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Engineering, Mathematics and Science
131
Computer engineering
Students who wish to study Computer engineering apply
to the Engineering degree (TR032). The first two years
are common to all engineering students and at the end of
the second-year students select Computer engineering as
their specialist area.
See page 126 for details of the Freshman (first two) years.
What is Computer engineering?
Computer engineering is about understanding how computer
systems work, and also how they integrate with other systems
that surround us. Take for example a modern-day car; a car
contains many separate computer systems for controlling such
things as the engine timing, the brakes and the air bags. To be
able to design and construct such a car, the computer engineer
needs a broad theoretical understanding of all these various
sub-systems and how they interact. This might involve some
mechanical engineering, thermodynamics and fluids as well
as the computer systems themselves.
The impact of computer engineering has been more significant
and more pervasive than that of many other disciplines. The
mobile phone, the Internet and games consoles are all products
that were not even imagined 30 years ago, but have now been
realised by the ingenuity of computer engineers.
Computer engineers may design computer hardware, write
computer programs, integrate the various sub-systems together
or do all three. Computer engineers need good management
skills and good people skills as they often get quickly promoted
to project management positions.
The optional fifth year of the programme will allow students to
study toward the M.A.I. Master’s degree qualification with more
advanced level of treatment of the topics listed above.
What will you study?
Third year courses cover:
n
Microprocessor systems (including building a
microprocessor system)
– all aspects of the principles,
design, construction and characterisation of the hardware
and system software of microprocessor-based computers.
n
Computer networks
– protocols and behaviour of computer
networks.
n
Operating systems and concurrent systems
–
programmes that coordinate, manage and control the
allocation of computer resources to other programmes;
systems of programmes designed to run alongside one
another, in the same processor or in multiple connected
processors.
In the fourth year, in addition to a course in engineering
management and an engineering project, you will study:
n
Distributed systems and advanced microprocessor
systems
– distributed systems models, file servers, naming,
recovery from failure, advanced topics and case studies, and
the architecture of high-performance computer systems.
n
Knowledge and data engineering
– file and database
management, information structuring and retrieval, and
knowledge management; design and operation of rule-based
systems, expert system applications, heuristic search and
case-based reasoning.
n
Computer graphics
– introduction to computer graphics:
modelling, rendering and animation.
n
Computer vision
– image processing, 3D vision, object
recognition and tracking with reference to applications in
healthcare, multimedia and robotics.
Practical work is emphasised throughout the third and fourth
years. In the fifth optional year, which leads to an M.A.I. Master’s
degree, students take a course in research methods and a
number of elective courses during the first semester. These
courses are in general more advanced level courses of fourth
year topics listed above. During the second semester each
student undertakes a final year project that is assessed by a
presentation and an end-of-year dissertation. Some examples
of project areas include:
n
An investigation into Sugarscape
n
Automatic visualisation of Java programmes
n
CLP-based printing job scheduler
n
Character comparison using image processing
n
Statistical analysis of non-invasive high speed
interconnect data
n
Genetic algorithms for programme optimisation
n
Virtual educational environments
n
Real-time smash simulation
n
Bluetooth IP with payment for services
Study abroad
You may choose to spend all or part of the penultimate year
at a European university as part of the Erasmus programme.
Career opportunities
The demand for software and system designers will continue
to grow within the next decade. When you graduate you will
find opportunities for employment in software companies, large
industrial organisations, research institutions and multinationals
in Ireland as well as in Europe, the US and Japan.
Further information
www.tcd.ie/Engineering/about/eng_at_tcd
Tel: +353 1 896 1765