Engineering - Mechanical Engineering

The Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering contains 4 mandatory taught modules per semester (Full-Time). The content of the programme has been tailored to provide advanced engineering analysis skills relevant to the broader manufacturing and mechanical engineering sector.

Learners gain fundamental knowledge in modules such as Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Advanced Mechanical Design in semester 1, before applying this knowledge to develop new skills in analysis-based modules such as Finite Element Analysis and Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics, in the second semester.

The requirement for engineers that can develop effective experiments to investigate an issue or develop a new prototype has been addressed through a dedicated statistics and design of experiments module, followed by an instrumentation and control module.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything an engineer does and therefore the programme includes an Energy and Sustainability module that addresses topics such as: sustainability and the circular economy, climate change, renewable energy technologies, and the green economy.

The assignments, case studies, and applications selected for the various modules are informed by the research of the academics involved and/or by links with local industry. For example, the cases utilised for the Computational Fluid Dynamics module will come from state-of-the-art research that is taking place within the Centre for Renewable Energy (CREDIT) within the institute.

A full listing of modules on the programme is included below:

Semester 1
Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics (7.5 Credits)
Statistics and Design of Experiments for Engineers (7.5 Credits)
Advanced Mechanical Design (7.5 Credits)
Energy and Sustainability (7.5 Credits)

Semester 2:
Engineering Management (7.5 Credits)
Finite Element Analysis (7.5 Credits)
Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics (7.5 Credits)
Instrumentation and Control (7.5 Credits)

Applicants must have an Honours bachelor's degree (NQF Level 8 or equivalent) with a minimum grade 2.2 in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline that should have covered mechanical engineering fundamentals such as Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Materials.

Depending on the number of applications, candidates may be short-listed, i.e. a qualified applicant is not automatically guaranteed a place.

1 or 2 years, part-time or full-time.
Delivery Method: Blended

The Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering is available in both full-time (1 year) and part-time (2 years) delivery modes and will be delivered primarily online, with some practical laboratories and tutorial sessions delivered on campus on a set day of the week, in order to facilitate part-time students who may be travelling to the Dundalk Institute of Technology campus.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering spans a minimum of two semesters. This includes two semesters of teaching and one dedicated to the thesis write-up. The programme has a blended delivery, with most lectures online and some labs/tutorials conducted onsite.

In the first semester, the induction content is delivered over a one-week period (using a blend of online and in-person sessions), and then there are approximately 11 weeks for the delivery of the other four modules.

The second semester contains approximately 11 weeks of lectures for the delivery of four modules.

A typical week on the Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering programme (Full-Time) consists of two hours of lectures per module plus laboratory work and tutorials.

Please Note: Students will be required to attend the institute for formal end-of-semester exams and some lab-based assessments.

Starting Date: September

The Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering will equip graduates with the skillset and knowledge for crucial roles in research, design, and development in a diverse range of national and regional engineering and manufacturing companies.

Graduates may progress to research Ph.D. programmes either in DkIT or other institutions. The Research Office at Dundalk Institute of Technology facilitates graduate studies through the DCU/DkIT graduate school.

Learners who complete this programme, subsequently have the option of completing an additional 30 credit project module to achieve a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering.

Graduates may also progress to the research Masters/PhD programmes either in DkIT or other institutions. Funded PhD and Research Masters within the School of Engineering are available periodically, and graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Mechanical Engineering would be highly suitable for these positions.