都柏林圣三一学院

What is Electronic Engineering?

Electronic Engineering involves the use of electricity to perform a wide range of functions and the application of these functions to improve the quality of our lives.

Electronic Engineering is a continuously evolving profession and is the driving force behind the development of the world’s information technology. Electronic engineers create, design and develop everyday devices like the mobile phone, tablets, game engines and computers.

The department now includes courses specifically in information engineering and machine learning taught by experts in the field with close links to Google. We also include a good grounding in software engineering since all engineers now exploit software design to implement ideas and prototypes.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

The careers open to graduates in electronic engineering range from circuit design in semiconductor companies, through network design and management in telecommunications companies, media engineering in Netflix, YouTube and the entire cinema post-production industry. There are opportunities in business and financial management, where the analytic and problem-solving skills of electronic engineers have long been appreciated.

Companies employing Electronic Engineering graduates include Netflix, YouTube, Disney, Technicolor, Intel, Ericsson, Analog Devices, Google, Eirgrid and Accenture.

Your degree and what you’ll study

In third year you will study a total of seven electronic engineering subjects and four core engineering subjects. There are approximately 16 hours of lectures, 4 hours of tutorials, 3 hours of laboratory time and 3 hours of project time per week.

Third year courses include:

• Core elements of analogue and digital electronics
• Microprocessor systems
• Signals and information processing

In fourth year, in addition to a course in engineering management, you will choose a combination of subjects that allows further specialisation in electronic and information engineering. Each fourth year student also completes a design project which will put you on the path to becoming an expert in your chosen specialty.

A fourth year electronic engineering student typically has a weekly timetable of 14 hours of lectures, 4 hours of tutorials and 3 to 4 hours of laboratory work. Additionally, you will have laboratory access for individual work on your project.

Fourth year courses cover:

• Machine learning
• Digital control systems
• Telecommunications
• Digital signal processing
• Microelectronic circuits and integrated systems design

There may also be the opportunity to undertake a placement in industry or with a research group or to participate in the Unitech, Erasmus or Cluster programmes.

The optional fifth year of the programme allows students to study for the M.A.I. Masters degree qualification with more advanced treatment of the topics listed below. Students take a course in research methods and a number of optional courses during the first semester. These courses include:

• Digital video engineering
• Speech and audio engineering
• Statistical signal processing
• Wireless networks and communications
• Complex systems science

Each student undertakes a major individual Capstone project that is assessed by a presentation and an end-of-year dissertation.