Program Overview

Polymer & Mechanical Engineering (Add-on) – BEng (Hons)

Course Overview

This programme is a one year add on, open to Level 7 graduates in the Polymer & Mechanical Engineering discipline and leads to a Bachelor of Engineering (honours) degree. Polymer & mechanical engineering focuses on the interdisciplinary study of polymers and their applications in mechanical engineering. The intersection of polymer and mechanical engineering involves the application of principles from both fields to the design and development of products and systems that involve polymers. This can include the study of the mechanical properties of polymers, the design of polymer-based components, the development of new materials for specific mechanical applications, and the understanding of how polymers behave under different mechanical conditions. Through a year-long industrial project based in a company or in collaboration with a researcher from one of our centres, our program provides students with invaluable work and research experience. Experienced academics and research personnel, along with industry visits and case studies with an industrial focus, further strengthen these connections between industry and research.

What will I experience?

• Our TUS Midlands campus offers highly practical engineering education. You will spend approximately half of your time honing your practical engineering skills in cutting-edge labs, and the remaining half will be devoted to engineering theory and its application.
• Our state-of-the-art engineering laboratories offer you the opportunity to work in small teams on projects and problem-solving to hone your communication and teamwork skills while gaining invaluable experience using top-of-the-line technical engineering equipment.
• Completing an industry-based project will also give you invaluable work experience, and through our research centres, you might even get the chance to collaborate with researchers on cutting-edge engineering projects.
• After completing the course, you will have gained the ability to evaluate polymer & mechanical engineering systems critically, spot possible improvement areas, implement corrective action, and, when necessary, propose and carry out an alternate solution.

What opportunities might it lead to?

• Leading manufacturing companies, including Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Abbots, Athlone Extrusions, and Mergon, have stated in conversations that they require mechanical and polymer engineers with real-world experience.
• The manufacturing and supply chain businesses in the greater Midland area were consulted during the course’s design process by the TU, and they expressed support for its introduction.
• Businesses engaged in research have determined that the skills taught in this course will be essential for the workforce of the future.
• Your specialized knowledge and abilities will open up established career opportunities in fields like:
  • Polymer Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Facilities Design and Management
  • Manufacturing Process and Product Design
  • Manufacturing and Automation
  • Project Management

Entry Requirements

• Entry to the programme is restricted to holders of an appropriate Level 7 degree or a level 6 award with 2 years of relevant work experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Applicants for this one-year add-on programme are required to hold a Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer and Mechanical Engineering or cognate discipline.

Module Overview

Semester 1

• Regulatory Compliance and Validation 4
  • Credits: 5
  • Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices industries must comply with the regulatory requirements of the markets that they supply to. This module aims to equip students with the requisite knowledge that will allow them to adhere to the specific regulatory requirements of safety, efficacy, quality and performance.
• Computer Aided Engineering Design & Analysis 4
  • Credits: 5
  • The successful alignment and integrated implementation of all analytical and computational techniques resulting in a more streamlined engineering design/manufacturing process with reduced costs, decreased development time and improved quality through the efficient usage and application of computational engines and appropriate industry-specific software.
• Product Design 4
  • Credits: 5
  • The successful alignment and integrated application of appropriate analytical and computational techniques for the design of plastic products, parts and/or assemblies resulting in a streamlined engineering design/manufacturing process with reduced costs, decreased development time and improved quality.
• Advanced Polymer Engineering 4
  • Credits: 5
  • This module will build on the theoretical and practical aspects of polymer processing methods covered in year 2 and 3. The module will enable the student to develop a comprehensive knowledge of polymer process validation including test method development, DOE and scientific injection moulding.
• Advanced Polymer Materials
  • Credits: 5
  • To build upon the student’s knowledge of polymer engineering materials and to bring about a more detailed technical understanding of engineering polymeric materials and their response under load.
• Final Year Project 4 (Year Long Module)
  • Credits: 10
  • To develop the student’s ability to carry out independent research into a relevant topic of technical merit related to the particular field of study.

Semester 2

• Operations Management & Sustainability 4
  • Credits: 5
  • This module addresses two important areas of management that are essential to an engineering graduate; operations and sustainability.
• Emerging Technologies in Polymer Engineering 4
  • Credits: 5
  • To build upon the student’s knowledge of polymer engineering state-of-the-art and to bring to their awareness emerging trends from R&D and industrial settings in the areas of production/design, manufacturing and materials.
• Design for Polymer Components – Structural and Thermal 4
  • Credits: 5
  • To equip candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to design optimised plastic parts, components and assemblies for structural and thermal applications while ensuring these designs can be manufactured efficiently i.e. appropriate cooling during processing.
• Advanced Polymer Systems 4
  • Credits: 5
  • This module provides the student with the knowledge to apply structure-property relationships to a variety of high performance polymers and polymers for the medical device industry and provides the student with the necessary background to select a polymer for a particular application.
• Applied Control Systems 4
  • Credits: 5
  • This module aims to develop an understanding of control theory as applied to the polymer industry.

What can you do after this programme?

Career Opportunities

• 100% job securement within six months of the conclusion of the course.
• This degree programme is designed to equip graduates with skill sets that are relevant and essential to emerging industrial technologies.
• Graduates can expect to find employment as Polymer Engineers, Mechanical Engineers and Product Development Engineers.

Further Study

• Successful graduates of this programme are eligible for Level 9 and 10 postgraduate programmes within TUS or elsewhere.
• Full details of our postgraduate programmes can be found in the Postgraduate Prospectus.

Additional Information

Assessment Information

• At TUS Midlands we provide candidates with a set of transferable skills with a strong focus on practical experiments, problem solving and case study work.
• We place emphasis on candidate support and aim to provide a learning environment that is both stimulating and academically challenging, whilst also supporting your learning.
• You will encounter a range of teaching methods that include but are not limited to:
  • Lectures
  • Practical classes
  • Projects and case studies
  • Group work
  • Guest lectures
  • Examinations
  • Portfolio work
  • Integrated assessments

Scholarship Information

• The Ultra Polymers Award, accompanied by a €250 bursary, will be presented to the top female polymer & mechanical engineering student at the end of her third year.