My daughter wants to study engineering at college. I’m not sure it’s right for her

My daughter attended a careers talk at Higher Options and is convinced that engineering at UCD is now the right path for her. I have no background in the area, but maths is not her strongest subject and I worry it will limit her options. Can you help?
Your daughter is correct. An engineering degree opens a vast array of career pathways. It’s a versatile qualification that is highly valued both across industries and around the world. UCD degrees are also accredited by Engineers Ireland, giving them international recognition.
Future engineers often share key traits such as a curious mindset, a strong desire to understand how things work and a passion for innovation, design and problem-solving. They strive to develop new solutions or enhance existing ones to make a meaningful impact. At its core, engineering is about solving problems – whether by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing systems or by creating something entirely new.
Beyond wanting to make a positive impact on society, future engineers should have an aptitude for science and maths – it is even better if they enjoy these subjects. UCD, for example, requires a H4 in maths and a H6 in one of agricultural science, biology, chemistry, physics and chemistry (joint), or physics.
There are lots of excellent engineering options right across the country – some are even offered through apprenticeship or tertiary degree routes, without the need for CAO points.
At UCD, DN150 is the entry point to all the engineering programmes. After completing the common first year, your daughter can choose her second-year pathway from a range of choices including biomedical engineering, bioprocess engineering, civil engineering, electrical or electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, structural engineering with architecture, sustainable systems engineering, and others.
Her chosen area of specialisation in second year will also offer routes to further branches of engineering at master’s level in year four and five. She can choose to study abroad in her third year and have the opportunity to complete a six to eight-month internship during her fourth year.
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Students will spend up to one third of their time on group-based laboratory activities and project assignments. In the early stages of the degree, these focus on labs for foundation subjects such as mechanics, energy conversion, data measurement and dynamic systems.
In the final stages of the degree, students will spend time on individual projects that are either industry-facing or research-focused, and are designed to give each student scope to develop their abilities to work independently on advanced engineering topics.
A good engineering degree isn’t just about knowledge – it’s learning how to think like an engineer through logical thinking and critical analysis, and constantly improving your decision-making abilities.
Given the variety of options and her enthusiasm for this type of learning, it sounds like it could be a great fit.