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Courses
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Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.
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About University of Galway
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Business & Industry
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Community Engagement
Community Engagement
At University of Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
Energy Systems Engineering
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:
- Rory Monaghan https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/rorymonaghan/
- Magdalena Hajdukiewicz https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/magdalenahajdukiewicz/
- Maeve Duffy https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/maeveduffy/
- Nathan Quinlan https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/nathanquinlan/
- Jim Duggan https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/jamesduggan/
- Stephen Nash https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/stephennash/
- Marcus Keane https://www.universitofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/marcuskeane/
- Sean Leen https://www.universitofgalway.ie/our-research/people/engineering-and-informatics/seanleen/
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
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
20
QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes
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 1Required 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)
Required CE2101: Principles of Building - 5 Credits - Semester 3Required ME2106: Theory of Machines and CADD - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required ME223: Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required EE231: Electronic Instrumentation and Sensors - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required ST1100: Engineering Statistics - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required MA2101: Mathematics and Applied Mathematics I - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required CE227: Strength of Materials - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Required CE2102: Community Engaged Building Project - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required EE230: Electrical Circuits & Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required MA2102: Mathematics and Applied Mathematics II - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required CT248: Introduction to Modelling - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Year 3 (60 Credits)
Required EE3125: Energy Systems Electrical Design Project - 5 Credits - Semester 5Required EE448: Power Electronics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required ME301: Fluid Dynamics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required EE3101: Electromechanical Power Conversion - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required CE343: Sustainable Energy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required ME322: Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required EE352: Linear Control Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required CE3118: Design of Energy Systems for the Built Environment - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required CE466: Energy in Buildings - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required ME426: Turbomachines and Advanced Fluid Dynamics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required ME4101: Combustion Science and Engineering - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required EE224: Microprocessor Systems Engineering - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Year 4 (60 Credits)
Required ME4112: Computational Fluid Dynamics - 5 Credits - Semester 7Required EE450: Power Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required CE464: Design of Sustainable Environmental Systems I - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required ME304: Mechanical Analysis And Design - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required CT2106: Object-Oriented Programming - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required ME424: Energy Conversion - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required EG4101: Energy Systems M.E. Professional Experience Programme - 20 Credits - Semester 7
Required EE4100: Digital Control Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required ME3102: Project Management for Engineers - 5 Credits - Semester 8
Required CT3112: Professional Skills - 5 Credits - Semester 8
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
Fees: Tuition
Fees: Student Contribution
Fees: Student levy
Fees: Non EU
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
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