Energy Systems Engineering

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Further Education
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Energy Systems Engineering What our students say

Entry Points (2022)

509

Course Overview

Why choose Energy Systems Engineering?

Energy Systems Engineers are the people who are transforming the way we use, store and produce energy, meeting the world’s growing energy needs while avoiding climate and biodiversity breakdown, and increasing our energy security.
Energy Systems Engineers can be found in companies that design and build giant wind turbines, in the control room of our power grid, rolling out electric vehicle infrastructure, deploying green hydrogen infrastructure and designing zero-carbon buildings
A recent survey shows that 94% Energy Systems Engineering graduates are in full-time employment or study less than six months after graduation

Work placement

All Energy Systems Engineering students undertake a work placement for eight months. Energy Systems Engineering employers include ESB, SSE, Thermo King, DP Energy, Wood, EirGrid, Shell, Medtronic, CIÉ, Medtronic, Fingleton White, and Boston Scientific. In the unlikely event that no external placement is available, students will be given projects on campus. We also provide opportunities for students to pursue international work placements. Many of our students have completed their work placement overseas, in places like the UK, the USA, Germany, South America and Australia.

Study Abroad

Energy Systems Engineering students have created strong and growing links with the Institute for Solar Energy in Germany and the University of Copenhagen Green Campus. We are developing teaching links with partner universities across Europe for Erasmus exchanges.

Career Opportunities

Energy Systems Engineering graduates are ideally suited for careers in power generation and transmission, smart grid design and roll-out, green hydrogen, energy supply management, design of energy-efficient products and processes, sustainable transformation of organisations, communities and businesses, development and roll-out of renewable fuels and infrastructure, design of sustainable transport, environmental protection, and research. They are employed at some of the world’s leading companies including ESB, EM3, Toyota, Gas Networks Ireland, EirGrid, Accenture, Kingspan, Carbon Trust, SSE, Deutsche Bahn, and General Electric.

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

The course is taught by academic staff from across the Schools of Engineering and Computer Science. Lecturers include:

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 Level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Agricultural Science or Computer Science) or Technology, and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes. Additional requirements: Minimum H4 in Mathematics or, alternatively, obtain a pass in the Engineering Maths Qualifying Exam (held in the University).

Additional Requirements

Students must obtain a minimum of Grade H4 in the Higher Level Leaving Certificate paper in Mathematics or, alternatively places available (which may vary in number year to year) may be allocated to those candidates who have achieved the points requirement for the programme that year, who satisfy the general requirements for Matriculation in the College of Engineering and Informatics and who attain a Pass in the Engineering Maths Qualifying Examination. The places available will be allocated in strict order of merit based points attained in the Leaving Certificate. Due to capacity constraints, not all candidates who achieve a pass in the examination may receive an offer.

For A-Levels: A minimum of Grade C in Mathematics is required.

Duration

4 years

Next start date

September 2023

A Level Grades (2022)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

2 (More Info)

Closing Date

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY413

Course code

Course Outline

Year 1

Engineering Calculus
Engineering Mechanics
Engineering Chemistry
Engineering Graphics
Engineering Computing 1
Fundamentals of Engineering
Engineering Mathematical Methods
Engineering Design
Engineering Computing II
Engineering Physics

Year 2

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics I
Engineering Statistics
Thermodynamics & Fluid Mechanics
Electronic Instrumentation and Sensors
Principles of Building
Community Engaged Building Project
Strength of Materials
Mathematics and Applied Mathematics II
Electrical Circuits and Systems
Introduction to Modelling
Theory of Machines and CADD

Year 3

Energy Systems Electrical Design Project
Design of Energy Systems for the Built Environment
Linear Control Systems
Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Electromechanical Power Conversion
Fluid Dynamics
Sustainable Energy
Power Electronics
Microprocessor Systems Engineering
Combustion Science and Engineering
Turbomachines and Advanced Fluid Dynamics
Energy in Buildings

Year 4

Mechanical Analysis and Design
Design of Sustainable Environmental Systems 1
Energy Conversion
CFD module
Object Oriented Programming
Power Systems
8-month Paid Work Placement
Project Management for Engineers
Professional Skills

Year 5

Energy Systems Engineering students can choose to graduate with an Honours Bachelors degree (Level 8) after 4 years or a Masters degree (Level 9) after 5 years. Both degrees are fully accredited by Engineers Ireland and are recognised internationally. The Masters degree satisfies the educational requirement for Chartered Engineer, which enables even greater international mobility and earning potential for graduates.

