Course Summary
This Postgraduate Certificate specialises in Environment Detection and Computer Vision for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, the underlaying technology of smart and autonomous vehicles. This part-time programme brings together interdisciplinary concepts to provide engineers with the skills required to contribute to the development of the next generation of automotive technology.
This NFQ Level 9, 30 ECTS Credits Postgraduate Certificate has been developed in collaboration with industry and is aimed at Electronic, Computer, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineers who wish to develop the skills required to design the next generation of technology for smart and autonomous vehicles.
The programme will run over one year part time with 30 credits of taught modules primarily delivered online with some on-campus workshops.
Key Course Information
Study hours: Whether you are studying part-time online, blended or full-time online, it is very important that you allocate enough study time to your online course to stay focused, reduce stress and achieve your goals. For part-time online or blended learning, it is recommended that you should try to allow for 7 hours per week for a 5 credit module.
Live Lectures: Live lectures normally take place between 6pm and 10pm, Monday to Thursday but this may vary depending on the availability of specific lecturers. . If the Live Classroom scheduled times for the live online lectures do not suit you, recordings will be made available through Moodle.
Application Closing Date : 15th August 2025
Entry Requirements
Graduates with a Level 8 Honours Degree 2:1 or above in Electronic Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science or a related discipline are eligible to apply for this programme. Programming knowledge (Ideally C++) and Level 8 Engineering Maths are pre-requisites to the course.Applicants who do not meet these criteria but have the willingness to address them will be considered. Candidate interviews and entrance exams will be used to assess suitability for the programme. Graduates who have not obtained this minimum may incorporate other equivalent qualifications and relevant work experience and apply for assessment via the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. RPL is a process that may allow you to gain admission to a programme or to receive exemptions/ credit for some parts of the programme based on demonstrated learning that you may have achieved through another programme of study or through your work or career. Further information is available at www.atu.ie/recognition-of-prior-learningwhich our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team at admissions.sligo@atu.ie .
In addition, international students, whose first language is not English, will be required to prove their English competency through previous examination results, recognized English language tests such as IELTS (6.5 or equivalent required) and through oral communication skills at interview.
Career Opportunities
Upon completion students will be eligible to pursue a Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Engineering in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
Students will find employment in Senior Design Positions in Electronic, Mechanical, Mechatronics and Embedded Systems engineering for highly regulated industries. Although primarily directed at the automotive sector, many of the skills such as Machine Learning, Pattern Detection and Computer Vision are highly sought after for R&D roles in other industries such as the medical, agricultural and high-volume manufacturing industries.
Programme Fees
Academic Year 2024/25 Fees
Total Programme Fee: €3,600
Funded Places Available
Successful applicants to this course may receive funding for their fees on this course through the HCI Pillar 3 Micro-Credentials Learner Fee Subsidy initiative. The number of funded places is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
* Micro-credentials Subsidised Fee: €720
Please see here the eligibility criteria - HCI-Micro-credentials-Fee-Subsidy-Eligibility-Criteria.pdf (hea.ie)
Applicants should note that they can only be registered on one programme at a time (including a micro-credential), at ATU during the academic year (September to May).
To help make the payment of fees more manageable for students who are self-funding their studies, tuition fees can be paid through payment instalment plans at ATU Sligo. For further information on instalment plans, please visit our Fees and Funding webpage.
If you apply and are approved for an online course at ATU Sligo, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €250 to secure your place. Your deposit will then be credited against the course fees once you are registered as a student. Students at ATU Sligo are also eligible to claim tax relief at the standard rate for tuition fees.
For further information and guidance about Fees and Funding for online and part-time courses at ATU Sligo, click here.
If you are seeking to take your exams online, and you meet the eligibility criteria (overseas students and those with extenuating circumstances), an additional examinations fee will apply. For further information, please visit our Examinations webpage.
Course Format
Semester 1
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Applied Linear Algebra | 05 |
| ADAS and Autonomous System Architecture | 05 |
| Environment Detection | 05 |
Semester 2
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Multiple View Geometry in Computer Vision | 05 |
| Automotive System Safety & Cybersecurity | 05 |
| Applied Statistics and Probability | 05 |