Applied Physics & Instrumentation (bsc) in Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

Applied Physics & Instrumentation (bsc) in Cork Institute of Technology

Course summary

The aim of this course is to prepare graduates for a range of technical positions within the multidisciplinary field of Applied Physics and Instrumentation. Whilst there is particular emphasis on employment within process industries, such as chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food, beverage and water, graduates are well equipped for employment in other sectors such as computers, medical devices and microelectronics, as well as in hospitals and in research and development.

As the science which deals with fundamental physical concepts, such as energy, force and time, physics is at the heart of everything in the natural world such as gravity, heat and light. Applied Physics is the term used when we apply these concepts, and thus Applied Physics is at the heart of everything in the manmade world. Instrumentation is the specific technology that allows us to measure and control a wide range of physical and other quantities that are essential to life today.

Safety, reliability, productivity, efficiency, sustainability and economy, for example, are underpinned by instrumentation. Communications, healthcare, oil & gas exploration, energy generation, transportation, food safety and research & development are examples of sectors that are increasingly dependent on instrumentation. Quite simply, instrumentation makes things happen!

Career

 

The multidisciplinary strengths of the graduates are particularly attractive to the small-to-medium enterprises often found in Ireland as these companies place a high value on the expertise, self-sufficiency and practical skills that courses in the CIT Department of Physical Sciences are designed to cultivate. Looking beyond Ireland, the European dimension to the courses prepares graduates for work within the larger European and international firms and research institutes.

For over thirty years this course has been the premier gateway to a range of careers in the Applied Physics and Instrumentation field. Many of our graduates hold key positions in major process industries within the pharmaceutical, fine chemicals, food and beverage sectors as well as in leading engineering service companies that support these sectors. Other graduates have developed rewarding careers in a range of manufacturing industries, hospitals, education and research. The excellent career opportunities open to graduates at the various levels reflect the broad interdisciplinary scope of a curriculum that includes electronics, computing and mathematics along with physics and instrumentation.

The streams available in the BSc (Honours) in Applied Physics and Instrumentation course enable students to specialise whilst retaining their interdisciplinarity. The course has a strong engineering orientation with many graduates establishing careers as Instrument Engineers and Automation Engineers by continuing their studies to honours degree level. This education broadens the perspective of the student and helps to develop their design capabilities.