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Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering

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Frequently Asked Questions

International Students - Frequently Asked Questions

What are the entry requirements?

The minimum requirement for entry is an Upper Second Class Honours Degree (2.1 or higher) or equivalent in Engineering (for example Biomedical, Mechanical, Electronic, Chemical), Physical Sciences or related discipline from a recognised University.

Other degree programmes may be deemed suitable provided that the applicant has proven mathematical ability. This means that the applicant should have achieved at least an A grade in Mathematics (or equivalent subject) at Leaving Cert, A levels or equivalent.

In addition to the above the Undergraduate degree programme must have included some mathematical component.

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How do I apply and what is the selection process?

Applications for this course must be made online. Simply click the Apply Now tab. Course code PTEG-BIOE-2F

Application queries will be dealt with by the Academic Registry. Informal enquiries may be made by contacting Lisa O'Neill in the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering: bioengmsc@tcd.ie

Applications will open on the 1st of November for September 2024/25 intake.

All applications received are reviewed on a monthly basis and shortlisted candidates are invited for interview shortly thereafter. Only complete applications with all required documentation uploaded will be reviewed for shortlisting (see Frequently Asked Questions for required documentation). Shortlisted applicants will be called for interview (online) with the Course Director - Prof. Mark Ahearne.

Shortlisting for interview is primarily based on academic achievement and suitability for a given specialisation based on an individual dissertation project, awards and other academic related extracurricular activities. Please ensure and highlight why you are best suited to the particular stream and your future career ambitions.

Interviewees will be informed about the outcome within two weeks of their interview via the tcd portal.

What documents do I need to submit with my application?

  • Third Level qualification results, academic transcripts for each year of Third Level study and all Third Level qualifications awarded
  • IELTS, Cambridge Advanced/Proficiency, TOEFL Scores for applicants whose first language is not English *
  • Curriculum Vitae/Resume
  • Statement of Purpose
  • 2 letters of recommendation**
  • Passport
  • Application Fee (non-refundable) and application fee form

Please do not submit an application without an up-to-date/current transcript (final transcripts can be submitted at a later date if they are not available when making the application).

Avoid attaching school results and other miscellaneous documents. Focus your efforts on meeting the entry criteria as outlined above.

* Postgraduate English Language Requirements

**Letters of recommendation are submitted by the referees nominated by you on the application form. They are contacted directly by Trinity College using the email addresses provided on the application form. However you can also attach your own academic letters of reference when you are making your application.

For more details, see link below:

https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/making-an-application/postgraduate/

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What if I do not have all my documents when I am applying?

You can apply with as much evidence as is available to you and you must include transcripts of your Undergraduate degree (years completed to date) with your application. You may be successful in securing a conditional offer pending final transcripts, proof of English or letters of recommendation.

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Are there Postgraduate student scholarships available?

https://www.tcd.ie/study/postgraduate/scholarships-funding/index.php

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What is the course duration?

This is a one year full time course commencing September and ending August of the following year.

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What is the annual schedule/timetable like?

All modules are semesterised with module lectures taking place each weekday. Please see sample Semester 1 timetable.

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How much does it cost to do the MSc in Bioengineering?

Please click on link below for a guide to fees:

https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/fees-and-payments/

Course code Full Time (1) M.Sc Biomedical Engineering (This course is only available as a full-time course)

Full fees for non-EU and EU students is Eur

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Is an excellent level in engineering mathematics necessary to undertake this course?

The course is designed for graduate engineers. As such, it is assumed that all have a solid foundation in engineering analysis, specifically signal and system analysis, partial differential equations and optimization.

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Is a good level of computer programming necessary to undertake this course?

The course assumes that students have a knowledge of computer programming so that they can implement numerical calculations. This is necessary for some of the projects and some of the assignments. Most programming is based on Matlab and a knowledge of this or similar analysis platform (Octave, MathCad etc.) would be an advantage.

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When applying do I need to specify the specialisation I would like to follow?

Applicants must specify the stream they would like to take, if you are interested in more than one specialisation then list them in order of preference on the online application form. There will be four streams offered in 2023/24: General, Medical Device Design, Neural and Tissue Engineering. Please note that specifying your preferred specialisation will not exclude you from other streams.

Is this the right course for me?

The MSc programme will provide a high quality bioengineering education with a focused, coordinated education geared towards enabling our graduates to pursue careers in the medical device sector. The course is primarily aimed at graduates in mechanical and electrical engineering, and graduates with suitable degrees in technology and applied scientific disciplines who intend to pursue a career in the Bioengineering industry. The intake will include both recent graduates and working engineers released from their employment to complete the course.

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How is the course structured?

The MSc in Biomedical Engineering consists of taught modules and a project focusing on medical devices and important clinical needs. The taught component consists of the following modules:

  • Active Implanted Devices and Systems (10 ECTS)
  • Advanced Medical Imaging (5 ECTS)
  • Basic Medical Sciences (5 ECTS)
  • Biomaterials (5 ECTS)
  • Biomechanics (5 ECTS)
  • Current Topics in Cell and Tissue Engineering (10 ECTS)
  • Data Science in Neuroimaging (IMG) (5ECTS)
  • Design/Innovation (10 ECTS)
  • Experimental & Research Methods in Biomedical Engineering (5 ECTS)
  • Finite Element Analysis (5 ECTS)
  • Form and Function of the Nervous System (5ECTS)
  • Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robotics (5ECTS)
  • Laboratory Techniques in Cell and Tissue Engineering (5 ECTS)
  • Medical Device Design Fundamentals (5 ECTS)
  • Medical Device Design Innovation Project (10ECTS)
  • Neural Engineering (5 ECTS)
  • Neural Signal Analysis (10ECTS)
  • Research Project (40 ECTS)
  • Tissue Engineering (5 ECTS)

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What are the Biomedical Engineering jobs in Ireland?

The highest per capita of Medical Technology personnel in Europe is employed in Ireland, which is home to 15 of the world’s top 20 MedTech companies and a proven location for research, design and manufacturing. The majority of the companies in the healthcare and medical device industry are international, and as such, opportunities to work both home and abroad are available in product development, manufacturing, management, research and teaching. Bioengineers will find that they work in interdisciplinary environments, and often have direct contact with physicians. Job titles include R&D Engineer, Medical Equipment Engineer, Medical Device R& D Engineer, Engineering Design Manager, Materials Engineer, Business Development Manager, Tech Transfer engineer.

The Medical Device Specialisation provides students with the knowledge to enter the vibrant medical device industry and potentially become one of the medical device industry’s future leaders.

As students of the Neural Engineering stream within the MSc in Biomedical Engineering, you are among the select few who have joined the neural engineering community at the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering for an education that will enable you to become the next leaders in the field of neural engineering. Some of the most exciting work in biomedical engineering today takes place at the intersection of disciplines. Neural engineering or Neuroengineering is a perfect example of this. Neural engineering is not just about signal processing of neuroimaging data; it is seeing how problems affect patients and society at large and how society actually changes because of the solutions you provide. You have an opportunity here as students in neural engineering to come involved in that community, so that, as you move into your professional life, you will become a leader who has an impact on the human condition.
This programme aims to give a sound and broad basis in neural engineering. In particular, we aim to provide engineers and scientists with the education needed to practice neural engineering in the international medical devices industry.

Career opportunities for Tissue Engineering Specialisation graduates are exceptionally strong. 50% of the top 25 medical device companies worldwide are located in Ireland employing 25,000 people with annual exports of approximately €6.2 billion.

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary approach to develop new biomaterials, therapeutics and strategies for modern medicine. This is an exciting multidisciplinary field of research which holds significant potential in the treatment of many diseases and disorders and unmet clinical needs. The Tissue Engineering specialisation is part of our MSc in Biomedical Engineering programme which has been developed to educate and train the next generation of biomedical tissue engineers.

This specialisation aims to provide a sound and broad basis in tissue engineering. In particular, we aim to provide engineers and scientists with the education needed to practice tissue engineering in the international medical devices industry.

 

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What would my prospects be on completion of the course?

The success and impact of this course makes our highly skilled graduates employable around the world. Our graduate bioengineers work in the design and manufacture of medical devices with market leading companies including Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson; in hospital and clinical environments; on the regulatory practice of medical devices with the Irish Medicines Board and research laboratories including Stanford University. This M.Sc. programme is an excellent foundation for further research and many graduates are currently doing PhD research in Medical Device Design. To see a selection of current research opportunities go to www.tcd.ie/ bioengineering/opportunities/ Notably some of our Bioengineering graduates have started their own companies translating their research into providing excellence in human health. Read more on this at www.tcd.ie/bioengineering/research-innovation/. There are many enticing graduate engineering positions and our MSc in Biomedical Engineering programme is very highly recognised in industry.

Throughout the MSc programme you will have invaluable access to potential employers and clinical collaborators to help further your career. You will have the opportunity to meet with renowned international experts in the bioengineering field as well as enterprise & innovation seminars, visits to hospitals and lectures from leading surgeons and clinicians.

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What are the Learning Outcomes?

This programme aims to give engineers and scientists the education needed to practice biomedical engineering in the medical devices industry in Ireland. Specifically the aims are:

  • To give students a broad understanding of the key subjects of bioengineering, viz., biomechanics, biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, cell and tissue engineering and healthcare informatics.
  • By way of case studies and assignments, to give students a familiarity with bioengineering applied in the main surgical disciplines; e.g. orthopaedics, cardiology, gastroenterology, ENT Surgery.
  • To give students a sound understanding of how to apply the scientific method to research in an industrial context.
  • To give students the ability to exploit information technology for monitoring the performance of medical devices and related issues.
  • To give students a knowledge of how the medical device industry is regulated and of how to obtain acceptance of new products onto the market.
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