A unique and innovative electronic engineering degree programme will come of age on Friday 2nd November when its first cohort of graduates are conferred with a european master of engineering in electronic systems degree at DCU. Not only will they receive their masters parchment from DCU, they will receive a Diplôme d'Ingénieur which is the recognised qualification for professional engineering in France.

This course is unique for two reasons. Firstly, there is no other equivalent ab-initio course in Ireland or the UK, whereby students can be admitted to university from the CAO system and proceed straight through to the masters level. Secondly, this is the only degree which confers a dual and foreign qualification on its graduates.

The european master of engineering in electronic systems is a 5-year programme that combines electronic engineering with business, language and cultural studies. The students follow tailored courses in French and business topics, in conjunction with a demanding electronic curriculum. This ensures both language fluency and engineering proficiency.

Their first visit to France takes place during year three, when students spend a six-month work placement in France. All of year five is spent in France where students combine studying and working as trainee professional engineers.

"This degree is interdisciplinary, inter-institutional and international. It is a prime example of what DCU stands for and demonstrates how cooperation with industry and with a foreign country can produce such professionally qualified and linguistically fluent graduates", said Jim Dowling, chair of the programme board.

ENDS

For further details:

Eilis O'Brien, Tel: 700 5217 or 087 2057125
Eileen Colgan, Tel: 7005656
Jim Dowling, Tel:7005354