Environmental Science & Sustainable Technology - Cork
This honours degree offers a unique combination of scientific and instrumentation based modules to train graduates in the skills required to become environmental monitoring specialists, specifically in the areas of air and water quality analysis.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | Munster Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | Munster Technological University | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Score the necessary CAO points and meet Leaving Certificate Minimum entry requirements
6 Subjects
Subjects O6/H7 4
Subjects H5 2
Maths Grade 06/H7
English or Irish Grade O6/H7
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
Minimum entry requirements may be satisfied by the results of more than one Leaving Certificate. The minimum entry requirements may be varied for non-standard applicants and holders of QQI-FET awards.
2nd Chance Maths Exam
Some students who apply for MTU courses may not achieve the required entry standard in Maths through the Leaving Certificate examination. For such applicants, the University offers a second chance to reach the required entry standard through a MTU Maths Exam.
This second chance facility allows applicants (depending on their results in the MTU Maths Exam) to gain entry to courses with an Ordinary Leaving Certificate Maths entry standard and (with a higher level of performance) courses with a Higher Leaving Certificate Maths entry standard.
Common Bonus Points Scale for Higher Level Maths
A bonus of 25 points is awarded to applicants who achieve a grade H6 or above in higher level (HL) Maths.
Formula:
All students presenting H6 or above in HL Maths will have 25 points added to their score for Maths.
The six highest subject points scores will then be counted to achieve a cumulative points score, as is normal practice. The bonus points will only be relevant in cases where the subject HL mathematics (including bonus points) is scored as one of the candidate’s six best subjects for points purposes. Consequently, if HL mathematics (cumulative points score) is not among these six subjects, the bonus points will not be included in the total points score. Bonus points will be awarded irrespective of the year in which the examinations were taken.
Foundation Maths
A minimum grade of F2 in foundation level Maths fulfils the minimum entry requirements in Maths for the following programmes
MT 571 BA in Early Childhood Education and Care
MT 574 BA in Social Care
MT 654 HC in Arts in Hospitality Studies
MT 655 HC in Arts in Culinary Studies
MT 971 BA (Honours) in Early Childhood Education and Care
MT 974 BA (Honours) in Social Care
Maths is not required for entry to:
MT 575 BA in Community Development
MT 572 BA in Early Childhood Education & Care
MT 820 BA (Honours) in Contemporary Applied Art (Ceramics, Glass, Textiles)
MT 821 BA (Honours) in Fine Art
MT 822 BA (Honours) in Photography with New Media
MT 823 BA (Honours) in Visual Communications
MT 931 BA (Honours) in Popular Music - Electric Guitar
MT 932 BA (Honours) in Popular Music - Electric Bass Guitar
MT 933 BA (Honours) on Popular Music - Keyboards
MT 934 BA (Honours) in Popular Music - Drums
MT 935 BA (Honours) in Popular Music - Voice
MT 936 BA (Honours) in Music
MT 938 BA (Honours) in Musical Theatre
MT 939 BA (Honours in Theatre and Drama Studies
Although not a requirement, if an applicant achieves a minimum grade of F2 in foundation level Maths, this grade is recognised for entry and CAO points are awarded as follows: F1 = 20 points, F2 = 12 points.
Full details of the minimum entry requirements for courses are outlined on the relevant course webpage. Applicants are advised to check the relevant subjects, tests, portfolios, and dates very carefully. In particular, there are early assessment procedures for some courses.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Holders of the LCVP apply in the normal way through the CAO. Points are awarded on the same basis as for the Leaving Certificate. The link modules ‘subject’ may not be used to meet the minimum entry requirements.
Leaving Certificate Applied Programme LCAP
The LCA subjects do not meet the minimum requirements for entry to MTU full-time courses. Holders of Leaving Certificate Applied qualifications may wish to proceed to a FET-QQI course and in turn apply to third level on the basis of their FET-QQI award.
Careers / Further progression
Employment Opportunities
As graduates of a STEM programme with an emphasis on technical skills, employment opportunities are excellent. The main employment areas are water quality analysis, air emissions monitoring, waste reduction, environmental consulting and management, green auditing, carbon footprint reduction as well as related research & development. Graduates can expect to work in a variety of situations such as working in an environmental testing laboratory or in waste management in a modern pharmachem plant; they could be office based or out in the field collecting and analysing environmental samples.
• Air and water quality monitoring
• Environmental consultancy
• Wastewater and air emissions reduction
• Green auditing
• Data analytics
Further Studies
Suitably qualified graduates are eligible to apply for a postgraduate degree by research at MTU at master (MSc) or doctoral (PhD) levels under the supervision of departmental principal investigators based at CAPPA (www.cappa. i.e.), Mass Spectrometry Group, or elsewhere at MTU.
Further information
September 2026
20
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Overview
This honours degree offers a unique combination of scientific and instrumentation based modules to train graduates in the skills required to become environmental monitoring specialists, specifically in the areas of air and water quality analysis.
Most of the modules taught have a significant laboratory element and students can expect to spend 50% of their contact time working with modern laboratory instrumentation. The emphasis is on making scientific measurements and analysing the results, as well as calibrating and operating technical equipment. To assist in this, the students receive a comprehensive foundation in physics and chemistry together with specialist modules in electronics, statistics, instrumentation, environmental GIS, smart sensors and the internet of things.
There is a continual green ethos throughout the course; the provision of green technical and managerial modules aim to stimulate graduates to become champions of sustainability. There are modules that deal with waste management, water and air quality, as well as green auditing to ensure that graduates are fully up-to-date with the legal, economic and technical aspects of environmental monitoring.
In addition to the scientific and technical modules, there are a number of modules designed to develop competencies in communication skills, report writing and presentation skills, and research methods along with an emphasis on teamwork.
In year 3, students are placed within an industry or research group for work placement. It may be possible for the work placement to be in an international location. In the final year of the course, there is a major technical project in the area of environmental monitoring.
What will I study?
First Year at a Glance:
• Environmental Instrumentation: measurement and calibration of sensors used for environmental monitoring
• Mathematics: developing the tools for analysing scientific data
• Chemical Principles
• Fundamental Physics
• Climate Change: introduction to issues contributing to climate change
• Green Team: introduction to sustainability and team work
• Creativity, Innovation and Teamwork: team building, independent working and communication skills development
Eleanor Baldwin
T: +353 21 433 5597
Email: eleanor.baldwin@mtu.ie