ME Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 120)

The ME in Mechanical Engineering is a two-year professional engineering graduate degree. Graduates of the programme will be eligible for the title of Chartered Engineer (CEng). This programme is aimed at graduate Mechanical Engineers seeking to obtain a masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. You will gain advanced theoretical, conceptual and practical knowledge in the application of Mechanical Engineering. Emphasis is placed on the skills required to generate new knowledge through research. This is achieved through independent and project-based learning while working with UCD academics and researchers on contemporary research projects. This programme is delivered by a highly research-intensive School holding 151-200 in the QS World Subject Rankings and Top 6 in Ireland/UK Employer’s and Research rankings and awarded €9.56 million in research funding between 2014-19.

The programme comprises core and optional taught modules, a research project and a professional work experience.  Advanced modules are available in core subject areas of Mechanical Engineering such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, continuum mechanics, fracture mechanics, solid mechanics, dynamics and control.  Optional modules are available in materials engineering, nanomaterials, ceramics, metals processing, energy system and climate change and composites and polymers.

Module Information: 
Under the "What modules can I take?" section below you will see general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.

Curricular information is subject to change


Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Our vision is to educate and train our students to the highest international calibre so that they on graduation will have acquired the knowledge, skill, ability and confidence to be future leaders in the challenging, diverse and inter disciplinary field of Mechanical Engineering.  We strive to empower our graduates to meet the challenges of their future professional careers or further education by providing them not only with advanced technical competency in solving engineering problems, but also with the ability to advance their career through increased technical and managerial responsibility and to the eventual attainment of leadership positions.  We are committed to providing our students with an outstanding teaching experience, an innovative curriculum that includes professional work practice and training in the skills of research, innovation and technology transfer so that they are equipped to meet the challenges and demands of an ever-evolving society.  We therefore endeavour to attract students that are highly capable, motivated and have an enthusiasm for the discipline.  We value and therefore encourage students to be engaged, autonomous learners with the ability to work individually or within teams and to communicate their ideas and outcomes effectively.

Our programme, aimed at graduate Mechanical Engineers, is of two years duration and through its modular structure we provide the student with maximum choice, flexibility and mobility.  The programme teaches a synthesis between the theoretical, experimental and computational methodologies that are utilised by the engineers of today and of the future.  The programme foundations are the core mechanical engineering subjects such as continuum mechanics, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and materials.  Our strong research ethos present throughout the programme, is supported by a module in research skills and techniques, and practiced in an intensive research thesis.  Other relevant skills relating to business, management and communications are also taught.  A period of professional work experience, obtained on a competitive basis in selected indigenous or multinational companies both at home and abroad, provides the student with an opportunity to practice as a professional engineer.  A variety of teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used to achieve the desired outcomes including individual and team assignments, technical presentations, internship assessment and a significant supervised research project.  These are subject to assessment on both a continuous and end-of-trimester basis.  Our programme is fully accredited by Engineers Ireland which ensures that our graduates are eligible to become fully qualified professional engineers with the title of Chartered Engineer (CEng) and therefore capable of practicing anywhere in the world.

  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of the mathematics, sciences, engineering sciences and technologies underpinning Mechanical engineering.
  • The ability to identify, formulate, analyse and solve complex Mechanical engineering problems.
  • The ability to perform the detailed design of a novel system, component or process using analysis and interpretation of relevant data.
  • The ability to design and conduct experiments and to apply a range of standard and specialised research (or equivalent) tools and techniques of enquiry.
  • An understanding of the need for high ethical standards in the practice of Mechanical engineering, including the responsibilities of the Mechanical engineering profession towards people and the environment.
  • The ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary settings, together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.
  • The ability to communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with the engineering community and with society at large.

In the year immediately after graduation, this programme boasts a 95% success rate for graduates seeking employment or progression to research education. Mechanical engineers are at the centre of every area of technology.

Graduates from this programme will be eligible to become fully qualified professional engineers, capable of working anywhere in the world at an advanced technical level or as a professional engineering manager. In the recent past, UCD ME Mechanical Engineering graduates have progressed to careers in industries such as: aerospace industry (e.g. European Space Agency), automobile industry (e.g. Ferrari, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Denso), biomedical industry (e.g. Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Stryker), oil and gas (Cameron) and materials and manufacturing (Henkel, Kingspan).

View All Modules Here

This section links to general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.

ME Mechanical Engineering (T165) Full Time
EU          Year 1 - € 9300
nonEU    Year 1 - € 29100
EU          Year 2 - € 8830 aa
nonEU    Year 2 - € 27720 aa

aaSecond Year Fee applies to Students in 2nd Year in 2024 and who were a 1st Year Student on the programme in 2023/24
***Fees are subject to change

Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see www.ucd.ie/global/scholarships/

The College of Engineering & Architecture also offer scholarships for non-EU students, for more information see: www.ucd.ie/eacollege/study/noneuscholarships.

The Professional Work Experience (PWE) module is incorporated into the two-year Masters of Engineering Programme and is designed to integrate a student’s academic and career interests with practical work experience for a 6-8 month period. 

The module provides students with the perfect opportunity to gain increased experience and understanding of their chosen field. The practical skills acquired during this placement will give graduates a competitive advantage when applying for positions upon graduation.

This ME is professionally accredited by Engineers Ireland and recognised by the Washington Accord for Chartered Engineer status. 

  • An honours undergraduate degree (NFQ level 8)  with a minimum upper second class honours or international equivalence in a Mechanical Engineering programme.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.
  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 
  • These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

Graduate Profile - Cathal McClean, ORIX Aviation

From a young age I have always been passionate about aircraft and flight, and this was the primary driving factor in my choice of Mechanical Engineering. Throughout my studies in UCD it’s been amazing to see my interests change simply from airplanes generally, to the calculations, materials, simulation, and manufacturing processes that contribute to keeping them in the air.

In the first year of the master’s I was able to spend eight months in an aircraft maintenance organization, which gave great context to the theory learned in classroom modules. Following on from this, I was fortunate enough to do a research thesis on the topic of fracture of composites; a material used extensively in aircraft structure.

UCD Mechanical Engineering is broad enough to give you the range and choice of topics to really pursue an area of interest to you. Where you are interested in fluid dynamics, or control systems, or micro manufacturing, or 3D printing, the framework is there to pursue these areas.

The following entry routes are available:

ME Mechanical Engineering FT (T165)
Duration
2 Years
Attend
Full Time
Deadline
Rolling*

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised