REPORT ON PROGRAMME VALIDATION
Part 1
Q3
Programme details
Proposed title
BEng Tech in Fire Engineering
Nature and duration of programme
4 years part-time
DIT awards
Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Fire
Engineering
Higher Certificate in Fire Engineering
Classifications of award
With classifications of Distinction; Merit Upper
Division; Merit Lower Division; Pass
Parallel award sought from other award body None
Professional/external accrediting body
Programme developed through collaboration with the
Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). Programme will
be submitted for accreditation by IFE and Engineering
Ireland (EI).
Background
The School of Civil and Building Services Engineering has worked in collaboration with the IFE to
develop a modular, part-time ordinary degree programme which provides a route for academic
development of those working in the fire services and the general fire engineering sector. The
programme utilises science, mathematics, engineering technology modules and professional
development modules from suitable existing part-time programmes, in combination with a set of firespecific modules developed for this programme. The demand for the programme comes in the first
instance from the professional development requirements of personnel working in the Irish Fire
Services. However, it is expected that the programme will also be attractive to those working in the
general fire engineering sector.
Stated aims and programme outcomes
The general aims of the programme are to enable graduates to demonstrate:

the ability to derive and apply fire engineering solutions from a knowledge of sciences,
engineering sciences, technology and mathematics;

the ability to identify, formulate, analyse and solve engineering problems;

the ability to analyse the design of fire safety processes and systems;

an understanding of the need for high ethical standards in the practice of engineering, including
the responsibilities of the fire safety profession towards people and the environment;

the ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multi-disciplinary settings together
with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning;

