce of over 10,000.

The 2024 EGFSN report on Skills for Biopharma suggests the continued expansion of this sector, primarily driven by jobs in manufacturing, followed by jobs in the services sector.

What sort of jobs would this course prepare me for?

This programme will prepare candidates for wide range of jobs in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors including manufacturing roles and roles associated with process and facility design and optimisation and project management. On successful completion of the programme, the candidate should able to work in a highly regulated pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sector taking account of environmental, health and safety and risk factors, and know how to apply relevant codes of practice, industry standards and emerging practices and technologies.

Will I get exposure to the pharmaceutical/ biopharmaceutical industry in this course?

Several modules are delivered by lecturers from leading industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and PM Group providing direct, up-to-date and highly relevant industrial insight into the pharma and biopharma industries in Ireland and beyond. Modules such as PE6009 and PE6032 involve site visits to the pharma and biopharma industries. Candidates will also require participating in an on-site practical training at the state-of-the-art facility at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Dublin and in other local pharma/biopharma industries.

Are there any career workshops included as part of this course?

No formal career workshops are included as part of this course. However, as UCC students, all candidates will be able to access career-related trainings, workshops  and guidance offered by UCC’s Career Services.

Who teaches this course?

This course provides a unique opportunity to learn from academics and industry professionals alike. Modules are delivered by academics from the Discipline of Process and Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Architecture, the School of Chemistry and Cork University Business School. A number of modules are delivered by lecturers from leading industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and PM Group. The course also features a module on Biopharmaceutical Engineering delivered by the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Dublin, designed to provide hands-on-training and insight into state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and practises.

Requirements

Applicants must have a BE (Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade I, or a level 8 BSc degree, with a minimum grade Second Class Honours Grade I, where the BSc graduate has a recognised qualification in Process or Chemical Engineering (e.g. the Diploma in Process and Chemical Engineering at UCC or equivalent). However, applicants with equivalent academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted subject to the approval of the Programme Director under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In all cases, the course of study for each applicant must be approved by the Programme Director.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

All Applicants

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
• Please upload your CV. 

The closing date for non-EU applications is Applications have now closed for 2025 entry.

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