Mandatory modules
Energy Systems Engineering Project
Advanced Energy Systems Engineering
Global Change
Renewable Energy Economics and Policy
Smart Grid
Optional technical modules (choose 1 or 2)
Systems Modelling and Simulation
Digital Control Systems
Design of Sustainable Environmental Systems 2
Optional profession modules (choose 1 or 2)

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (60 Credits)

Required CH140: Engineering Chemistry - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required EI140: Fundamentals of Engineering - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Required CT1110: Engineering Computing I - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required EI160: Engineering Graphics - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required MA140: Engineering Calculus - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required MP120: Engineering Mechanics - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required PH140: Engineering Physics - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required EI150: Engineering Design - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Required CT1111: Engineering Computing II - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required MM140: Engineering Mathematical Methods - 5 Credits - Semester 2

Year 2 (60 Credits)

Year 3 (60 Credits)

Year 4 (60 Credits)

Further Education

Energy Systems Engineering students can choose to graduate with an Honours Bachelors degree (Level 8) after 4 years or a Masters degree (Level 9) after 5 years. The Masters degree satisfies the educational requirement for Chartered Engineer, which enables even greater international mobility and earning potential for graduates. Graduates can also apply to PhD research positions at University of Galway, which is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in Energy Systems Engineering research. Our academic staff play leading roles in the Ryan Institute, MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, as well as many energy research projects funded by industry, the Irish Government, the European Union, and others

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Why choose Energy Systems Engineering?

Energy Systems Engineers are the people who are transforming the way we use, store and produce energy, meeting the world’s growing energy needs while avoiding climate and biodiversity breakdown, and increasing our energy security.
Energy Systems Engineers can be found in companies that design and build giant wind turbines, in the control room of our power grid, rolling out electric vehicle infrastructure, deploying green hydrogen infrastructure and designing zero-carbon buildings
A recent survey shows that 94% Energy Systems Engineering graduates are in full-time employment or study less than six months after graduation
It addresses humanity’s most challenging question: “How can society expand access to energy, which drives all human activity, in an secure way, while avoiding climate and biodiversity breakdown?”
Multidisciplinary modules cover technologies like wind, solar, hydrogen, ocean, hydro, bioenergy and nuclear; smart grids, buildings and cities; sustainable water systems; national energy systems; climate science; research methods; and energy economics, policy and law.
This programme is accredited by Engineers Ireland for Chartered Engineer status (if combined with an accredited bachelor’s degree).

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€7,408 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Tuition

€4,268 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Non EU

€24,040 p.a. 2023/24

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy** €140. **Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here.

Find out More

School/College Name: Engineering

Contact Person: Serena Lawless

Office Phone Line: 091-492170

Email Address: energyeng@universityofgalway.ie

URL for School/College webpage: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/engineering/

Other Useful Links: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/science-engineering/engineering/energy-systems-engineering/

What Employers Say

Seán Óg Ó Loideáin | Energy Systems Engineering BE & ME Graduate

The course equips you with the fundamentals of engineering whilst providing in-depth knowledge of a wide range of conventional and future energy generation technologies.

Brendan Tuohy | Chairman, EirGrid

Energy Systems Engineering graduates have the right mix of fundamental engineering excellence, wide-ranging knowledge of the energy system, and the ability and drive to deliver as members of teams working on the greatest engineering challenges Ireland faces