Key Info
Bachelor of Engineering in Design and Manufacture
Entry route(s):
Are you interested in clever designs that benefit people’s lives, in how they are produced in the real world meeting high technical standards, and how they are made affordable, accessible and sustainable? Are you interested in interacting with other people to achieve a common goal, and listening to people in a constructive manner? Are you interested in applying problem-solving techniques and practices to big real-world problems? Are you a hands-on person? If so, this course should suit you well.
What is (Programme) ( BE Design & Manufacture)?
Design and Manufacture Engineering covers a range of topics which are directly relevant to solving big real-world problems. As we know, manufacturing is the backbone of modern society and creates the wealth of a nation.
The vision for graduates from the BE in Design and Manufacture programme, is for them to design useful working products, seeing them developed from possibility and concept, through the practicalities of manufacture, to real use, and eventual recycling after their life’s end. In common with all UL programmes, the Engineers Ireland accredited BE in Design and Manufacture includes a cooperative education placement and adheres to traditional educational guidelines of preparation for the profession of engineering.
In choosing to study this programme, you will build upon your skills and aptitude for design and analytical work. You will cover a range of subjects including fundamentals of design and production processes, computer-aided design, automation, materials, quality, capacity planning and simulation, costs and sustainability. The programme follows CDIO principles (Conceive-Design-implement- Operate) including active learning and problem-based learning these are important elements of the programme in each year.
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What you will study
Throughout this course, you will be provided with a strong foundation in both engineering and design principles, with a clear focus on project-based learning. You will also be provided with an in-depth knowledge of manufacturing processes and how products are made. You will be encouraged to develop design solutions to real-life problems.
This four-year programme consists of eight semesters and is divided into two parts. Part I, comprising the first year of study, will provide a foundation in the fundamental engineering subjects and makes up for variations in the background of individual students. The modules during the first year are common to Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Biomedical Engineering.
Part II comprises the remaining three years. The final degree award is based on your performance during these three years. Generally, you will study five modules per semester, with each semester worth 30 credits. Each semester contains a mix of design and manufacturing related subjects including areas such as the fundamentals of design, automation, supply chain design and advanced manufacturing processes. You will also achieve a high level of capability with SolidWorks and will use Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) approach with an emphasis on Engineering Design and project based learning.
At the end of Year 2, you will undertake a work placement in industry for an eight-month Cooperative Education period. This period provides experience of the practice and application of engineering methods in an industrial environment. You will then return to the University for the spring semester of third year.
An important feature of this programme is the final year project (FYP). The individual project topic will be allocated to you near the end of third year, following an extensive consultation process. You will have almost 12 months to undertake this major piece of work and prepare a report of the work for assessment. The project is an opportunity for you to express your creative and analytical skills in an imaginative and professional way and many students are proud to show their work at subsequent job interviews.
By the end of this course, you will be in a position to manage the lifecycle of new products from design, through production and on to end-of-life recycling.
Topics covered include:
• Production Technology
• Automation
• Mechanics of solids
• Engineering Design (Advanced SolidWorks)
• Finite Element Analysis
• Metrology and Statistical Process Control
• Simulation Modelling and Analysis
• Engineering Economics, Ethics and Sustainability
• Digital Mechatronics
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | |
| CH4001 | Chemistry for Engineers | MA4002 | Engineering Mathematics 2 |
| EE4001 | Electrical Engineering 1 | ME4111 | Engineering Mechanics 1 |
| EE4011 | Engineering Computing | ME4412 | Fluid Mechanics 1 |
| MA4001 | Engineering Mathematics 1 | MT4002 | Materials 1 |
| ME4001 | Introduction to Engineering 1 | Choose 1 | |
| ME4121 | Engineering Science 1 | ME4032 | Structural Engineering Design |
| ME4042 | Introduction to Design for Manufacture |
| Year 2 | Semester 3 | Semester 4 | |
| DM4003 | Operations Modelling (ENG) | DM4004 | Plant Automation (ENG) |
| MA4003 | Engineering Mathematics 3 | IE4214 | Industrial Organisation |
| ME4213 | Mechanics of Solid 1 | MA4004 | Engineering Mathematics 4 |
| ME5031 | Design Methodology | MF4024 | Manufacturing Processes 4 |
| PD4003 | Ergonomics Foundation | MF4756 | Product Design and Modelling |
| Year 3 | Semester 5 | Semester 6 | |
| CO4310 | Cooperative Education | DM4006 | Engineering Design |
| DM4016 | Product Automation | ||
| IE4248 | Project Planning and Control | ||
| ME4226 | Mechanics of Solids 2 | ||
| MF4733 | Manufacturing Information Systems |
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | |
| DM4007 | Design Project 1 | DM4008 | Design Project 2 |
| DM4017 | Simulation Modelling and Analysis | DM4018 | Design Project 3 |
| DM4027 | Measurement and Quality Systems (ENG) | DM4028 | Engineering Sustainable Products |
| MA4007 | Experimental Design | MF4038 | Advanced Manufacturing Systems |
| Choose 1 | MF4736 | Engineering Economy | |
| ME4427 | Medical Device Design and Placement | ||
| PT4005 | Supply Chain Design | ||
| PT4427 | Design for Manufacture |
Entry requirements
| Minimum grades |
Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher Level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary Level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English. |
|---|---|
| Subject requirements |
In addition, applicants must hold a minimum grade H4 in Mathematics and grade O6/H7 in one of the following: Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Engineering, Technology, Design & Communication Graphics/ Technical Drawing, Biology, Agricultural Science, Applied Maths, Construction Studies. |
| Additional considerations |
A Special Mathematics (Higher Level) Examination will be offered at UL following the Leaving Certificate results for those students who did not achieve the Mathematics requirement. We welcome applications from mature students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February. |
| Non-EU Entry Requirements |
|
Entry route to Design and Manufacture Engineering at UL is via LM116 Engineering Common Entry.
