University College Dublin

This course introduces the foundational and applied concepts of probability and statistical modelling for data science in engineering. Strong emphasis is placed on using the material covered to solve engineering problems, with a focus on the R statistical computing software. The main sections of the course are descriptive statistics; laws of probability; random variables; statistical inference; simple linear regression; and statistical methods for quality control. In addition, students are required to complete a sequence of computer laboratory sessions using the R software package. Students learn to perform exploratory data analyses using graphical and numerical descriptive statistics, calculate probabilities and simulate from common probability distributions, calculate confidence intervals and perform hypothesis tests, and fit linear regression models.

With the rise in environmental concerns and the concepts of sustainable development in public policy at both European Union and national level, interest in regional and urban planning currently enjoys an unprecedented high profile. This course introduces key concepts related to regional and urban planning theory and practice. It presents a series of key topics in regional and urban planning, including sustainable urban growth; rural development; built and natural heritage, information, and communication technology; and public participation in planning. It explores the evolution of modern planning practice and the emergence of modern planning systems and their associated policies, including the Irish political and administrative framework and planning system. The other national systems and international practices are also noted, with European context and spatial planning providing the most relevant reference. Various planning policies and their implementation in practice are also explored and evaluated in the areas of housing, transport, urban design, environment, and community development.