Engineering - Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Course Outline

The Full-Time Master of Engineering Science (MEngSc) in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems is a unique offering of the discipline of Process and Chemical Engineering designed to provide participants with an advanced qualification related to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical processing. These encompasses all aspects of modern pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing including product containment, powder/ particle technology, design of API and secondary production facilities, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), design of classified facilities, aseptic processing facility design, utilities and services, data analyses, process validation, sustainability and management in manufacturing.



Modules are delivered not only by academics from UCC but lecturers from leading industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer and PM Group and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Dublin, providing hands-on-training and insights into state-of-the-art pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and practises.



This programme has been designed specifically for full-time students (both EU and non-EU) with background in Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors, with participants having the opportunity to:



- Gain a formal Level 9 qualification in Engineering

- Learn directly from the industry with guest lecturers from Pharma/Biopharma industries including Eli Lilly, Pfizer and PM Group.

- Experience hands-on training at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) providing valuable insight, skills and knowledge that bridge the gap between academic teaching and industry practice.

- Get to learn about all-encompassing aspects of Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical manufacturing including project management and sustainability.

- Get to study in Cork, which houses 9 out of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

- Enhance employability through continuing professional development and access to UCC Careers Services team.

- Access a multidisciplinary learning environment and project-based learning combining both individual elements and group work, enhancing learning outcomes and inter-personal skills.



The MEngSc in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems is a full-time programme running for 12 months over one academic year.



If you are a working professional or wish to take the degree part-time, please refer to the Part-Time Masters in MEngSc Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering.



Course Structure

This programme is principally organised to accommodate full-time students (both EU and non-EU) with background in Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors. The programme comprises 60 credits of taught modules, including both mandatory and elective modules and 30 credits of a research thesis.



Students must take 9 mandatory modules worth 5 credits each to the value of 45 credits. The remaining 3 modules can be selected from a list of 4 modules worth 5 credits each to make up the final 15 credits of the total of 60 credits.



Placement or Study Abroad Information

There are no structured placement or study abroad opportunities provided directly through programme, however, candidates spend a day at the NIBRT Biopharmaceutical Training Facility in Dublin.



MEngSc participants can perform their research project in any location including in an industry or an internationally location deemed suitable by their academic mentor.

Semester 1 September to December, 35 credits

Mandatory modules

PE6009 Pharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)

PE6011 Biopharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits) by NIBRT

PE6023 (Bio)Pharmaceutical Process Utilities and Auxiliaries (5 credits) by industry lecturers from Eli Lilly

PE6024 Process Safety Engineering (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Flemings Professionals

PE6026Project Engineering - From Concept to Completion (5 credits) by industry lecturer from PM Group

PE6052 Powder and Particle Technology and Unit Operations (5 credits)



Elective (Select 1 out of 2 modules)

PE6007 Mechanical Design of Process Equipment (5 credits)

PE6056 Pharmaceutical Process Validation (5 credits) by industry lecturer from Eli Lilly



Semester 2 January to March, 25 credits

PE6016 Pharmaceutical Industry: Manufacturing and Optimisation (5 credits)

PE6032 Pharmaceutical Industry Advances and Developments (5 credits) by industry lecturers from Eli Lilly and Pfizer

PE6057 Sustainability in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

MG6902 Project Management (Pharma & Biopharma Manufacturing) (5 credits) by lecturer from Cork University Business School



Elective (Select 1 out of 2 modules)

PE6019 Process Analytical Technology (5 credits)

CM6029 Introduction to Quality and Regulatory Affairs for BioPharma (5 credits)



Research Thesis in in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems (30 credits)

Semester 3 April to September



The MEngSc in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems comprises a research thesis or work-related research project (PE6051), worth 30 credits, carried out primarily in an industry or academic research laboratory between May and August during one academic year.



Students must pass all taught modules with an average grade of 50% or higher to be eligible to proceed to the Research Thesis.



Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems

Students who achieve 40% in each individual taught module but fail to achieve the requisite grade of 50% across the taught modules may opt to exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in in Engineering in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Systems.

Applicants must have a BE (Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade II, or a level 8 BSc degree, with a minimum grade Second Class Honours Grade II, where the BSc graduate has a recognised qualification in Process or Chemical Engineering (e.g. the Diploma in Process and Chemical Engineering at UCC or equivalent).



However, applicants with equivalent academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted subject to the approval of the Programme Director under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In all cases, the course of study for each applicant must be approved by the Programme Director.

Closing Date: Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date: Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.

Assessment is by continuous assessment and end of period exams.

1 year full-time.

Start Date 8th September 2025.

Skills and Careers Information

Over the past two decades, Ireland has established itself as a global leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and has been tremendously successful in attracting multinational companies to establish manufacturing operations across the country.



The Irish pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry remains highly advanced, employing latest technology, state-of-the-art techniques and equipment and following strict quality control procedures. The pharmaceutical industry in Ireland is a world leader in offering products and services, from research and development for new medicines to the manufacturing and marketing of new medicines for humans and animals.



Ireland is now home to more than 85 biopharmaceutical sites and 9 of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies have substantial operations in Ireland. Around 60% of all exports from Ireland is contributed to the Biopharmaceutical industry which is directly employing over 25,000 people. Ireland is now the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the EU accounting for over 50% of all exports from the country.



Cork has established itself as a thriving industrial hub, boasting a resilient and diverse economy with more than 190 multinational firms operating in clusters across the technology, financial services, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals and life sciences sectors. Cork’s Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences sector continues to grow rapidly, exemplified by the investment of over €10 billion in new facilities over the last decade. Seven of the ten of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies including Janssen, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck/MSD, Novartis, and Thermo Fisher Scientific are based in Cork, more specifically around the Cork Harbour Region. In total there are now over thirty pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries operating in Cork with a workforce of over 10,000.



The 2024 EGFSN report on Skills for Biopharma suggests the continued expansion of this sector, primarily driven by jobs in manufacturing, followed by jobs in the services sector.