the ability to communicate effectively with the engineering community and with society at large.
Learning outcomes
Having successfully completed the programme the graduate will:
 have a specialised knowledge of the scientific and engineering principles of fire and fire safety;
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 have a specialised knowledge and understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire and the
reaction and behaviour of people to fire, to protect people, property and the environment from the
destructive effects;
 investigate increasingly difficult fire engineering problems and bring them to a successful conclusion
within time and cost constraints while being conscious of health and safety matters and appropriate
national and international directives;
 confidently engage in and successfully resolve fire safety engineering projects both technical and
managerial and communicate effectively their resolution;
 work in various teams that will constitute their working environments;
 understand the critical role of management structures, costings and contract conditions to the
successful conclusion of a project;
 engage in personal development to meet the engineering responsibility requirements of the
professional body;
 appreciate the necessity of national and global sustainable development and cultivate high ethical
standards.
Programme structure
The Bachelor of Engineering Technology is a modular programme which is delivered part-time over
four years, with 40 ECTS delivered in each year for the first three years and 60 ECTS including project
in the fourth year.
Entry Requirements
The entry requirements for the programme are:
 a minimum of five subjects in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent to include at least two ordinary
level C3’s or equivalent, a pass in English or Irish and an Ordinary level D3 grade in Mathematics,
or
 successful completion of the Institution of Fire Engineers Preliminary Examinations, or
 relevant work experience.
It is expected that there will be many applicants for advanced entry to the programme and/or exemptions
by RPL, such as holders of IFE examinations and experienced fire fighters.
Student assessment
In accordance with DIT’s General Assessment Regulations (see Recommendations of the Panel in
relation to the application of the General Assessment Regulations)
Derogations from General Assessment Regulations
Part 2
None sought.
Validation details and membership of panel
Dates of Validation Event
27/28 May 2010
Thursday 27th May (Day 1)
Venue: Boardroom, DIT Bolton Street
17.00 hrs
Introductory meeting of Validation Panel with the Director of the College of
Engineering and the Built Environment, representatives of the Irish Fire Services and of
the Institution of Fire Engineers and relevant staff from the School of Civil and
Building Services Engineering.
17.30 hrs
Private meeting of Panel to discuss and draw up an agenda of matters to be raised
at subsequent meetings with various groups.
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18.30 hrs
Panel visits facilities available to the programme at DIT Bolton Street.
19.30 hrs
Dinner.
Friday 28th May (Day 2)
Venue: Boardroom, DIT Bolton Street
09.00 hrs
Refreshments (tea/coffee) Served. Private meeting of Panel.
09.30 hrs
Meeting of Panel with the Head of School, the Chair and key members of the
Programme Committee to discuss specific issues raised by the Panel.
11.00 hrs
Meeting of Panel with staff teaching on the programme to discuss such matters as
syllabi, teaching methods and assessment issues.
12.30 hrs
Lunch.
13.30 hrs
Private meeting of Panel to consider draft report.
15.30 hrs
Final meeting of Panel with the College Director, representatives of the Irish Fire
Services, Head of School and key members of the Programme Committee as
appropriate to present orally the Panel’s findings.
Validation Panel Membership
Internal Members
Dr Anne Murphy (Chair)
RPL Policy Officer, DIT 143-149 Rathmines Road
Mark Deegan
School of Computing, DIT Kevin Street
Kevin O’Connell
School of Electrical Engineering Systems, DIT Kevin Street
External Members
Brian Bourke
Managing Director, Forward Fire Engineering, Co. Kildare
Professor José Torero
Head of Institute for Infrastructure and Environment and
Director of the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering,
University of Edinburgh
Officer
Ms Jan Cairns
Part 3
Quality Assurance Officer
Comments on documentation and arrangements for event
Documentation provided
Documents provided for this validation event include Part A, Background Information for the proposed
programme, Part B, the Programme Document and staff CVs. Extracts from the Handbook for
Academic Quality Enhancement setting out procedures and other matters associated with the validation
of programmes are also provided.
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Part 4
Findings of the Panel
Recommendations of Panel in relation to awards sought
The Panel is pleased to recommend to Academic Council approval of the Bachelor of Engineering
Technology in Fire Engineering at level 7 within the National Framework of Qualifications and
approval of an exit award of the Higher Certificate in Fire Engineering, at level 6 within the National
Framework of Qualifications, subject to two conditions and with eight recommendations. The Panel
congratulates the College and School for this collaboration with the Institution of Fire Engineers and the
Irish Fire Services which it believes will lead to a very successful programme.
Conditions
1.
The programme aims and learning outcomes, and the graduate profile, in terms of knowledge,
skills and competences, should be clearly articulated and reflected in the module titles, module
learning outcomes, module content and assessments.
2.
The programme module list should be revised as follows:
the module in Combustion and Fire should be removed and replaced with a module in
thermodynamics,
ii)
the module in Fire Dynamics and Modelling should be removed and replaced with a module
in engineering mathematics at a more advanced level.
iii)
the module in Fluid Dynamics and Fire should be reconfigured to become a module in fluid
mechanics at the appropriate level.
i)
Recommendations
1.
The Panel recommends that the Programme Committee should include at least one member who
is a Chartered Fire Engineer. In addition, the Panel recommends that members of the teaching
staff should be facilitated to obtain accreditation as corporate members of the Institution of Fire
Engineers.
2.
The Programme Committee should produce an indicative schedule of a students’ weekly
workload, including the timetabled pattern of delivery, over both semesters of each year, and
include this within the programme document.
3.
The Programme Document should articulate arrangements for the on-going co-ordination of the
programme, including the Year Coordinator role, and arrangements for student induction and
support.
4.
The Programme Document should articulate arrangements for the submission of student
assignments and projects and any penalties in relation to late submission that might apply.
5.
The Programme Document should be edited to address any omissions and errors within the
document including the modules descriptors.
6.
The Programme Document should indicate the location and resources for the laboratory/practical
elements of modules, for example, the Fire Services Management modules.
7.
The Programme Committee should ensure that all reading lists are updated and presented
properly.
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8.
The Programme Document should state explicitly if the DIT General Assessment Regulations
(June 2009) are to apply, and in the case of any module where deviation from the regulations is
considered necessary, this fact should be clearly stated in the module descriptor and also in the
main body of the Programme Document.
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