How to apply
| Where are you applying from? | How to Apply |
|---|---|
| Ireland | Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. |
| The UK | Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| The EU | EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| Non-EU country | If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here. |
Fees and funding
Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.
A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.
An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.
EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €4,262 |
| SUSI pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €7,362 |
EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €4,262 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €7,362 |
Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €4,262 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €7,362 |
Non-EU Students
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €20,900 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €21,000 |
Student course fees are comprised of the following components:
Student Contribution
Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.
Student Levy
All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.
Tuition Fees
These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.
Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows
-
Residency
- You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
-
Citizenship
- You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
-
Course Requirements
(all must be met)
- You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
- You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
- You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)
Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -
- Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
- EU Fee Status: You satisfy both the citizenship and residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees.
- Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.
More information about fees can be found on the Finance website
These scholarships are available for this course
| Title | Award | Scholarships Available |
|---|---|---|
| BD Science and Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship | €2,000 for one year | 6 |
| Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Awards | €1,500 and a trophy | 1 |
| Johnson and Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme | ||
| Stryker Scholarship | €2,500 | 3 |
| The Ei Electronics Women in Engineering Scholarship | €2,500 for 3 years | 1 |
| Women in Engineering Bursary Awards | €500 | 8 |
These scholarships are available for all courses
| Title | Award | Scholarships Available |
|---|---|---|
| All Ireland Scholarships - sponsored by J.P. McManus | €6,750 | 125 |
| Brad Duffy Access Scholarship | €5,000 for one year | 1 |
| Bursary for my Future Scholarship | €2,750 one off payment | 4 |
| Cooperative Education Award | 1 medal per faculty | |
| Elaine Fagan Scholarship | €1,500 | |
| Financial Aid Fund | ||
| Hegarty Family Access Scholarships | €5,000 for one year | 2 |
| Higher Education Grants & VEC Grants | ||
| Paddy Dooley Rowing Scholarship | €2,500 | |
| Plassey Campus Centre Scholarship Programme | ||
| Provincial GAA Bursaries Scheme | €750 | |
| Stuart Mangan Scholarship | ||
| The Michael Hillery and Jacinta O’Brien Athletics Scholarship | Various benefits equating to over €7,000 in value | |
| UL Sports Scholarships | Varies depending on level of Scholarship | Multiple |
Your future career
Employability skills from this degree: A wide range of employers are seeking graduates with these skills, and the skills are highly transferable across many industry sectors from biomedical devices to Tesla cars to agricultural products. Based on a recent survey, graduates of this programme are working in industries including Industrial Machinery Manufacturing, Medical Equipment Manufacturing, Design Services and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. The current major employers include Stryker, Boston Scientific, Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson Vision & Modular Automation.
The year after graduating with this degree (This section will be amended by Cooperative Division).
This course is accredited by Engineers Ireland.
Follow-On Study
Students graduating from this degree can undertake the MEng in Mechatronics or many other masters programmes in other disciplines at UL. There are also lots of research opportunities to masters or doctorate level available in the areas of Design and Manufacture. UL has strong, funded research programmes in a number of manufacturing disciplines.
Job titles for graduates with this degree:
- Field Services Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Process Development Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Operational Specialist
- Mechanical Design Engineer
Student Profiles
Cian Hogan
I chose Design and Manufacture Engineering as my elective for the Common Entry Engineering degree because it encompasses a good mix of the technical drawing and problem-solving skills I liked in school. Design and Manufacture Engineering is a great course for gaining practical knowledge about current practices and equipment used in the manufacturing industry today. Throughout the four years, I gained experience in many relevant areas for industry like how to effectively use CAD software SolidWorks, how to work with electrical and pneumatic systems and how modern manufacturing methods like 3D printing work. The combination of expert lecturers, enthusiastic classmates and interesting, industry relevant modules made the course feel relevant to life after university, but above all very enjoyable to me.
For my 8-month Co-op Placement in 3rd year, I was based in Modular Automation in Shannon, Co. Clare. Modular are a solutions partner to industry leading Med-Tech companies around the globe. While I was in Modular, I was given the opportunity to work on many projects by designing custom equipment from scratch, detailing drawings and then ordering these parts from vendors. While on Coop, I was able to use the skills I gained on my course to contribute to innovative design in industry. One benefit of the Co-op program in UL is that you gain 8 months industry experience while in university, which always helps with job opportunities after college. It also helps that the manufacturing industry in Ireland is booming now! My successful UL Coop period at Modular has led me right back to them now where I work as a Mechanical Design Engineer, all thanks to the skills I gained in my Design and Manufacture Degree.
Lisa Daly
When I was 17 I did not realise I wanted to become an engineer because I did not fully understand what engineers learnt in college or did in work. Due to this I had not chosen many Leaving Certificate subjects that were applicable to engineering but I did love Technical Graphics. I specifically chose Design and Manufacture Engineering because I wanted to learn how products are innovated, the design considerations and the practicalities of sustainable manufacturing. The modules in Design and Manufacture foster engaging group and individual project work, finishing with the FYP.
I chose the University of Limerick for the fantastic resources that they offer to students such as the maths learning centre, clubs and societies as well as the Co-op placement. I did my Co-op placement with Abbott Diagnostics. While I was on placement, I gained project management skills in a professional setting and applied the theoretical knowledge I learned from my degree like Solidworks, Lean Manufacturing and Operations Management. My Co-op with Abbott gave me a foundation in understanding manufacturing businesses as a whole. This foundation set me up well for Abbott's global rotational program where I have since worked in various roles from project engineer, operations supervisor and procurement specialist across Ireland, the United States and the Netherlands.
