Aeronautical Engineering

INTRODUCTION

The Masters course (MEng) in Aeronautical Engineering is based in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering with mathematics, materials and operations modules coming from other UL departments. This course will be the only one of its kind in the state and will provide training in advanced topics in Aeronautical Engineering. The programme was developed in response to the needs of the aerospace sector, which requires graduates with advanced skills in aeronautical design, analysis and testing. The course also satisfies the Engineers Ireland requirement that a Master's degree in an engineering discipline will be the minimum educational standard for Chartered Engineer status for students graduating in 2013.

OBJECTIVES

• To equip graduates with a detailed knowledge of advanced methods in aeronautical engineering, including theoretical foundations, computational and experimental methods and engineering applications.
• To meet industrial need for graduates with the above qualities at a Master's level.
• To increase awareness of the opportunities offered by current research in Aeronautical Engineering and its application to current practice.
• To fulfil the Engineers Ireland requirements for a Master's degree in an engineering discipline as a minimum educational standard for Chartered Engineer status.
• To enhance graduates' existing educational base and employment prospects.

PROGRAMME OF STUDY

The programme spans a single academic year (three semesters) and requires full time attendance on campus. The programme outline is provided below. For the first two semesters students will study a mandatory set of core subjects and a suite of optional advanced subjects (electives). Students will engage in a single research project over all three semesters with submission of a research project (thesis) at the end of semester 3. Students will also be provided with training in technical communications and project planning. The Department has strong links with leading aeronautical engineering industries, including AIRBUS, EADS, Bombardier and many others.  Research in the Department covers a wide range of topics and the Department also houses research centres in Automation, Biomedical Engineering, Wave Energy, Biofuels, Composite Materials and Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics. Further details of research fields in the department are available at the department web page, www.ul.ie/mae

To graduate from the programme a student must accumulate 90 credits, comprising 45 credits of taught modules and 45 credits of research work, as outlined in the Table. Credit may be given for prior learning, with the agreement of the Course Director.

Semester 1

Composite Materials (6 Credits); Advanced Stability & Control of Aircraft (6 credits); Research Project (3 credits); Advanced Technical Communication for Engineers (3 credits);
2 Specialist Electives each 6 credits to be chosen from Fundamentals of Continuum Mechanics; Non-linear Finite Element Analysis; Aerospace Metallic Materials; Computer-Aided Design -3D; Computational Fluid Dynamics

Semester 2

Advanced Aircraft Structures (6 credits); Project Planning & Control (6 credits); Research project (12 credits);
One Specialist Elective (6 credits) to be chosen from:- Fracture Mechanics; Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics; Engineering Mechanics of Plastics & Composites; Operations Analysis; Boundary Layer Theory.

Semester 3

Research Project (30 credits)

CAREERS

Prospective careers for graduates are very broad including all elements of aerospace, automotive, engineering design, advanced manufacturing and construction

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The minimum entry requirement to the programme is a 2:2, level 8 (NQAI) undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Aeronautical Engineering, or closely related field.  For international students, the entry equivalent will be accepted as determined by the Course Director in consultation with UL Graduate School Admissions. Where applicants are non-native English language speakers, certified achievement in TOEFL or IELTS Standard English Language Competency Test will be required. An interview may be part of the admission process.

WHAT TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR APPLICATION:

• Qualification transcripts and/or certificates (including certified English translations if applicable)
• English language qualification(s) (if English is not your first language)