Welcome to the Faculty of Engineering & Technology at ATU Donegal which encompasses the Department of Civil Engineering & Construction, the Department of Computing, and the Department of Electronic & Mechanical Engineering. The degree programmes offered by the Faculty are oriented towards the many professional roles to be found within the construction, engineering and IT sectors; providing excellent career opportunities for graduates, both nationally and internationally.
The Faculty works closely with the relevant professional bodies such as Engineers Ireland, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) in accrediting its degree programmes to provide the widest recognition of the standard achieved by graduates. Programmes have a significant applied element, which may take place in laboratories and workshops using industry standard equipment and software, ensuring that graduate skills are of immediate appeal to employers.
Lecturers work closely with students recognising that their programme of study is the first step on the road to a rewarding professional engineering, IT or construction career. Reflecting this ethos, in recent national student surveys, the Faculty of Engineering and Technology has performed well above the overall national mean for its sector and particularly strongly in staff-student interactions and in the provision of a supportive learning environment. All students are automatically signed up to the Institute’s virtual learning environment (Blackboard), to provide online access to content and assessment material for their various programme modules.
The Faculty has a strengthening research base which has grown on foot of industry cooperation and funding from national and European agencies. The Faculty is currently leading out for ATU Donegal on research projects worth approximately €6m to the Institute in areas such as renewable energy, electronic engineering, advanced manufacturing and personalised medicine. The Wireless Systems Research Laboratory (WiSAR) based within the Faculty of Engineering and Technology is a key conduit to industry, delivering an invaluable R&D resource for the region and providing a rich environment for our postgraduate students to conduct their research. Recently the Department of Computing has been awarded Level 10 PhD validation and has recruited students on to PhD programmes of study in computing. There are also a number of PhD students in the Faculty who are engaged in their research programmes of study in renewable energy, in conjunction with Queen's University Belfast, as part of the collaborative Bryden Centre project. The Faculty also has a number of students registered on Masters by Research degrees.
Fáiltíonn an Oifig Riaracháin i nDámh na hInnealtóireachta agus Teicneolaíochta roimh fhiosruithe ghinearálta bhunúnasacha i nGaeilge ~ The Administration Office of The Faculty of Engineering and Technology welcomes basic, general enquiries in Irish.
Department of Civil Engineering & Construction
ATU Donegal's Department of Civil Engineering & Construction offers a wide range of courses covering the broad built environment spectrum of disciplines including: civil engineering; fire safety engineering; architectural technology; quantity surveying; and construction management.
Recognising the importance of having both nationally and internationally recognised qualifications of a verified standard, the Department seeks professional accreditation for all degree programmes.
The BEng in Civil Engineering and BSc (Hons) Fire Safety Engineering are accredited for Associate Engineer membership by Engineers Ireland, while the BEng (Hons) in Fire Safety Engineering is fully accredited by Engineers Ireland (as meeting the educational standard for Chartered Engineer with further study).
The BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying is accredited by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), and the BSc (Hons) in Architectural Technology has Accredited in Principle by CIAT (Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists).
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) accredits the BSc (Hons) in Construction Management as well as the Level 7 and Level 8 degrees in Quantity Surveying. ATU Donegal is also an Academic Partner of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE).
The Department takes a lead in developing emerging legislative targets such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Lean Construction, nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) and Passive House Construction. Part-time classes such as the Certificates in Revit & 4D BIM and Applied Fire Safety Management offer industry, both locally and nationally, the opportunity to avail of our professional facilities and expertise.
Department of Computing
The North-West has one of the largest clusters of IT companies in Ireland with approximately 6,000 people working in this industry in the region. IT employers are constantly on the lookout for high-quality graduates and the Department of Computing at ATU Donegal has developed a formidable reputation of providing graduates that meets the needs of industry. Nationally, employment opportunities in the Computing industry are soaring, with a surge in recent job announcements in a range of high-profile companies. The shortage of computing graduates means that industry is struggling to fill these jobs and there has never been a better time to choose a career in the IT sector.
The Department of Computing is continually developing to provide up-to-date technology skills in its students. New niche programmes of study in Big Data Analytics, Software Security and Cloud Technologies ensures that our students are work-ready for current jobs, and the technology jobs of the future.
The Department has forged excellent links to technology companies not only locally but nationally throughout Ireland. We provide students with links to these companies and offer a wide variety of diverse and exciting student placements within our programmes. These strong links with industry enables the department to keep abreast with the latest developments in technology which ensures that our students our industry ready and highly employable.
In addition to running excellent courses, the Department of Computing also emphasises the overall development of our learners. Students will have opportunities to gain additional awards in Professional Development, Civic and Social Engagement and Peer Mentoring for example. Also students are encouraged and assisted to participate in international study opportunities, intern-college competitions and a range of clubs and societies.
Department of Electronic & Mechanical Engineering
The courses in the Department of Electronic & Mechanical Engineering are aimed at students who are curious about how to design and use technology to solve real world problems. The courses offer exciting and varied career prospects to graduates, whether they wish to work locally, elsewhere in the country or to work abroad. The courses look for students with design talent, drive and imagination as well as technical skills.
The demand for graduate mechanical engineers and graduate electronic and embedded systems engineers has remained a constant in recent years throughout Ireland and the UK.
The Department’s programmes prepare graduates to enter careers in the design and implementation of solutions and applications ranging from manufacturing design, aeronautical, medical devices to mobile and wireless communications, robotics and automation; and to the Internet of Things.
The Department is also very active in delivering practical solutions to industry through its research activity in the WiSAR Lab and through a range of EU funded projects and through Fusion projects. This includes developing new products and services for client companies.