Fire Safety

Certificate

Course Details

Course Code	GA_EFIRG_N09
Level	9
Duration	1 year
Credits	15
Method of Delivery	Blended
Campus Locations	Galway City – Dublin Road
Mode of Delivery	Part Time

How to Apply

How to Apply

Course Overview

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

This certificate 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 programme as it will provide a cross-pollination of ideas, shared experiences and appreciation for each others roles and responsibilities in the Built Environment.

The programme is designed to meet the postgraduate and continuing professional development needs of these disciplines, to develop competence in the specialist area of Fire Safety 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.

It will also be possible to complete the Certificate and/or Postgraduate Diploma and/or MSc in Built Environment Regulation at some point in the future. This flexibility is designed to accommodate an adult working population. The difference between this qualification and the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma, and Certificate in Built Environment Regulation is that there is no research capstone module requirement and only Fire Safety Technical Guidance Documents, along with the relevant Irish and/or British Standards for Fire Safety are covered in the syllabus.

Students take this course as part-time (1 year).

The programme is CABE accredited.

For more information see the programme brochure.

CPD Approved

Course Details

Year 1

Semester	Module Details	Credits	Mandatory / Elective
1	Fire Safety (Part B Dwelling Houses) This module aims to develop an in-depth knowledge, understanding and experience of the design, site and compliance requirements for Part B Dwelling Houses(including an overview of stairs TGD K, B and M). On completion of this module, learners should be able to demonstrate their understanding and application of Part B Volume 2 and demonstrate compliance in the building regulations, and to model some legislative roles and responsibilities required in the Irish built environment regulations. Learning Outcomes 1. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B Dwelling Houses B6: Means of warning and escape, and B11: Definitions,Health and Safety and best practice requirementsin the Irish built environment, in areasonably practicable way. 2. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B Dwelling Houses B7: Internal Fire Spread (Linings),Health and Safety and best practice requirementsin the Irish built environment, in areasonably practicable way. 3. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B Dwelling Houses B8: Internal Fire Spread (Structure), and SupplementaryGuidance to Technical Guidance Document B (Fire Safety),Health and Safety and best practice requirementsin the Irish built environment, in areasonably practicable way. 4. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B Dwelling Houses B9: External Fire Spread,Health and Safety and best practice requirementsin the Irish built environment, in areasonably practicable way. 5. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B Dwelling Houses B10: Access and Facilities for the Fire Service,Health and Safety and best practice requirementsin the Irishbuilt environment, in areasonably practicable way.	05	Mandatory
2	Fire Safety (Part B Buildings Other than Dwelling Houses, and FSC) This module aims to develop an in-depth knowledge, understanding and experience of the design and compliance requirements for Part B Buildings other than Dwelling Houses. On completion of this module, learners should be able to demonstrate their understanding and application of Part B and should also be able to demonstrate compliance with the fire sections of the building regulations, including the preparation of a Fire Safety Certificate Application. Learning Outcomes 1. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B, B1 Means of escape in case of fire (including an overview of commercial stairs TGD K, B, M), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way. 2. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B, B2Internal fire spread (Linings), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way. 3. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B,B3 Internal fire spread (Structure),Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way. 4. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B,B4External fire spread,Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way. 5. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating toPart B,B5 Access and facilities for the fire service,Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way. 6. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to the application ofand submission thereafter ofaFire Safety Certificate for a building other than a dwelling.	10	Mandatory

Recommended Study Hours per week

2 hours per week in Semester 1. 4 hours per week in Semester 2. Self-directed learning, assessments and project work will be expected to be completed in addition to the timetabled contact hours.

Examination and Assessment

All modules are 100% CA consisting of online exams, online quizzes, and project work, either in groups or completed individually.

On-Campus Attendance Requirement

Tutorials, project work, and some assessments will be conducted one Saturday each semester.

Progression

This is offered as a stand alone Certificate as well as an embedded minor award in the MSc in Built Environment Regulation, and the Post Graduate Diploma in Science in the Built Environment Regulation.

Download a prospectus

Postgraduate Prospectus Online, Flexible & Professional Development Prospectus

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 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:

Gain access or advanced entry to a programme at Stage 2 or higher, subject to available places. (Stage 1 entry through CAO)
Gain credits and exemptions from programme modules after admission
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 and as published in the Access, Transfer and Progression code. Further details on English language requirements are available here.

Fees

Total Fees EU: €1000

DASBE students pay €375. 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 2025.

Further information on fees

Careers

There are 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 programme, further employment opportunities may 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 partial progression routes into these roles. This qualification and sub-sets thereof will help to meet annual Continuing Professional Development requirements, and to align with professional body requirements. This programme may 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.

Further Information

Who Should Apply?

This certificate is designed for a multidisciplinary cohort across the built environment disciplines such as Architecture, Engineering, Building Surveying, Architectural Technology, and Construction Management, among others. The programme is designed to meet the postgraduate and continuing professional development needs of these disciplines, to develop competence in the specialist area of Fire Safety by facilitating knowledge gained through training and applied experience.