Biomedical DesignDearadh Bithleighis

Students choosing the Level 7 General Engineering programme will have the option in Year 1 to choose Biomedical Engineering. They are still the same well-known and highly commended programmes offered in previous years. We combined the first few modules to give students more time to choose their specialisation.

Engineers are in extremely high demand right now in Ireland and globally with exponential growth in job opportunities, especially in the Biomedical sector. With such rapid advances in technologies in the healthcare and medical devices sector, robotics, pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage industries, graduates of these three programmes will be at the forefront of new technologies to help improve our quality of life through new innovative designs.

Engineers Ireland have accredited our programmes for over 25 years now which means that graduates can travel worldwide and have their qualifications recognised abroad.

The Level 7 programme takes 3 years to complete and we ensure that additional tutorials are available for any students who may require additional academic support. The three Engineering disciplines pride themselves on graduating students who are industry-ready after 3 years.

Students experience innovative teaching in modern laboratories and lectures. They can visit engineering companies, travel abroad for a semester or year to our partner Universities in France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, China or seek work placements through our close links with engineering companies and past graduates in industry.

Engineering graduates are trained to be creative and inventive, and to solve difficult problems such as the development of new technologies from jet engines to robots to artificial hip implants to hybrid cars and train components.

Biomedical Design Engineers develop technologies to save people’s lives and to improve health. They design products such as stents, ventilators, diabetes monitors, incubators, artificial joints and limbs. 300 medical technology companies are based in Ireland employing over 25,000 people. Biomedical design engineers are the link between the technology and the medical profession. Students study human anatomy, medical imaging, regulatory affairs, device design alongside core engineering modules.

In your final year of all engineering programmes, you will carry out a project, often a design, build and test style project which will develop your problem-solving, design, and communication skills, a key skill that employers require. The project will give you a good opportunity to develop your design, selection of materials and machining skills.

We are currently closed for Advanced Entry Applications. The courses that will be open for advanced entry will be listed on the CAO website in January 2025. For information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. If this course opens for advanced entry, the following will apply.

To qualify for Advanced Entry applicants must be currently studying, completing, or have successfully completed, studies at Level 6, 7 or 8 in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or an equivalent, in a related area. You must demonstrate by providing transcripts of results that you have achieved the learning outcomes for each stage you wish to advance past, for example:

• To enter Year 2 via Advanced Entry, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Year 1.
• For entry to Year 3, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1 and 2.
• For entry to Year 4, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1, 2, and 3.

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website.

Our past graduate of the Level 7 programmes often work in technical roles in companies such Intel, Aer Lingus, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Kerry Foods, Coca Cola, Siemens, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Kenkel and Google. Many graduates also work in medical device companies, hospital laboratories and the energy sector. Our graduates often progress to Level 8 either full time or part time in order to progress to engineer roles.

We are currently closed for Advanced Entry Applications. The courses that will be open for advanced entry will be listed on the CAO website in January 2025. For information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. If this course opens for advanced entry, the following will apply.

The opportunities for engineers are numerous. Past  graduates have gone on to work as creators and designers of new technologies. Some are involved in research of fuel and energy, materials, heating and cooling processes, storage and pumping of liquids and gases. Other  graduates work as process engineers or project  engineers in the food, pharmaceutical, medical  device, semi- conductor and energy sectors. 

- Diarmuid Rush, Head of Department

Graduates of Mechanical or Biomedical Design Level 7 programmes may progress to Year 4 of their Level 8 programmes upon successful achievement of a GPA of 2.5 and an average 60% in Mathematics at Level 7. 

Students who do not have the above may take qualifier exams in August before Year 3 as an attempt to achieve this standard.