Engineering - Electronic & Computer Engineering

Mature applicants are those aged 23 years, or above, on 1 January in the year of entry. All candidates (presenting with EU/Non EU qualifications) applying on the grounds of mature years should apply ONLY through the CAO by 1 February.

For many DCU courses, mature application assessment is based on the CAO application and in some instances, an assessment and/or interview. ‘Other’ experience, apart from performance in examinations, may be taken into consideration - this may be work experience, further studies, or other such experience deemed to be relevant to the application. Interviews will take place in April either in person or remotely.

For more information, please contact the Mature Student Officer, orla.stafford@dcu.ie or dcu.ie/mature-students
For general and admission enquiries, please visit dcu.ie/registry/ug-admissions

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http://www.dcu.ie/fees/index.shtml

Entry 2024

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm

Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

Why DCU?
− Learn the skills and knowledge to design integrated electronics and computer systems with critical expertise in computer hardware and software technologies

− DCU is home to world-class engineering academics and state-of-the-art lecture theatres, workshops and labs

− The Faculty of Engineering and Computing educates a diverse student community, has strong industry links and offers a range of exciting scholarship opportunities

− 6 month paid work placement (INTRA) in Year 3

− This course will help you acquire the skills required to understand and contribute to emerging technologies that will shape the future

− Option to complete an additional year of study and graduate in Year 5 with a Masters of Engineering degree

− Internationally recognised qualification which enables graduates to work as professional engineers in the EU, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK or the USA

About You
Do you wonder about how things work and how to make them? Do you have a natural ability in mathematics, which is the universal language of engineering? If you would like to be able to fix a gaming remote or build a smart doorbell from scratch, you need to study Electronic and Computer Engineering. Every machine today has electronic components, so being able to engage in a hands-on way while also being able to write code proves incredibly useful.

Understanding: Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE)
Electronic and computer engineers create and innovate to invent, design, improve and build products and technologies that really matter in people’s lives. This degree will teach you how to use technology to improve people’s lives, health, environment and leisure.

More than any other discipline, electronic and computer engineering has been at the heart of generating the technology of our modern society. However, there are still major global and human problems to be solved. You can be sure that, because of their knowledge and skills, electronic and computer engineers will be at the forefront in creating solutions. Whether dealing with problems of clean water, energy supply, global warming, nutrition or health, electronic and computer engineers find solutions and also lead the teams who tackle the job.

In Years 1, 2 and 3 you will study the fundamentals of electronic engineering and programming. You can complete a 6 month paid work placement (INTRA) in Year 3, gaining relevant experience at a company in Ireland or abroad.

As this course covers a broad field, you will choose one of 4 specialisms in Year 4:
− Nanotechnology and Photonics (covering sensors, diagnostics and more)

− Advanced Data Networks (such as fibre optics and 5G)

− Digital Interaction (including 3D interfaces and game design)

− The Internet of Things (building smart applications using sensors)

As a graduate of this course, you will be able to build devices and processes to solve real-world problems using cutting-edge technology like augmented reality and virtual reality. Furthermore, you will be accredited to work anywhere in the world in a rapidly growing field that is crying out for qualified graduates to take up roles in design engineering, production engineering, software engineering and related fields.

Course Structure
Teaching methods include conventional lectures, extensive tutorials (particularly in Year 1), laboratory exercises and projects. Through these you will develop the ability to model and analyse the dynamics of a wide range of technological systems, as well as learn a creative and innovative approach to problem solving.

The curriculum of Years 1, 2 and 3 and the core modules in Year 4 are common to all ECE students. At the end of Year 3 you may opt to follow the Integrated Masters route if you achieve a minimum H2.2 classification based on the average performance in Years 1, 2 and 3.

In Year 4 (and optional Year 5 for the Integrated Masters), you select a major option and gain relevant skills through major-specific modules and an individual undergraduate project. The options for majors reflect modern trends in electronic and computer engineering and research priorities within the School of Electronic Engineering. Currently the course offers the following 4 majors, which we will adapt over time so that our graduates always have the most relevant and up-to-date technology and expertise:

Major in Nanotechnology and Photonics
– This specialism will help you master electronic and photonic devices at the molecular and atomic level and develop the knowledge required to produce functional electronic and photonic devices of nanometre dimensions

Major in Advanced Data Networks
– This specialism focuses on devices communicating to devices at high speed, for example optical networks and high-speed wireless technologies. It underpins research on next-generation networks that support evolving demands from devices and applications

Major in Digital Interaction
– The major focuses on the interaction between humans and devices, as well as the communication of devices with the broader world. Notable modules include Human-Computer Interface Technology, Web Application Development, and Image Processing

Major in the Internet of Things
– The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to profoundly transform the man-made environment we live in. The IoT’s transformative power lies in its ability to connect and gather data from various objects and environments, enabling smarter decision-making, automation, and improved efficiency across sectors. This major prepares you to do research and work in this rapidly growing area

You will have the opportunity to do an individual major-relevant capstone project in Year 4 (or in Year 5 for the Integrated Masters). Your project will allow you to work in a specialist area of your choosing and to apply the electronic and computer engineering skills that you will have acquired. You can demonstrate your innovative capabilities, capacity for independent learning, and technical expertise. All final year students in the Faculty of Engineering and Computing have the opportunity to showcase their final year projects to interested employers at the end of their final semester. It also allows potential employers to see the high standard and the broad range of development work you have carried out on the course. This display is very popular with industry and draws many prospective employers keen to dire DCU graduates.

In addition to the traditional engineering focus on mathematics and design, a strong software and programming theme runs through our ECE course. In this you will learn about, C, C++, Java, embedded systems, Linux and Windows operating systems, data structures and algorithms, hardware description language, object-oriented programming and, in 2 of the Year 4 majors, web application development. This thematic strength reflects an enduring need in industry for software specialists who have a strong knowledge base in electronics, systems, signal processing and hardware interfacing.

INTRA
In Year 3 you will undertake a 6 month paid work placement (INTRA), giving you a unique opportunity to enhance your CV, increase your employability and apply your knowledge and skills in the real world, putting you at the top of the employability market. This is usually with a business in Ireland, but opportunities may arise abroad or in some cases you may be placed in a research position within DCU. Some of the biggest companies in the world offer INTRA placements to our ECE students, including Google, Intel, IBM, Microsoft and Philips.

Other recent INTRA employers with a global reach include Accenture, AOL, Analog Devices, Cisco, Bypress Semiconductors Ireland, Deloitte and Touche, Mastercard, Synopsys, SAP Ireland, Tektronix Communications, Xilinx and Xerox. Degree-relevant work experience obtained on an INTRA placement can give you a big advantage when you are seeking a position as a graduate engineer. For more information, please visit dcu.ie/intra.

Internship: Yes

What Will I Study?
Year 1
Engineering Mathematics | Engineering Mechanics: Statics | Project and Technical Drawing | Materials Engineering | Introduction to Electronics | Fundamentals of Professional Development | Numerical Problem Solving | Basic Sciences | Software Development for Engineers

Year 2
Engineering Mathematics | Circuit Analysis Techniques | Systems, Signals and Control Theory | Data Communications and Networks | New Enterprise Development (Team Project) | C/C++ Programming for Engineers | Digital and Analogue Electronics | Operating Systems | Embedded Systems | Electromagnetism

Year 3
Signals | Electromagnetism | Electromechanical Systems | Algorithms for Engineers | Analogue Circuits and Design | Data Communications and Networks | Computation and Simulation | Mobile Robotics (Team Project) | INTRA

Year 4
Computer Architecture and HDL | Object-Oriented Programming with Embedded Systems | Control Systems Analysis | DSP-Digital Filters and DFT

Year 4 ECE with Major in Nanotechnology and Photonics
Optical Communications System Design | Solid State Electronics and Semiconductor Devices | Mechatronic System Simulation and Control | Capstone Project (Major in Nanotechnology and Photonics)

Year 4 ECE with Major in the Internet of Things (IoT)
Bioelectronics | Web Application Development | Wireless/Mobile Communications | Capstone Project (Major in IoT)

Year 4 ECE with Major in Advanced Data Networks
Optical Communications System Design | Communications Theory | Transmission Lines, RF Propagation and Radio Link Design | Capstone Project (Major in Advanced Data Networks)

Year 4 ECE with Major in Digital Interaction
Web Application Development | 3D Interface Technologies | Image Processing and Analysis | Capstone Project (Major in Digital Interaction) For more details, please check; ece.eeng.dcu.ie

Contact Details
Tel: +353 (0) 1 01 7005237
E: ee.queries@dcu.ie
E: studenthelp@dcu.ie
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