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Economics in the B.Comm

The B.Comm degree is a very flexible programme that covers all business areas, before a student chooses a specialism in final year in one of the following:

accounting
economics
management of human resources
marketing
business information systems

Economics in the B.Comm

All B.Comm students take economics modules in each year, starting in first year with courses in the core ideas and concepts in economics, at both a micro and macro level.

This is built upon in second year with further courses in core theory, and some further economics options in the 2nd semester of 2nd year.

In final year, students who wish to specialise in economics have a number of obligatory modules, and a choice from a range of elective or courses.

These can range over the economics of financial markets and banking, the economics of health, environmental and natural resources economics, the economics of public policy, comparative economic thought, international economics, and the study of Ireland's economy in the context of global developments.

So, in taking a B.Comm, you have the option of specialising in economics, while at the same time taking a full range of modules in the main business disciplines.

Why study economics within the B.Comm?

Studying economics gives you:

An insight into the various economic relationships in the real world around you
An introduction to the analytical tools you need to help you to explore and understand these relationships
The opportunity to deepen your understanding of current affairs, the economics of the market place, economic factors influencing politics and how economic issues have influenced the course of history.

What will I be studying?

The study of economics at introductory level comprises two branches. First, microeconomics analyses the behaviours of individual people in markets as workers, consumers/savers and owners of capital. The second branch, macroeconomics, considers the economy at the aggregate level, combining all those individual people and their enterprises. At a national or international level, the state of an economy may be influenced by government policies and we study what impact different policies are likely to have on an economy.

These first year courses in both microeconomics and macroeconomics (some core economics courses are obligatory for all B.Comm students) can be taken as a satisfying complement to other degree subjects or as the start of a degree in economics. i.e. a B.Comm with a specialism in economics.

In the second and final years of the degree, students delve deeper into these themes and explore other dimensions to economic life. Other upper-level courses range over Irish economic history, environmental economics, money and banking, public sector economics, development economics, and health economics. Throughout a course of study in economics, students encounter the interplay between theory to guide our thinking and the challenges of testing that theory against evidence. An ultimate aim is to use this knowledge to help design economic policy at micro and macro levels.

Other options

In addition to the core B.Comm degree, economics is a component of many other business degrees, including the 4 year B.Comm (International) programmes, taken with a core lanaguage and involving a third year studying abroad. Increasingly, options for international study are integrated into degree programmes across the University. See links below for further details.

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