Master of Science in Built Environment Regulation

Applications are open for January 2025.

The programme aims to afford advanced experience, knowledge, and training to fulfil, in part, the onerous and challenging roles, duties and responsibilities associated with a range of Built Environment Regulations in the Irish Construction Industry.

This master's degree programme is designed for a multidisciplinary cohort across the built environment disciplines e.g. Architecture, Engineering, Building Surveying, Architectural Technology, and Construction Management, among others.

A multi-disciplinary cohort will be beneficial to the master's degree programme as it will provide a cross-pollination of ideas, shared experiences and appreciation for each other’s roles and responsibilities in the Built Environment.

The master's degree programme is designed to meet the postgraduate and continuing professional development needs of these disciplines, to develop their competence in these areas by facilitating knowledge gained through training and applied experience. It will be particularly beneficial to new entrant graduates who have recently entered the work force in the last one to three years.

It will also be beneficial to lifelong learners and more experienced professionals as Continuing Professional Development, up-skilling, retraining, and as a refresher course. Furthermore, the programme can be undertaken on a module-by-module basis, if so desired, by accumulating credits. Alternatively, a programme of shorter duration can be commenced, with the view to continuing to complete the full Master’s degree programme at some point in the future. This flexibility is designed to accommodate an adult working population.

Students can choose to take the course as full time (1.5 years) or part-time (2.5 years).

The programme is CABE accredited.

For more information see the programme brochure.

CPD Approved

This programme also contains three exit awards, namely the major award of Post Graduate Diploma in Science in Built Environment Regulation, and the minor awards of the Certificate in Fire Safety, Certificate in Built Environment Regulation and the Certificate in Energy Conservation and Environmental Services.

There are significant employment opportunities for building regulation practitioners as specialists within their broader discipline areas of Architecture, Architectural Technology, Building Surveying, Consultancy, Consultant Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Quality Engineering, Building Control Engineering, Local Authority Engineering, and Construction Management, to name a few.

By completing this masters' programme, further employment opportunities will present in the much sought-after areas of specialist Building Regulation Engineers, Building Control Engineers, Quality Engineers, Local Authority Engineers, Designers, Builders, Assigned Certifiers and/or Ancillary Certifiers, the roles of each being defined in the Built Environment Regulations and Legislation, and also depending on each candidates' primary undergraduate degree qualification, their professional body membership and their practice experience in the construction industry.

By completing this programme, it may facilitate progression routes into these roles if used in conjunction with applications for Chartership or an equivalent level in each profession and/or discipline, for example. It may also present opportunities for progression into management and to more senior positions. This qualification and sub-sets thereof will help to meet annual Continuing Professional Development requirements, and to align with professional body requirements. This programme will facilitate employment opportunities in the broad area of Building Regulations and Building Control in the private and public sector, in local authority, and on site in the construction sector.

Entry Requirements:

Candidates must hold a cognate level 8 Bachelor (Hons) degree with a minimum grade classification of H2.2 or equivalent, in an appropriate Built Environment undergraduate programme or equivalent. Candidates who do not meet the H2.2 performance standard in a Level 8 award will be required to pass a qualifying assignment at an H2.2 performance standard as established by the Programme Board for the programme in question and as approved by the Registrar.

In accordance with ATU policy recognition of prior learning can be used to gain access to or exemption from this programme.  ATU Galway City is committed to the principles of transparency, equity, and fairness in recognition of prior learning (RPL) and to the principle of valuing all learning regardless of the mode or place of its acquisition. Recognition of Prior Learning may be used to:

1. Gain access or advanced entry to a programme at Stage 2 or higher, subject to available places. (Stage 1 entry through CAO)
2. Gain credits and exemptions from programme modules after admission
3. In award years RPL will be considered, to a 50% maximum (30 credits)

 Academic Code of Practice No. 6 outlines the policies and procedures for the Recognition of Prior Learning. Guidance for applicants is provided on myexperience.ie The programme board will be expecting mapping equivalencies to the QQI Awards standard at level 8.

 English Language Requirements will be as determined by ATU Galway City and as published in the Access, Transfer and Progression code. Further details on English language requirements are available here

Required Commitment

Timetable

The modules will run during term time and will honour the normal campus breaks for students during the Christmas, Easter, and Summer holidays. Self-directed learning, assessments and project work will be expected to be completed in addition to the timetabled contact hours.

Both blended fulltime and flexible cohorts will be required to complete a capstone module. The capstone module involves writing a mini-thesis and a technical paper, and it reflects an accumulation of knowledge and specialism in the broad discipline area of the built environment regulations. Research supervision will be delivered online for a half an hour every week at a time that is convenient to the researcher and the supervisor alike, for the duration of one semester.

A one-hour circle meeting followed by a one-hour research workshop will be facilitated in a face-to-face class on a Friday afternoon at the Dublin Road, ATU Galway City campus. This will run once a month.

DASBE Funding Support

These programmes have been developed with support from the HCI 3 funded DASBE project (see dasbe.ie). 

The DASBE funding support will be reviewed annually and will run until 2024.

Fees and Funding

The Total Fees (EU Fees) for this programme can be found on our Fees & Funding webpage - Fees & Funding | ATU - Atlantic Technological University. 

Contact Us

Irene Hayden,
Lecturer, Department of Building and Civil Engineering, ATU Galway City
Email: irene.hayden@atu.ie
Phone: +353 91 742 109