Engineering? DIT or UCD?

Octotron wrote: »

I've looked around but both forums seem quite biased. Most are comparing TCD to UCD but I know I won't be going TCD.

I've also read that DIT has the best Engineering facilities in the country. Anyone have any info on this? Which college is better for employability/course content?

Thanks!

Whoever told you DIT has the best Engineering facilities is lying. While I don't know who has (my guess would be NUI Galway considering their building is only 2 years old).

No university is any better than any other. However, historically, UCL and UCC have always had very good electronic engineering courses (heavily due to Analog). UCD - civil. Ultimately, I would look at the course structure, what modules are covered and whether there is a work placement involved.

If you come out with a first class honours from any of the Dublin Universities (assuming your staying in Dublin), you won't have an issue finding a job. Obviously if you graduate with Civil engineering today, jobs are scarce while there are loads of electronic engineering jobs, wont be the same in 4 years tho.

I have not answered your question, but there is no answer. If you have any specific questions about the DCU course, I can answer them. Apart from that UCD people will tell you to go there, DIT people to go there etc.

Octotron wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I'll be staying in Dublin, too much hassle/not a big incentive to move. The main Eng. courses I'd be looking at are Elec/Energy/Computer and maybe Mechanical or Chemical.

How is the Mechatronics course in DCU?

I finished the course last year and have gone on to do a PhD in an area of Electronic Engineering. I enjoyed the course.

The advantage of it is that you get a broad range of both Mechanical and Electronic engineering. At the end of the four years you can go either way. This year, there happened to be a big demand for electronic and mechatronic engineers. All 20ish people in my class got jobs. Electronic people in Ireland, mechanical (mainly) in the UK.

Year 1: You do the basics. It is a common year and you pick at the end what you want to do Mechanical etc. regardless of what CAO course you pick (i.e. you can switch). You cover the basics math, applied math, some biology, chemistry, physics, thermodynamics, materials, basic electronic circuits.

You also build a remote control car that plays football.

Year 2: You branch out. Electronics wise you start looking at more complicated circuits i.e. new components are added. You will start to look at control theory as well as a small bit of embedded programming i.e. 1 level above typing in the 1's and 0's. Mechanical wise you look at material properties, CAD, pneumatics and how they work and the basic of mechanics of machines. You do a lot more math as well.

Year 3: Electronic wise: your kinda done with looking at circuits and start looking at motors and generators, how they work, different configurations etc. You then look into how signals are treated and how we can condition them to get what we want. Mechanical wise, just more complicated machines and how they work.

You then build a lego robot that follows a white line on a black track. It must make its own decisions.

You also build a device that can climb a ladder and carry a cup of water with minimal spillage.

You then go out on 6 month paid work placement. Which is fantastic. It is all arranged within DCU.

Year 4: Im sure you get the idea at this stage. You look really in depth at control systems, as well as how computers deal with images and some heavy electronics. You start looking at how to manufacture object and how robots work (extremely mathsy).

The big disadvantage is that you have no choice in your modules but you can chose what type of INTRA placement you want.

Octotron wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I'll be staying in Dublin, too much hassle/not a big incentive to move. The main Eng. courses I'd be looking at are Elec/Energy/Computer and maybe Mechanical or Chemical.

How is the Mechatronics course in DCU?

If you are thinking of chemical, just letting you know we don't really do as much chemistry as people tend to think.
I'm in 2nd year and nearly finished all my chemistry modules.
We tend to deal more with the large scale chemistry, running pumps and distillation towers, and leave the small scale chemistry, beakers and pipettes, to the chemists.