B.E. Electrical & Electronic Engineering (GY414)

The BE in Electrical & Electronic Engineering programme provides students with a broad range of skills relating to the design of electrical and electronic systems and devices. It is expected that career opportunities for graduates of this programme will have significant growth, with ever increasing emphasis on the development of intelligent electrical and electronic products to provide energy efficient solutions.

The programme combines coursework, laboratory classes and projects in different aspects of Electrical & Electronic Engineering to give graduates the knowledge and skills needed to design and develop innovative electrical and electronic systems.  The Electrical & Electronic Engineering programme at NUI Galway also features a work-placement experience where each student spends 5 months working in a company as an intern Electrical & Electronic Engineer

Aims and Objectives

The aim of the course is to provide graduates with an education which will prepare them for professional careers as electrical & electronic engineers. It is recognised that each career will be unique, and that only the foundation skills and experience required for a successful career can be provided by any undergraduate programme.

The course therefore aims to provide a solid base from which a career in electrical & electronic engineering can be launched and to develop basic skills needed to sustain professional development throughout a graduate career. The programme provides a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of electrical & electronic engineering science, and in the use of mathematics. The main emphasis is on scientific and engineering principles in the early years with design and analysis skills being developed more in the final years.  A range of professional skills is integrated throughout the programme including communication skills, engineering ethics and lifelong learning. 

The objective is to produce graduates of broad appeal in the workforce. All graduates are given the same course (i.e. no options or electives). Nevertheless, there is depth as well as breadth of coverage in the relevant subject areas. In particular, the final year of the programme includes advanced courses in the areas of Control Systems, Power Electronics, Power Systems, Digital Signal Processing and Communication Systems, thereby preparing graduates withteh skills needed to work in a broad range of electrical and electronic industries.

Entry Requirements

The majority of applicants for entry to the Electrical & Electronic Engineering course are recent school-leavers for whom the following entry requirements apply:

At least two grade C's in Leaving Certificate Higher Level papers. The specific subject requirements are:

• Mathematics *
• Laboratory science subject (e.g. Physics)
• English
• Irish
• Two other subjects

* Must be at Grade C3 or higher in Leaving Certificate (Higher Level) or a Pass in NUI Galway's Special Entrance Examination in Mathematics.

In addition, a sufficiently high score under the College's points system is required for entry into Electrical & Electronic Engineering. The requirements vary from year to year and the number of points required is currently rising.

Application for admission to the First Year of the programme should be made through the CAO (Central Applications Office), Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway.

Other Entry Routes

A small number of places can usually be found for direct entry into the second year of the course for holders of a National Diploma with credit or distinction in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, or cognate engineering areas. There are also opportunities for mature students. For details and application forms, please write to the Admissions Office, National University of Ireland, Galway.

The Undergraduate Degree Programme

The degree course in  Electrical & Electronic Engineering is one of several degree programmes offered within the College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway.

Structure of the Course

The BE Electrical & Electronic Engineering course at NUI Galway is four years and full-time. The first two years cover fundamental mathematical, science and engineering concepts, so that students are prepared for more specialist modules in electrical & electronic technologies in the final two years.

Years 1 and 2: Basics of science and engineering, including mathematics, introduction to computers, computing and laboratory practice. Fundamental modules in Electrical & Electronic Engineering are also included.  Years 3 and 4: These final two years provide broad coverage of the mainsteam subject areas of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. In addition to written examinations and formal laboratory classes, students are required to undertake a series of projects - including a major design project in the final year.

Professional Recognition

The BE degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at NUI Galway is designed to satisfy the criterion for accreditation by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland (IEI) and also (through mutual accreditation) by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in London. This exempts holders of the BE degree (at honours level) from NUI Galway from any further written examinations on the path to qualifying as a Chartered Engineer (at which stage the letters ’CEng' may be placed after the name).

Examinations

Official examination regulations applying to the Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree programme (as given in the NUI Galway "Marks and Standards" document) are available via the College of Egnineering and Informatics documentation page.

Teaching Facilities

Lecture / Tutorial Rooms

Common courses (i.e. involving other groups besides Electrical & Electronic Engineering students) are usually held in lecture rooms and theatres on the main concourse of the Arts/Science Building. Note that some first and second year courses are common courses.

Most specialist subjects in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, notably subjects taught in years 3 and 4, are taught in the Electrical & Electronic Engineering lecture room (Room EL301 in the McLaughlin Building, Nun's Island). This room is fully equipped with a seating capacity of 60 (commensurate with the normal class size).

Laboratories

Main Teaching Laboratory

(Room 202, Electrical & Electronic Engineering)

Used for teaching electronic engineering and communication systems. Equipped with oscilloscopes, power supplies, signal generators, etc., for 24 students.

Machines and Control Laboratory

(Room 302, Electrical & Electronic Engineering)

Equipped with one Terco AC machine control set with power electronic drive and dynometer, and one Terco DC machine control set with power electronic drive and assorted control systems experiment sets.

Main Project Laboratory

(Room 203, Electrical & Electronic Engineering)

Fully equipped accommodation for 12 project students working individually (or 24 working in pairs on mini-projects) on hardware-type projects (including interfacing with PCs).

Embedded Systems and Digital Design Laboratory

(Room 308, Electrical & Electronic Engineering)

Accommodation for 24 students for embedded systems and digital design work. Equipment includes a fully networked PC suite with facilities for working with embedded systems and digital development boards.

Computing Facilities

The Computer Services at NUI Galway provides central computing facilities which are available to all disciplines. These facilities include a VAX 8800 mainframe machine for postgraduate, undergraduate and staff use, a VAX 6610 mainframe machines for use by staff and postgraduate students, several suites of DEC 5000 workstations, and ten networked PC laboratories. In addition, the Electrical & Electronic Engineering has a range of modern computing equipment for project and research work.

Postgraduate Research Degrees

After graduation, suitably qualified students may enrol to continue their studies to level 9 MEngSc or level 10 PhD. For more information on the research priorities in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, please visit our research page.

For information on the application process for postgraduate research please visit the postgraduate admissions office.

For Further Information

Enquires about the BE degree programme in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at NUI Galway are welcome. Please contact the Electrical & Electronic Engineering office using telephone, fax, email or the postal address below.

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