Structural Engineering with Architecture

mickodd

Does anybody have any info on the Structural Engineering with Architecture course in UCD?? I'm a Leaving Cert student and can't decide between this course and one of the Civil Engineering courses in the country. Is the course challenging? Is there much Architecture involved? What subjects are studied? etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated

paraicr

Not a whole lot of architecture in it. probably 10-20%. Its mainly structural engineering and is fairly maths intensive. It should be noted that there is less variation in the course than civil engineering which covers structural engineeering but also covers environmental, transport modules etc. If your sure you want to be a structural engineer then its an option, but it wont make you an architect!

I read on the UCD forum before questions asked about the qualification you'd get at the end of this course (I think) - as in, whether you'd be able to apply for membership to Engineers Ireland. Not the be all or anything but it might be worth looking at in more detail (and confirming what I said!), so you should be considering what you'll be able to do afterwards.

The other side of things is that both areas of this degree are, well, in massive trouble in this country right now. And while a degree is for life, and not just for Christmas, it's again something to consider.

bnt

Engineers Ireland has yet to accredit the programme in any form - which is understandable, since the first intake only got their degrees earlier this year. I don't foresee any problems there, since working engineers were involved in formulating programme in response to industry demand, and even come to UCD to give a few lectures.

Anouilh

My Greek teacher, now retired, taught at UCD and it seemed to have a good reputation. Here is a link to his book on Structural Steel:

http://books.google.ie/books?id=2SdtJrTVkDoC&dq=frixos+joannides+structural+steel&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=BWJ2tLaYE9&sig=LqnWLKo7qleoKDwqlV99SdDfIRs&hl=en&ei=HZz-SqfKIo6k4QanzoX7Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA

I'm sure if you contact the engineers at Clyde Road they will be helpful:

http://www.iei.ie/services/engineers-journal/

FesterBeatty

Just a bit of advice from an engineer's perspective - It sounds like a really interesting course as you get to learn a bit about both architecture and engineering. However, you do not get the best of both worlds. I spent 5 years in DIT studying structural engineering, and I know guys who have spent 5 years studying architecture - so it is physically impossible combine and condense both courses into 4 years(?). Ultimately you will learn a bit about engineering and a bit about architecture - and if this economy ever picks up (!!!) and I'm employing an engineer I'll be looking for someone who has studied engineering, not someone who has a basic knowledge of engineering and a basic knowledge of architecture.

I can see however the attraction of the course, and its something I might have been interested in myself a few years ago - but I'd suggest that you specialise. If you want to be an architect, do an architectural course. If you want to be an engineer do an engineering course.

Would you let a GP pull your teeth because dentistry was covered as a small part of his college course!?:rolleyes:

bnt

FesterBeatty wrote: »

Ultimately you will learn a bit about engineering and a bit about architecture - and if this economy ever picks up (!!!) and I'm employing an engineer I'll be looking for someone who has studied engineering, not someone who has a basic knowledge of engineering and a basic knowledge of architecture.

Wrong. The programme is about 90% Civil Engineering, with some Architecture and related topics - not 50/50 as you seem to imagine. It's "with Architecture", not "and Architecture", and was never intended to cover both disciplines equally. Over the course of the 5 years, they do all the essential Civil Engineering courses, some extra Structural Eng. courses, some basic Architecture courses, and the price is that they have fewer slots for elective courses. The only Civil side that gets less attention (as far as I can see) is Hydraulics (water flows etc.).

It's not an easy option: structural engineering gets very technical. It's not even shorter, considering that EI will require a Master's from everyone who wants to become Chartered later, it's just that the split is 3+2 instead of 4+1, for reasons related to the EU's Bologna Process, and EI will soon certify it on that basis. As I pointed out before: the programme was designed with input from Arup and other structural engineering firms, and this is ongoing: do you know better than them, or think they'd be happy with something half-arsed that didn't meet their needs? That just looks like snobbery on your part, frankly. :rolleyes:

FesterBeatty

The course will prove itself in time. Lets see how it goes-im just not convinced whatsoever. Just glad I'm not one of the guinea pigs!