Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Monitoring, Assessment and Engineering

The Diploma is a one-year postgraduate course designed to provide civil engineers and other suitably qualified graduates with a sound knowledge of present day practice in environmental engineering. For the 2020/21 academic year, and as conditions dictate, this course will be a delivered by a blended learning approach to allow students to participate in lectures either in a face-to-face format or remotely via Blackboard, the University online platform.  

Civil engineering students monitoring the environment in Ringsend Dublin

The course has special relevance for local authority engineers but it has also been designed for those in the private sector who have a particular interest in environmental management.

Topics covered in the course include air quality, noise, hydrological processes, water and wastewater treatment, solid and toxic waste management, energy and sustainability assessments, and environmental monitoring and control. Environmental Impact Studies and analysis of risk, as an inherent part of infrastructural development, are also considered.

This course has been approved by Engineers Ireland as meeting its requirements for continuing professional development.

An image of a set of wind farms and a number of people carrying water on their heads

Course Organisation

Lectures are normally held on Friday evenings from 7.00 pm - 10.00 pm and Saturday mornings from 9.30 am - 12.30 pm each week over two semesters (late September to April). For the 2020/21 academic year and as conditions dictate, this course will be delivered by a blended learning approach allowing students to participate in lectures either in a face-to-face format or remotely via the University online platform.

In addition to attending lectures, participants are required to submit coursework as part of the student assessment. On occasion, one or two field visits are organised during the two semesters, which relate to the course content and offer an opportunity to contextualise the related environmental topics from lectures to a real-world setting. 

 

An image of a snail and some marine life

Course Content

The course covers a broad range of environmental topics to help students appreciate the breadth and gain a depth of knowledge across each of the areas with respect to data collection, analysis and interpretation, risk and impact assessment, and development of mitigation solutions. The course will cover the following topics:

  • Environmental legislation, EIA, and EIS;
  • Hydrology for environmental management;
  • Water and wastewater engineering;
  • Air quality and noise monitoring and management;
  • Solid and hazardous wastes;
  • Fire safety engineering;
  • Renewable energy;
  • Life cycle assessment and circular economy
  • Sustainability metrics for measurement and assessment
  • Special topics include waterborne diseases and radiation hazards.

Lecturers

The module lecturers in this course represent leading academic and professional experts in the field of environmental engineering. In addition to leading academics from Trinity College Dublin, our invited speakers on the programme include experts from:

  • AWN Consulting Ltd
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Flannery Nagel Environmental Ltd
  • GQA Environmental
  • Irish Water
  • McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors
  • National Parks & Wildlife
  • Technical University of Dublin

as well as several specialist independent consultants.

Image of pollution from chimneys behind a village

Assessment

The award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Monitoring, Assessment, and Engineering is based on a combination of the results of two examination papers and coursework. Each paper constitutes one-third of the overall assessment. The mark for the coursework also constitutes one-third of the overall grade.

Students must pass each paper and the coursework element independently; there is no system of compensation. The pass mark for the examination papers is 40%. A Distinction is awarded to those who obtain an overall average mark of 70% or over at the summer examination.

Recommended texts

Extensive notes are provided by individual lecturers, who may also recommend texts.

Entry Requirements

An honours degree (level 8) in a relevant scientific or practitioner field (relevant work experience may be accounted for when candidates may not have a level 8 degree. please consult the course director in advance of an application in these circumstances).

ENGINEERING PG DIPLOMAS BROCHURE (PDF)